Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
Page 185
La Ribera
PENSIÓ 2000
C. Sant Pere Més Alt, 6
PENSIÓN
93 310 74 66 www.pensio2000.com
Brightly colored and well-lit rooms provide excellent views of the Palau de la Música Catalana across the street (and, reportedly, some complementary music performances on louder nights). High ceilings and a relaxed, college-living-room-like common space (without the empty beer cans and hookah, of course) make for a friendly home away from home, complete with concerned and super helpful hostel-owners-cum-parents.
Jaume I. Walk on Via Laietana toward the Cathedral and take a right onto C. Sant Pere Més Alt, 6. Pensió 2000 is located directly across from the Palau. Breakfast €5. Internet €1 per day. Doubles €55, with private bath €60. Extra bed €20, second extra bed€16. Reception 24hr.
GOTHIC POINT YOUTH HOSTEL
C. dels Vigatans, 5
HOSTEL
932 68 78 08 www.gothicpoint.com
This youth hostel sports a social life as vibrant as its nearly flourescent lime green walls, with a ping-pong table along the huge terrace for those nights when you just need to duke it out. The chutes-and-ladders-esque bedrooms provide standard youth hostel fare with one significant improvement: most are enclosed in their own wall of curtains for some semblance of privacy.
Jaume I. Walk down C. Argenteria and take a left onto C. dels Vigatans. Kitchen available. Inquire about working to pay for your stay. Sheets €2. Towels €2. Dorms €15-23. Reception 24hr.
HOTEL TRIUNFO
Pg. de Picasso, 22
HOTEL
933 10 40 85 www.atriumhotels.com
Chic upscale rooms with curtains that actually match the covers, luxurious bathrooms with slick black tubs, and flatscreen TVs on the wall make this expensive option worth its price tag. A small common room with black leather couches, a contrasting white sculpture, and posters of worldwide art exhibitions provide the perfect place to prep before heading across the street to catch a classical performance in the Parc de la Ciutadella.
Arc de Triumf. Walk on Passeig de Llluís Companys through the arch and toward the Parc. Follow the curve to the right once it meets the park to walk onto Pg. de Picasso. Hotel Triunfo is on the right underneath the arcade. All rooms have private bathroom. Singles €40-45; doubles €60-70; triples €80-95. Discounts M-F. Reception 24hr.
HOSTAL RIBAGORZA
C. de Trafalgar, 39
PENSIÓN
933 19 19 68 www.hostalribagorza.com
Brown- and blue-tiled floors paired with orange covers make for a funky color palette ensuite, while knick-knack ceramics make you feel as if you’re staying with your Spanish grandmother. Let this place spoil you with clean rooms, balconies, and surprisingly large shared bathrooms.
Arc de Triumf. Stand on the far side of the Arc farthest from the Parc with your back to the arch. C. Trafalgar is the first street on your left. Doubles €45, with bath €55-62; triples €60/€75. Reception 24hr.
BARCELONA 4 FUN
C. Ample, 24
HOSTAL
93 268 41 50 www.barcelona4fun.com
An unmarked door in an unmarked building hides private rooms with the social life (and shared bathrooms) of a hostel (if you can find the place, anyway). Young travelers pack this hostal’s 2- and 3-person rooms, though most time is spent either in the kitchen or in the living room with a sunny view to the street, comfy furniture, and computers with free internet. Close to Barceloneta if you can’t stay too far from the clubs.
Barceloneta. While facing the water, walk to your right along Psg. Isabel II/Psg. Colom. Walk for 5min. and turn right onto C. Avinyó. At the 2nd street (C. Ample), take a right. Look for a huge stone doorway on your left and doors leading into black-and-white checkered marble hallway. Go up grand staircase—door is unmarked, but it’s door #2 on the 1st floor. Free internet and Wi-Fi. Breakfast included. Towels €1. Doubles €54-60; triples €81-90.
