Thinking of going to barcelona in April- have never been but have always been intrigued. we will be traveling with our 10 yo daughter. Will probably be there a week. What is the best area of town to stay in? in the center of the city or by the beach. We love our beach vacations but would it make more sense to stay in town? Looking at the Mandarin or the Hotel Art and open to other suggestions. TIA!

April in Barcelona is NOT beach weather...
Placa de Catalunya is the very centre of the city. ....
Mandarins is in a perfect location.

I would definitely stay in town. You could walk on the beach or even sit on it but not in a bathing suit unless you're very hardy people. I was there in April and the weather was perfect for sightseeing but not for swimming or sun bathing.

The Arts isn't very well located to walking around the city. The Mandarin who be much better, but depending on your budget, there are several good options throughout the city center.

Have you checked out Maribel's guides?
http://maribelsguides.com/mg_barcelona_sightseeing.pdf

sorry, I thought she had a hotel guide, but perhaps it is out of date. http://maribelsguides.com/
We stayed at http://www.hotelconstanza.com/ Thought it was a good central location and very nice but there are lots of options. We were able to leave our bags there as we were too early to check in and did an easy walk for lunch at the Broqueria on the Ramblas.

Check out www.apartur.com - the Barcelona vacation rental compendium site with links to accredited vacation rental companies. A flat may be much larger than a hotel room.

Medieval and vibrant El Born is close to everything, ten minutes walk to both Placa Catalunya, Las Ramblas and the Barceloneta Beach. El Born is an attraction in itself with both great sights, excellent cafes, bars, restaurants, shops and a laid-back atmosphere. And next door to the Ciutadela Park with the Zoo, the Parliament etc. http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

Mandarin Oriental is in the middle of things, but you might also look at Hotel Majestic.

Both are Virtuoso hotels, meaning you can get complimentary amenities by using a Virtuoso TA to book — same price, but you get free breakfast plus wine and tapas (at the Mandarin) or free breakfast plus $100 food and beverage credit (at Majestic).

Take a look at this link for more information: http://tinyurl.com/lzw75zy

Thank you everyone for such wonderful suggestions!! I will look into them and feel more informed now. Thank you!

We went for 4 nights this past April. It was pleasant but not swimming weather. We loved it!

You can see our pics to get an idea here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7644215874841/

Happy planning!

gorgeous photos jamikins! Thank you for sharing! Cant wait to go!

great photos jamikins

Thanks guys ��

travelling with a 10 year old for a week's stay I would definitely think about an apartment - just so much nicer to have your own space and be able to eat in, even if it's only breakfast, though you may know that the spanish eat their evening mean very late which may not suit you anyway.

A nice lunch out [most restaurants offer a menu del dia which is very good value] to break up your sightseeing, and a supper of goodies from the market eaten at home may suit your 10 year old [and you] better than an evening tapas crawl or sitting down to eat at 10pm.

There are numerous places to eat in Barcelona all day long.... One does not have to eat on
"Spanish time." Or tapas.
We often stay in apts ( for the space only, we don't cook ), but keep in mind:
no concierge, no room service, no fresh towels.
Shopping for food, cooking, doing dishes and laundry might
not be the best way to spend holidays( for some travelers).

The nicest part of town is called "Eixample" - I would stay in that area but near the Placa de Catalunya for convenience to the Las Ramplas. These two boulevards are wide and picturesque and have many hotels: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes or Passeig de Gracia. The other area popular with tourists is the gothic quarter (Barri Gotic) which is older and has small narrow streets. I would not stay in El Born with children. Also, don't stay right on Las Ramblas due to noise. I agree with others that the waterfront is good to visit but not the best place to stay.

We are here now. We are staying at a very nice apartment that would work well for you. Clean, comfy, well priced and well located -

http://www.habitatapartments.com/en/...era-suites.htm

I am staying at the Alma Hotel in June with my husband for 5 nights. It gets wonderful reviews on Trip Advisor.

What do you all think of going to barcelona in october rather than April?