Tips on Accommodations

The rack rate is the maximum rate that a hotel charges for a room. The truth is, hardly anybody pays rack rates and, with the exception of smaller B&Bs, you can usually pay quite a bit less than the rates shown below. If you decide to come to Barcelona during the very hot months of July and August (in reality the capital's "low season") you'll usually pick up some bargains in the higher priced hotels at lower rates than those we officially list here. Check hotel websites, or run through the database of the regularly updated website www.venere.com, which, by cutting out booking agents, is able to get some of the most competitive rates available. High-price times are Easter and Christmas, so avoid those periods if you can.

Here's how I've organized the price categories:

• Very Expensive, $350 and up

• Expensive, $250 to $349

• Moderate, $130 to $249

• Inexpensive, under $130

These are all high-season prices, with no discounts applied. But always peruse the category above your target price -- you might just find the perfect match, especially if you follow the advice below. Note to single travelers: Rates for singles may be available in some of the accommodations listed in this chapter -- call the hotel directly and inquire. To lower the cost of your room:

• Ask about special rates or other discounts. Always ask whether a room less expensive than the first one quoted is available, or whether any special rates apply to you. You may qualify for corporate, student, military, senior, or other discounts. Mention membership in AAA, AARP, frequent-flier programs, or trade unions, which may entitle you to special deals as well. Find out the hotel policy on children -- do kids stay free in the room or is there a special rate?

• Dial direct. When booking a room in a chain hotel, you'll often get a better deal by calling the individual hotel's reservation desk rather than the chain's main number.

• Book online. Many hotels offer Internet-only discounts, or supply rooms to Priceline, Hotwire, or Expedia at rates much lower than the ones you can get through the hotel itself. Shop around. And if you have special needs -- a quiet room, a room with a view -- call the hotel directly and make your needs known after you've booked online.

• Remember the law of supply and demand. Resort hotels are most crowded and therefore most expensive on weekends, so discounts are usually available for midweek stays. Business hotels in downtown locations are busiest during the week, so you can expect big discounts over the weekend. Many hotels have high-season and low-season prices, and booking the day after "high season" ends can mean big discounts.

• Look into group or long-stay discounts. If you come as part of a large group, you should be able to negotiate a bargain rate, since the hotel can then guarantee occupancy in a number of rooms. Likewise, if you're planning a long stay (at least 5 days), you might qualify for a discount. As a general rule, expect 1 night free after a 7-night stay.

• Avoid excess charges and hidden costs. When you book a room, ask whether the hotel charges for parking. Use your own cellphone, pay phones, or prepaid phone cards instead of dialing direct from hotel phones, which usually have exorbitant rates. And don't be tempted by the room's minibar offerings: Most hotels charge through the nose for water, soda, and snacks. Finally, ask about local taxes and service charges, which can increase the cost of a room by 15% or more. If a hotel insists upon tacking on a surprise "energy surcharge" that wasn't mentioned at check-in or a "resort fee" for amenities you didn't use, you can often make a case for getting it removed.

• Consider the pros and cons of all-inclusive resorts and hotels. The term "all-inclusive" means different things at different hotels. Many all-inclusive hotels will include three meals daily, sports equipment, spa entry, and other amenities; others may include all or most drinks. In general, you'll save money going the "all-inclusive" way -- as long as you use the facilities provided. The downside is that your choices are limited and you're stuck eating and playing in one place for the duration of your vacation.

• Book an efficiency. A room with a kitchenette allows you to shop for groceries and cook your own meals. This is a big money saver, especially for families on long stays.

A Pool with a View

If you're looking for a hotel where you can take a swim, consider the following, whose pools also offer beautiful views:

• Hotel Balmes, for a garden oasis in the middle of the Eixample.

• Hotel Arts, the city's only beachside hotel.

• Hotel Omm, for unbeatable views of Gaudi's rooftops.

• Hotel Claris, for high-tech design, acres of steel, and wood decking.

• Hotel Duquesa de Cardona, for rooftop views over the boats and gin palaces of the Port Vell.

Barcelona's Self-Catering Boom

New hotels, particularly of the three- and four-star caliber, are opening in Barcelona at an astonishing rate, and a further 300 hotels are due to be built by 2008. However, many travelers still opt for quality self-catering accommodations, which allow visitors greater flexibility and independence than hotels.

If you've ever been curious about the cute-looking apartments in the Old City with their curved-beamed ceilings and balconies brimming with ferns, or the tiled-entrance apartments with Art Nouveau facades in L'Eixample, now's your chance to get up close and personal. Wander around the Barri Gotic these days, and many of the residential apartments you see are available for rent at reasonable prices by the day (normally a 3-day minimum), week, or month, enabling visitors to get a taste of what its really like to live in the city: to shop in its markets, cook its food, and make merry over glasses of wine around the dinner table.

Google "self-catering accommodations Barcelona" and you'll come up with pages of options, with something to suit every whim and budget. The array of apartments on offer ranges from small, practical studios for couples, to luxury apartments and penthouses for families or groups of friends.

If you're looking for something cultural and unconventional, one of the most interesting options is La Casa de les Lletres (House of Letters; tel. 93-226-37-30; www.cru2001.com), a thematic collection of apartments that pays homage to writers like George Orwell and the Catalan journalist and food writer Josep Pla, who had a special relationship with the city. Accommodations mix state-of-the-art facilities with an intellectual bohemian vibe. Poetry and prose are literally written on the walls. Situated in an elegant town house on the handsome Plaza Antonio Lopez, the location couldn't be better, just minutes from Barceloneta and the Barri Gotic.

More basic accommodations can be found at www.nivellmar.com, which offers seaside apartments -- or at least those that are no more than 200m (600 ft.) from the beach -- all the way from Barceloneta to Poble Nou. The places they offer tend to go after function rather than form, but are reasonably decorated, clean, and fairly priced. They are ideal for young travelers, or those with young children, who just want to be close to the sea.

For apartments with character that won't break the bank, check out www.visit-bcn.com, which offers everything from Barri Gotic town houses, such as the lovely Dos Amigos in the heart of the Old City to minimalist loft-style apartments.

If it's luxury you're after, try www.friendlyrentals.com; they offer chic properties at a surprisingly good value. Every place on their books is categorized for its artistic personality (for instance, Rembrandt, modernista, Impressionist, Romantic, or Art Deco), and is described and photographed in detail. Many have private terraces and/or swimming pools and are considerably cheaper than a hotel in the same class.

Most self-catering apartments, whether booked through an agency or directly through the owner, require a deposit of 1 night and possibly a security deposit, both of which are paid via credit card or PayPal. Things to be on the lookout for include "hidden" costs such as cleaning and extra-person charges. In general, compared to hotels, apartments are extremely cost-effective, especially for longer stays. Don't forget, though, that you are on your own -- there is no concierge to help you find a drug store in the middle of the night, or direct you to the Picasso Museum.