El Raval
HOTEL PENINSULAR
C. Sant Pau, 34
HOTEL
93 302 31 38 www.hpeninsular.com
Four stories of rooms wrap around a well-lit courtyard with hanging plants. Comfortable rooms with pale green doors, little desks, and windows overlooking the picturesque surroundings make for a gigglishly quaint place to rest your head.
Liceu. On Las Ramblas, turn your back to Plaça Catalonia. C. Sant Pau will be on your right. Free Wi-Fi and toiletries. Doubles €60; triples €85; quads €100. Reception 24hr.
IDEAL YOUTH HOSTEL
C. la Unió, 12
HOSTEL
933 42 61 77 www.idealhostel.com
An industrial-chic common space with foosball and amoeba-like couches hosts to a revolving door of vibrant backpacking youth. The bathroom facilities in this standard youth hostel smell so soapy you know they’re clean. Young, helpful staff will point you in the right direction and may even end up going with you to show you the ropes.
Liceu. Walk toward the water on Las Ramblas and take a right onto C. de la Unió. Breakfast included. Safebox available. Dorms €18. €9.50 deposit. Reception 24hr.
L’Eixample
SANT JORDI: HOSTEL ARAGO
C. Aragó, 268
HOSTEL
93 215 67 43 www.santjordihostels.com/hostel-arago
Sit back in their gloriously bright, home-like kitchen and common space, or gather round on one of the couches and listen to hostelmates play covers of Bob Dylan and Andrew Bird on the communal guitar. Any hostel with quotes from Guy Debord, Wittgenstein, and Nietzsche on its board has to be a little different, and this one is in the best way. Modern wooden and steel bunks offer a little more privacy and comfort than most hostels, though with nightly outings and a solid, exciting community, chances are you’ll be spending little time in them.
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk along Psg. de Gràcia away from Plaça Catalonia and the Corte Ingles. Take a left onto C. d’Aragó. Lockers and luggage storage included. Sheets and blankets included. Laundry available. Kitchen and computers with internet. Dorms €30-35. Reception 24hr.
SANT JORDI: APARTMENTS SAGRADA FAMILIA
C. del Freser, 5
HOSTEL
93 446 05 17 www.santjordihostels.com/apt-sagrada-familia/
For those sick of dining on takeout, coffee, and beer, Sant Jordi’s apartment-style lodging offers the chain’s characteristic laid-back style, communal guitar, employee dedicated to arranging nightly parties, and guarantee of social hostelmates as cool as you (or as cool as you want to be). Each apartment includes a private bath (or two), a stylish and comfy living room, free washing machine, and stocked kitchen, with the added benefit of hostel style sociability. With rooms for one, two, or four people, you can pick your privacy without pension-style isolation.
Hospital Sant Pau. Walk along C. del Dos de Maig toward C. Corsega. Take a left onto C. Rosselló and stay left as the road splits to C. del Freser. Apartments include living room, TV, washing machine, ensuite bathrooms, and kitchen. Free Wi-Fi. Lockers, sheets, and blankets included. 4-bed dorms €16-28; singles €20-38; doubles €36-64. Towels €2. Quiet hours after 10pm.
HOSTEL SOMNIO
C. de la Diputació, 251
HOSTEL, HOSTAL
93 272 308 www.somniohostels.com
This ultra-sleek hostel offers the best of both worlds—beautifully decorated private rooms and cost-efficient and dorm-style bunking. Cool wooden floors and modern decor will leave you expecting to pay the price, but you’ll be thankfully disappointed. Super helpful and friendly staff will direct you to the best little tapas bar or the only cost-efficient driving tour in Barcelona. Watch for more locations in the near future, as they look to expand throughout Spain.
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk along Gran Vía toward the University and take the first right onto Rambla de Catalonia. Somnio is on the corner of C. Diputacio and the Rambla. Breakfast €2. Locker, towel, and bedding included. Free Wi-Fi Dorms €26; singles €44; doubles €78, with b
ath €87.
