JennyM

I am going to Barcelona for the first time in January and really don't know where to stay. I have looked at several sites for hotels but all are listed by city regions and I'm not sure what region is best to stay in. Can anyone advise?

TopMan

You'll get a lot of differing opinions on this to include the usual "why don;t you rent an apartment" response.

Personally, I prefer to stay withIN the so-called "Gothic Quarter" and usually at the Colon which, if you can get a room with a view, affords fabulous views of the square and the cathedral. Close enough to walk to "the Ramble" and so forth.

Nice problem to have deciding where to stay in Barcelona...watch out for pickpockets on the Metro...and enjoy your stay.

JJBhoy

JennyM,

TopMan has given you good advice, but just to illustrate his point about differing opinions I would be more inclined to recommend the Eixample area.This is generally regarded to be a bit more upscale than the Gothic Quarter & yet is still close to the hub of Placa De Catalunya.

If you do a search for "Barcelona" on this forum you'll find a lot of information which might help you to decide which particular area suits your own personal likes & dislikes.

Jim

cheryllj

Stay either in Eixample or the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) near the Catedral and you can't really go wrong. Avoid the area west of Las Ramblas (El Raval) which can get seedy at night.

m_kingdom2

I didn't care for the city, and after a day's sightseeing you'll be glad to escape to the Olympic Port area which has a much calmer feel.

TopMan

Even though I like the Gothic Quarter and the Colon, they don't call the other area "Gayxample" for nothing..the "Fab Five" would feel right at home there in the upscale neighborhood. Either way, most people seem to enjoy Barcelona and hopefully you will too.

caroline_edinburgh

IMO the Olympic village resembles a sixties concrete shopping mall & is quite cut off from the rest of the city.

roman

I stayed at the Arts Hotel which is in the Olympic Village. It was great. It is a bit away from the action but if I remember correctly, about a 20 - 30 minute walk to La Ramblas.

Su

I stayed in a new place: Freestanza Apartments. Location is Great because is close to the main atractions but isn't in the middle of them. The apartments are in Barceloneta district, 10 minutes walking to the Ramblas and 5 minutes to the Gotic Quarter. They have a website.

jd_dallas

I suggest that you look at Maribel's guide for Barcelona, which you can download at www.maribelsguides.com. It gives a good overview and a lot of information about neighborhoods, hotels, restaurants, etc., and many posters here have praised it.

kenman

My wife and I liked the hotel Condes de Barcelona in the Eixample, and that's probably the neighborhood I'd choose next time. The Hotel Arts near the waterfront is really nice, but it felt a little out of the way, particularly in the winter. Eixample is well-situated for a lot of the Gaudi stuff, good restaurants, shopping, etc. A bit of a walk to the Ramblas and Gothic area - maybe 15 minutes? - but we liked the neighborhood much better.

Ronda

I second kenman's suggestion of Hotel Condes de Barcelona in the Eixample. The circular staircase is actually from the original hotel (if I remember correctly) or an old building. Very gothic, very beautiful. The rooms were large and air conditioned. The pool as depicted on the web site wasn't much.

Myer

We were there in June and stayed at the H10 Placa Catalunya.

For a busy square the hotel was pretty quiet. Room was fine and buffet breakfast and in a room overlooking the square.

Location can't be beat. 5 minute walk up Passeig de Gracia to the Gaudi works.
right on the top of the Ramblas. 10 minute walk to the Barri Gothic.

The Aurobus shuttle from the airport stops directly on the oppostite side of the squate in front of el Corte Ingles.

Definitely stay there again.

marycb

We stayed at the Catalunya plaza hotel and absolutely loved the area we were in. It was a quick walk to the gothic quarter the eixample area so we felt like it was really easy to explore on foot. I have to say i loved, loved, loved barcelona- there is so much to do. If you want to splurge(and I mean splurge_) on a meal, tragaluz off passeig de gracia was really good.

Intrepid1

Forget the Colon..the gothic cathedral is apparently under scaffolding

Mary_Fran

It's true the cathedral was under scafolding when we were there the first week in October, 2004. However, the plaza in front was still fun, with lots of interesting people in the area, night and day, with a nice, festive feel.

Joe_in_Silver_Spring

We got back from Barcelona 11/20, having stayed at the Best Western Regina, a four star (two more than I'm used to) half a block from Placa Catalunya. I got a good rate (E144) on Orbitz. It was a predictably small room but with a large bathroom and fairly good closet space. And the included breakfast was better than average. The best part was the location. Placa Cantalunya is within easy walking distance, even with my sore feet, of Barri Gotic, Passeig de Gracia, and other places that tourists want to see.

britab3

I just spent 4 months in Barcelona and lived in the Eixample neighborhood. I would suggest that you stay in a hotel on or near passeig de Gracia north of Placa Catalunya. The area is very nice and there are a variety of hotels in different price ranges. The metro stops are really convenient and clean there and there are always cabs available when you need them. It is an extremely good location for sightseeing and getting around the city. The gothic quarter is nice to visit but i wouldnt stay there or anywhere near las ramblas.

caroline_edinburgh

I stayed twice at the Hotel Majestic on Passeig de Gracia, albeit some years ago, & found it very convenient. The room was nice & there is a rooftop pool, although that won't interest you in January. The second time I stayed my room was not as high & there was some traffic noise, so if you want to be on a street side, ask for a room on a high floor.

colokev

Friends and I went to Barcelona over the summer. We stayed at the Rivoli Ramblas hotel...great location right on La Rambla. The hotel was clean and quiet even though it faced La Rambla. The staff was great and you are allowed to use the rooftop pool at its sister hotel across the street. The prices are good also! We stayed for a week in May.