recommendations for place to stay in Barcelona

[kim millen]

Thank you to all of you.... what a learning curve....I'm the
frustrated post, lol. Got the booking done...Now I've been looking for
a place to stay for my 20 yr. old daughter and I in Barcelona.
Mercy, even a good hostel will do at this point. Seems like I"m going
around in circles. I took the advice and we aren't going to Porto but
we had to go through Barcelona to get to Jerez... so figured we'd stay
for 3 nights.... my travel agent was supposed to get a hotel there....
ha, already paid a flat fee to have here book the tickets(5 flights!).
Still have Barcelona on the 28, 29, 30, leaving 31st of May. Any
suggestions? Has to be easy to find from the airport because we come
in at 7pm and want to be comfortable and safe... and in the center of
things, within walking from downtown.... if anyone loves doing this ,
I'd love suggestions/help/ Here I go again! THanks so much for the
past support!!!! Kim

[edw martinez]

Pleased to see you are starting to put it altogether.   Some suggestions.  Yes, take a taxi from the airport to your hotel destination.  Then, after that,walk or travel by metro or city bus.  The metro will take you to wherever you need to go, or at least close.  Sometimes, you might have to then switch to a bus to complete the journey- like up to the hill to the Miro Museum.  7pm is not late in Spain, especially if you want something to eat.  Things are just getting started (maybe).  I have been to Barcelona numerous times (but not for four years).  And one of the things that puzzled me is that I always had a hard time in getting an advanced hotel reservations.  A lot of the places seemed to be booked up, or at least the ones I was interested in.  Lots of visitors?   So... Good luck.   Also, remember that a "hostel" in Spain does not mean a backpacker's budget dorm.  It is a hotel catagory or designation.  fyi-- I have always stayed at the Aparthotel Silver, which is located up the avenue from the La Ramblas in Gracia, about a 10-15minute walk to the Diagonal.     Gracia is a unique  residental neighorhood with lots of local color, places to eat and drink etc, and as you specified, "safe".  The hotel is in sight of a metro stop down the street, which is I believe three metro stops from the center of Ramblas.  I walk down and ride the metro back at night.  The Silver is a rather drab, semi-modern place, and from my observation, popular with Euro families and businessmen.  I found it clean and practical, as well as reasonable in price. It is not a place for old time Barcelona color or atmosphere.  Most of the rooms have small kitchen facilities, although I never bothered to use it.  Did I say Gracia had great places to eat?  And, the hotel is on line or web page for details and reservations.  My room faced a small grass patio area with tables, and off the tiny breakfast buffet room. All enclosed by the bleak urban walls of next door buildings and parking garage.   Again, making hotel recommendations is tough,  as one person's budget is another's dump, and etc.  Hopefully, some others on the forum can give you their suggestions and recommendations.  And, check out the travel guides for ideas!  Good travels.  edwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Gail Suber]

Interestingly, Kim, today's Los Angeles Times had an article on seeing Barcelona by foot.  They also recommended a few places to stay and eat.  Check it out at:
 
http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-barcelona4may04