EQUITY POINT CENTRIC
Psg. de Gràcia, 33
HOSTEL
93 215 65 38 www.equity-point.com
Equity Point’s location can’t be beat, especially for its price. Though the expansive number of rooms and the gargantuan, but beautiful, reception area in this modernista building might intimidate you, their website puts it most accurately when it states that this hostel is “like a cuckoo that’s muscled into the very plushest of nests.” Great views from the bunk-style rooms and a ton of amenities, including a terrace and bar, provide the perfect reprieve if somehow you don’t feel like spending the day out front along Passeig de Gràcia.
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk along Psg. de Gràcia away from Plaça Catalonia and the Corte Ingés. Equity Point is on the corner of C. Consell de Cent and Psg. de Gràcia. Lockers available. Free Wi-Fi; computers with internet free for 20min. Top sheet and blanket €2 each. Towel €2 with €2 deposit. Dorms €18.50-30. Kitchen open until 10pm.
GRAFFITI HOSTAL
C. Aragó, 527
HOSTEL
93 288 24 99
True to its name, this hostel has graffiti, ranging from impressive works of art spanning entire walls to incredibly mundane scratchings by drunk hostelmates. An unmarked door hides the cheapest rooms in Barcelona complete with lockers, two outdoor terraces, and a common room. If you’ve visited before, be sure to stop by again—the hostel is under new management and has a facelift to show for it.
Clot or Encants. From Clot, face the rocket-shaped Agbar Tower and head directly to your right along C. d’Aragó. From Encants, walk along C. del Dos de Mag toward Agbar Tower and take a left onto C. d’Aragó. Dorms €10-13. Common areas closed midnight-8am.
BARCELONA URBANY HOSTEL
Avinguda Meridiana, 97
HOSTEL
93 503 60 04 www.barcelonaurbany.com
The tons of young people flocking to this hostel guarantee a fun, social experience, and the free gym access and nightly clubbing outings provided by Barcelona Urbany simply greaten the potential. Rooms are supermodern, but don’t be surprised if you want to spend most of your night on the terrace bar sipping super cheap beer and sangria (€1) instead.
Clot. Walk along Av. Meridiana toward the rocket-shaped Agbar Tower. Urbany will be on your right, on the corner of Meridiana and C. de la Corunya. Breakfast included. Luggage storage. Laundry available. All-female dorms €23-34; mixed dorms €20-31. Singles and doubles €68-94. Reception 24hr.
HOSTAL EDEN
C. Balmes, 55
HOSTAL
93 452 66 20 www.hostaleden.net
Don’t expect another white-walled sleeping box—bright, pastel colored walls mimic the vivid blues, greens, yellows, and reds of the covers. The interior bathrooms are just big enough to get around in easily, and each comes with a hair dryer for when the windblown look isn’t cutting it. The rooms aren’t incredibly spacious, but also aren’t closet-sized—just be nimble if you take the far side of the bed.
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk along Passeig de Gràcia away from Plaça Catalonia and the Corte Ingles. Take a left onto C. d’Aragó just after Casa Battló. Take a left onto C. Balmes. Towels, safety boxes, and fans included. Singles €25-30, with bath €35-55; doubles €35-45/€50-60.
Gràcia
ALBERGUE-RESIDENCIA LA CIUTAT
C. de ca l’Alegre de Dalt, 66
HOSTEL
93 213 03 00 www.laciutat.com
Colorful dorm-style rooms for offer a cheerily saturated, modern place to rest your head. Useful facilities dot every floor, including a fully-equipped kitchen, common room with TV, and showers. Single and double rooms are also available, with discounts given to those who stay longer than seven days. The Disneymeets-graffiti murals lining the corridors exemplify the vibrant and young social atmosphere, and the terrace provides a welcome break for a breath of fresh air. Getting there from the city center may be a pain, but the bustling student-friendly (and cheap) nightlife of Gràcia is just a short walk away.
Joanic. Walk along C de l’Escorial through the plaza and follow for 5-10min. Take a right onto C. de Marti before the Clinic and take the first left onto C. de ca l’Alegre de Dalt. Lockers and towels included. Sheets €1.80. Free internet at public computers. Equipped kitchens and shared bathrooms on each floor. Laundry service available. 4- to 10-bed dorms €17-20; singles €35-50; doubles €26-30. First night deposit required for online booking. Reception 24hr.
