Spain

[down_to_business]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced but awesome and safe hotel in Barcelona? I have never been to this area before and was overwhelmed when I started looking at all the hotels on the travel websites. Will be there a short while only before boarding a cruise ship. I will not have my own car or transportation, so far away places wouldn't work very well for me.

 

Thanks.

[ragazzolupo]

DTB

I rented an apartment recently just off the Avenigua Diagonal near Lilla Shopping center. The area was nice, safe and quiet and a walk (I like walking) or a short cab ride to Las Ramblas or other sites of nightlife. Staying in or near Las Ramblas is great if you like noise, crowds, and intensity. I preferred to “visit it.”

You did not say what time of year you would be visiting, but that would make a difference in tourist levels. Are you most interested in staying near saunas and “action,” or would you like to stay near better restaurants and a more upscale area? I have to say that Sauna Thermas was the best for boys that I have even been in. I have not gone to Brazil, but the combination of a great facility with tubs, pools, bars, rooms and boys was very exciting to me. Perhaps at Thermas, Brazil comes to you. The boys had just the right friendly-forward attitude.

[EZEtoGRU]

Tough one to answer. I've not stayed in a bad hotel yet in Barcelona. Since its your first time, it might be best to stay closer to las Ramblas. There is a gay hotel (the Axel I believe) which is supposed to be very nice. I personally don't stay at gay hotels but other people love them.

 

Ragazzo is right that you can stay further out yet getting into town is easy by taxi or train/metro. I have also stayed out at the Diagonal beach area yet it was easy/fun to go into town on the light rail line.

[down_to_business]

I am looking well in advance of my trip. I will be there in late September.

 

I would probably prefer to stay near the restaurants/upscale area. I know absolutely nothing about Barcelona and this is actually going to be my first ever trip to Europe. I am not specifically looking for a gay hotel and the last hotel I booked was a Wyndham in California and the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (if that helps).

 

Thanks for the recommendations about hotels and places to go.

 

On a secondary note, I recently read an article written by a cruiser that warned everyone that you need to be prepared for VAT tax and how to handle it as a US citizen with proper advance paperwork etc. I have no clue what she is talking about. Is there something I should read or know before my cruise about VAT?

[down_to_business]

One of the travel sites breaks down the hotels into the following 8 areas:

 

Forum - Sant Marti

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

Las Ramblas North

Las Ramblas South - La Barceloneta

Les Corts - Sants

Llobregat - Barcelona Airport (BCN)

Sagrada Familia

Sant Gervasi - Gracia

 

Any area to focus on or avoid? Any help on what would be considered a good rate to try and book at for late September?

 

Thanks,

[ragazzolupo]

This might help for Barcelona Neighborhoods: http://www.tourist-barcelona.com/images/barcelona-neighbourhood-map.jpg

 

 

From your last post, I think you should have good weather in September, and, with no reason not to, I would suggest some part of Eixample as your hotel location. I stayed in NW Eixample, but you might prefer to be a bit further south in Eixample toward Las Ramblas.

 

 

Eixample (aka gayxample)

 

 

From: http://www.gaybarcelona.com/home.html

The site lists the bars, saunas and gay and gay-friendly hotels.

The main gay area in Barcelona is called L'Eixample or Gayxample, but let's start at the beginning. The beginning being the street everyone first heads for in Barcelona - Las Ramblas. It runs from the port, to the center of town, stopping just a few blocks short of the gay village and is famous for Barcelona's best street performers. It's a constant highway of people walking up and down it to see it's many visual delights. A word of warning though, Barcelona is renowned for professional pick pockets, never put your wallet in your back pocket and don't leave anything unattended, not even for a second. When the sun sets is when Barcelona really comes to life. After a hot day, the boys come out to play! Barcelona's gay scene is lively and stylish but remember in Spain you don't go out to eat until 10pm, the bars don't get going until midnight and the discos don't even open until 3am, so get some sleep in before you go out because you will be out all night drooling over those gorgeous Catalonian boys.

[rguer]

VAT is the European equivalent of a sales tax (not identical, but similar). If you are a visitor, you can get a refund of some of the VAT by saving receipts, filling out forms, standing in line, etc. Probably not worth the hassle unless you're planning to buy a lot of stuff.

 

What ship? What destination?

[down_to_business]

This might help for Barcelona Neighborhoods: http://www.tourist-barcelona.com/images/barcelona-neighbourhood-map.jpg

 

 

From your last post, I think you should have good weather in September, and, with no reason not to, I would suggest some part of Eixample as your hotel location. I stayed in NW Eixample, but you might prefer to be a bit further south in Eixample toward Las Ramblas.

 

 

 

Well I took your advice and booked my hotel for Eixample/ Valencia area. I wanted to wait and stress and agonize over the decision a lot longer, however, I was informed that some HUGE festival was ending right around the time I was looking and that I would be better served to make the reservation without delay, so I did.

 

Thanks again for the map, links, advice.

[ragazzolupo]

Well I took your advice and booked my hotel for Eixample/ Valencia area. I wanted to wait and stress and agonize over the decision a lot longer, however, I was informed that some HUGE festival was ending right around the time I was looking and that I would be better served to make the reservation without delay, so I did.

 

Thanks again for the map, links, advice.

 

I hope that the advice works out well and I also hope that you will give a full report 10 months from now. This will help continue the flow of information on this most intriguing of cities.

[LBCABob]

First Time in Europe for Me, Too

 

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced but awesome and safe hotel in Barcelona? I have never been to this area before and was overwhelmed when I started looking at all the hotels on the travel websites. Will be there a short while only before boarding a cruise ship. I will not have my own car or transportation, so far away places wouldn't work very well for me.

 

Thanks.

Perhaps going on the Atlantis Amsterdam-to-Barcelona charter? I have it booked with a friend who is then going to spend some time in Spain before heading back to the US. I, on the other hand, will continue on the ship for another 10 days to Istanbul. You are so right about the wide array of hotels - will be stopping in London for a few nights on way to Amsterdam and find a tremendous choice of both large and small hotels. At least with a cruise, you have the "hotel" part of your trip covered.

[ragazzolupo]

Perhaps going on the Atlantis Amsterdam-to-Barcelona charter? I have it booked with a friend who is then going to spend some time in Spain before heading back to the US. I, on the other hand, will continue on the ship for another 10 days to Istanbul. You are so right about the wide array of hotels - will be stopping in London for a few nights on way to Amsterdam and find a tremendous choice of both large and small hotels. At least with a cruise, you have the "hotel" part of your trip covered.

 

LBCABob Do you have a question here? Do you need a hotel in London? If so, what would you like to see/do in London? If the questions are primarily about London, I think you should start a "London Thread" so the largest number of forum members will participate. best of Luck, I will be in London soon.

[LBCABob]

Yes, Will Need New Thread Just for London Questions

 

LBCABob Do you have a question here? Do you need a hotel in London? If so, what would you like to see/do in London? If the questions are primarily about London, I think you should start a "London Thread" so the largest number of forum members will participate. best of Luck, I will be in London soon.

Think it might be a little soon to be posting questions here for a trip scheduled for September. Had to book cruises early to get desired cabin(s). With too much time on my hands lately, I have looked at airfares, hotels, usual sight-seeing tours (offered thru Expedia), etc. but too early to make (usually non-refundable) reservations. As best I can tell from their website, Eurostar does not even show availability more than about 5 months ahead. About to take cruise circumnavigating South America so won't be into the full planning mode for Europe until after I return to California. And, you are right, a separate thread would be appropriate.