lilaki

hello fodorites,

first, thanks to everyone who helped me choose between barcelona and prague!

i'm looking into barcelona for four/five days at the end of september.

i've scoured the forums and talked to several friends. i don't think i want to stay on las ramblas ... a bit too noisy/touristy for me.

i've taken quite a liking to a studio apartment from inside-bcn.com (vidreria studio):
http://www.inside-bcn.com/#apartamentosvidreria

here is the location:
http://www.inside-bcn.com/#ubicacion

the price seems really reasonable (88E per night). i found the company from another fodorite who posted about it. but i haven't been able to find a lot of reviews about the company elsewhere. i contacted the company to request availability details and they replied to me within a few hours (a good sign!)...

can you please comment on the apartment, the rental company and/or the neighbourhood??

some details:
- DH and myself - in our early 30's
- we are FAST/active travelers - we move at a quick pace
- we're fairly well-seasoned international travelers
- we're not night-owls/party-goers - we're looking for a safe, clean neighbourhood that is still centrally located

alternatively, if you've got suggestions for an apartment that may also be suitable (less than 100 euros), please post up!

thanks so much in advance!

travelbunny

I have not used this agency. However, I did stay in an apt in this area. I loved El Born. It is very safe with a lot of pedestrian traffic. The apt I stayed in was on Calders which is quite close (Lovingbarcelona)..the price looks good! Do check on the square footage with the agency but it looks adequate.

lilaki

hi travelbunny,

thanks for the information about the neighbourhood.

the apt. is 30 square meters which is more than adequate for the two of us -- we're not planning to spend a ton of time indoors; we've stayed in much smaller places before!

do you have any recos for markets/grocery stores/bakeries/restaurants/cafes/etc. nearby

cruiseluv

That's a really nice area. I loved the church that is right next to it, Santa Maria del Mar. Beautiful stained glass.

I had a tapas lunch very near the church , in El Taller de Tapas. Very yummy.

marisylvia

I just clicked on the link and see that they're offering this flat for 69 a night--What a deal. I would jump on it.
It's an excellent location, hard to beat. El Born is the only area I stay when in Barcelona. You will find many specialty food shops in the area, and a favorite is Mercat del Born, a little independent supermarket right on the Passeig del Born. It even has a wine cellar, and there is freshly baked bread in the morning, still warm. There is also a wonderful cheese shop and a lovely shop specializing in coffee and nuts. My husband and I would breakfast on toasted bread, one of the local soft cheeses, and tomato, with a bracing cup of freshly brewed coffee in our vacation apartment on Princesa Street.
One suggestion: although Barcelona is now a part of Spain, it is the capital of Catalunya, and the local people appreciate it if tourists learn some Catalan, which is actually more like French to read than Spanish. That area was targeted for retribution by Franco, who made it a crime to speak Catalan. They also do not care for bullfighting--Hooray for that.
You will be near the port, which has a number of interesting museums, including the maritime museum which shows the glories of Barcelona when its navy ruled the Mediterranean, and you can ride in the suspended bucket for a view of the city. The Picasso Museum is also in a palace in El Born. Santa Maria del Mar is an amazing example of Catalan Gothic architecture. The plaza surrounding it is always lively, with lots of cafes as well as shops. A restaurant worth visiting for not only the freshest seafood but a memorable experience is Cal Pep, where if you sit at the counter you will automatically be served the freshest catch of the day, and you watch it being prepared by entertaining chefs who like to banter with the customers.
Another favorite restaurant is Anima, which is near the modern art museum (MACBA) designed by Richard Meier. It is in the University area, easily walkable from El Born. In 2007, you could get a beautifully prepared prix fixe lunch for 11-12 euros, including a glass of wine. It is a snazzy, modern space with a few very desirable tables out front under the trees.
Be sure to take a tour of the Palau de la Musica, designed in a distinctive style by Domanech y Montaner, not as well known as Gaudi, but brilliant in his use of naturalistic elements and stained glass.
Barcelona is a gem of a city, full of art, architecture, high style and lively people. It's hard to stop talking about it, as you can see.

travelbunny

..re food markets..on the "main street"- Passeo del Born (I am sure I have that wrong!!), there is a small grocery sore, a fabulous cheese shop, and another memorable shop that sells, cold cuts, ham, pate ect. There are also a number of good restaurants in the neighborhood. Dining is late (most open for dinner at 9pm) but there are some great tapa menus before.

lilaki

oh wow! i'm getting hungry just thinking about all of your recommendations! thanks so much. keep 'em coming.

anyone used the agency and/or stayed in the vidreria studios??

tks!!!

lilaki

ttt

fontmn

Hi lilaki,
Did you book this room in the end? I've actually been searching for an apt. and came across the same one - with the same dilema since I hadn't heard any information about the company.
Anyone else out there that has used inside-bcn?

danon

excellent location. don't know the company

lilaki

hi fontmn,

no, we didn't end up going with inside-bcn. i e-mailed with them for a few weeks back in february but then we decided to stay in eixample instead. we're staying at the onix ramblas. it was about the same price as the inside-bcn apartment and it's a bit more centrally located to what we want to see. plus, breakfast is included @ the hotel.

i will say that the inside-bcn folks were really prompt at returning my e-mails. i would definitely consider them for another trip.

fontmn

We've looked into Habitat since they're recommended by many fodorites, but since the search started fairly late for us (we're going in Sept.), there is only one apartment available in Born.
The inside-bcn apts seem just right, so it's good to hear that they were quick in communicating.
Thanks to both you and danon for the information - and if anyone out there has used other companies or individuals with success, please share

travelbunny

fontmn..I would recommend the calders apts from lovingbarcelona. my comments are above. I see that some of them may be vacant.

fontmn

Thank you for the recommendation. I saw your earlier comments and went directly to the site. It's a tad bit more than what I was hoping to pay (about 100 euros per night). But it's not much more and the fact that you've already stayed there carries a lot of weight.
We're going to continue checking options a few more days and make a final decision.

fontmn

Actually, I checked tripadvisor yesterday and saw the nice comments - which made me re-think. So -this weekend we'll make the final choice. Right now, we are seriously considering inside-bcn. I contacted them at the beginning of the week and like lilaki mentioned, they've been very receptive - Daniela has kindly responded to my questions so far. We really want to stay in the borne area, the apt. looks just right for our short stay.
Frankly (the countdown has begun), we can't wait to go to the market, select some cheese, jamon, aceitunas, a bottle of wine and bring it all back to the room for a perfectly quiet first night after a long, long flight.