It seems relatively easy to find a good centrally located hostal in Madrid for ~50 euros. What's the deal with Barcelona? I'm having a hard time finding something similar.

It makes me wonder if it would be better to stay outside the city (e.g. tarragona, Sabadell, other places?) and take the train into the city.

What do you think? Any good places to stay under 75 euros? Another consideration is that we'll have a car and parking in the city doesn't seem convenient or cheap.

thanks
el tio

I took over a week to find a place in Barcelona, but I did find a place. I had to compromise were I wanted to stay and the room I wanted. I am glad I started to look even thought I am nine weeks away when I visit in October.

Barcelona reminds me of Rome, another place were it can be diffcult to get a room.

Bill

Hola tio,

While you certainly could stay in places like Tarragona or Sabadell, I think it might seriously impair your ability to go out and enjoy Barcelona, especially at night. For example, I'm not sure about the RENFE trains to Tarragona, but the last weekday FGC train to Sabadell leaves Barcelona at 11:50pm, which is pretty early by Barcelona standards. Also, after a few trips back and forth, you might start to wish you were a lot closer (I commute each day from Barcelona to Terrassa, which is right next to Sabadell, and the 90-minute round trip gets old very fast.)

A better option might be to find a hotel away from the Barri Gotic/Ciutat Vella area but still close via the metro. There's one in our neighborhood called the Husa Bonanova Park; it's on a fairly quiet street in a residential area, but only about 5 minutes' walk from the Maria Cristina metro station (which gets you to Plaza Catalunya in about 15 minutes). According to the website ( www.husa.es ) they have rooms for around 55€, with on-site parking. I've never stayed there personally, although my mom did last year and said that it was fine for her.

I'm sure others might have some similar suggestions; my advice, though, would be to stay as close as your budget will allow, so that you can spend more time enjoying the city and less time traveling back and forth.

Hope you have a great trip!
-greg

All

thanks for the add'l info.

Greg - I will be staying in Terrassa with some old friends for a couple days (I lived there for a short time some 12 years ago). This time, I'll be bringing along my family. In fact, I may stay with the friend in Terrassa and commute in to see BCN, though I'm not sure how they'd feel if I used their home as a "base" for my trip, not to mention the time on the train, as you pionted out.

While the main purpose to go to Terrassa is to visit these friends, I'm trying to remember sites that my family might be interested in (we'll probably be there on a Sunday/Monday). Does anything come to mind? I can't remember too many "tourist" sites in Terrassa misma.

Thanks for the hotel recommendation. That's just what I'm looking for - something just outside the high tourist downtown barrios. If anyone else has suggestions, let me know.

thanks!
Jeff