Barcelona hostel accommodation

If you are looking for accommodation at a generally much lower cost than that of hotels in Barcelona, then staying in one of the city’s many hostels might prove to be absolutely perfect.

The image of hostels as being places offering shabby, comfortless accommodation or huge shared dormitories might persist in some places but the reality in Barcelona is very different. Whether you are a lone traveller backpacking your way around Europe or a group of young people trying to save a little bit of money, hostels can be an economic, pleasant experience.

Most, though not all, of the hostels in the city are to be found in the Las Ramblas and Barri Gòtic areas, within easy walking distance of all the biggest attractions, and close to the vital transport links.

It used to be that hostels were almost solely catering for students and ‘backpackers’ – incidentally, a name often still used to refer to the hostels themselves. Nowadays, you’re just as likely to find couples on weekend breaks and even business guests. Similarly, it is quite usual now for hostels to offer single or double rooms – often with their own bathrooms – as well as the dormitory rooms with multiple beds. You can, though, still find shared rooms and shared bathrooms; and you will find that many hostels charge for bed linen.

Almost every hostel in the city will have, amongst its facilities, a shared kitchen for guests to use and a common room. Often you’ll find laundry rooms, bars, tourist information and, more and more regularly, internet access or perhaps even computer terminals. Quite a lot of places now provide breakfasts for their guests.

One aspect that has improved enormously in recent years has been that of security. Many hostels now have very strictly controlled access – sometimes by key card, sometimes by having to ‘buzz’ the Reception. Similarly, many will have lockers and security boxes for guests to hire. Okay, so they won’t generally have telephones in the room and room service – but they will have everything you need to make your stay comfortable and safe.

Some of the popular hostels in Barcelona become fully booked during peak times, so it is best to reserve your accommodation in advance. Most now will take reservations on-line. If you do have to book a room at late notice, you may find that some hostels will only accept cash for a bed if you are a ‘walk-in’ guest.

Staying in hostels is a great way of meeting interesting travellers from all over the world – they are very cosmopolitan places.  It’s always worth having a look at review sites such as www.tripadvisor.com to get a feel of what previous guests have thought of places or Search BookHostels.com

As with all accommodation, if you do your research well in advance, a hostel can be a perfect place to spend your time in Barcelona – certainly, many people think so.