HOSTAL LESSEPS
C. Gran de Gràcia, 239
PENSIÓN
93 218 44 34 www.hostallesseps.com
Recently renovated, this pension boasts 16 larger rooms, all with huge baths and sleek flatscreen TVs. With these amenities, some people decide to not leave their rooms. Even for the area, this hostel is surprisingly quiet.
Lesseps. Walk away from the giant road along C. Gran de Gràcia. Hostal Lesseps is a few blocks down on the right. All rooms with ensuite bath. Free internet at public computers. Singles €40; doubles €65; triples €80.
Camping
Almost all of Barcelona’s campsites come equipped with baffling ammenities, and even the more reserved campsites have basic bathing and laundry facilities as well as a supermarket and restaurant. If you’re not the tenting type, affordable 4- to 6-person bungalows are usually available with kitchens and complete bathrooms. Many have minimum stay requirements, so be prepared to kick back and settle down for a few days.
CÀMPING TRES ESTRELLAS
Autovía de Castelldefells, km. 186.2, Gavá
CAMPSITE
93 633 06 37 www.camping3estrellas.com
If you got any closer to the beach, you’d be washed out to sea at high tide. Camping facilities dot the beautiful beach of Gavá, 12km from the city center (35min. by bus). Extensive facilities boast not one but two swimming pools (in case you’re afraid of sharks), volleyball nets, and a grill area, along with the expected supermarket, bar, and restaurant.
Gavá stop on bus L94 or L95 from Plaça Catalonia. Campsite 5min walk from station. Pools, restaurant, supermarket, and BBQ area available. Camping €6-8 per person; €7.50-9 for tent. 2-person cabin €26-38; 4-person cabin €38-60. Open Mar 15-Oct 15.
CÀMPING MASNOU
Carretera. N-II km 633 Camil Fabra, 33.
CAMPSITE
93 555 15 03 www.campingsonline.com
A more rustic and down-to-earth alternative to many of the resort-esque campsites. Camping Masnou is close to the water, recommended for those looking to indulge in the outdoors or just rest their head inside a tent after sightseeing in the city. Cheap bungalows provide a warmer alternative to your frigid tent during the winter months.
Masnou or N80 bus from Plaça Catalonia. Campsite 5min. walk from station. Bike rental, laundry, supermarket, pool, and restaurant available. Pet-friendly. Camping €5.20 per person. 4-to 6-person bungalows €60-90. Open year-round.
Outskirts
Though a trek from the city center, the following two youth hostels offer astounding views and ammenities for prices that would get you a basic bed with a view to the wall in the touristy areas. You’re not stuck out in the boonies unless you want to be, either—with nearby bus and trains stations, the city is just a short and cheap ride away.
MARE DE DÉU DE MONTSERRAT YOUTH HOSTEL
Pg. Mare de Déu del Coll, 41-51
HOSTEL
93 483 83 63 www.xanascat.cat
This renovated modernista oasis houses 209 cheap beds within its antique walls. Now owned and operated by the government, the basic rooms offer huge lockers for all of your hiking gear. The real draw is the breathtaking stained glass and Moorish detail in the foyer and common rooms, and with the Parc Güell just a short hike away, there’s no reason to stay in the monk-like confines of the dormitories.
Bus #28, 92, and N5 stop across the street. Behind Parc Güell. Breakfast and sheets included. Lockers and safety boxes available. Wi-Fi €.90 per 30min. Laundry €4.50. Dorms €15-25. Recepti
on 24hr.
IN/OUT YOUTH HOSTEL
Major del Rectoret, 2
HOSTEL
93 280 09 85 www.inoutalberg.com
Situated in the Parc de la Colserolla, In/Out offers a homey place to rest your head (no metal frames or cold tile here). The hostel also has heart, as it is staffed almost entirely by people with mental disabilities. A pool, restaurant, TV, and easy access to the train to Barcelona sweetens the deal, though you may be tempted to spend your days getting lost in the surrounding hills instead.