Here are 10 tips on booking an apartment for a vacation in Barcelona, and also some general holiday advice which I would strongly recommend to anyone considering booking a short-term apartment let. In no particular order, here are my top ten tips for checking that your apartment will not disappoint:
1. Admire the photographs of your accommodation by all means, but also check the measurements of the rooms. Many pictures are taken with special lenses which appear to magnify the room, leading you to assume the space is larger than it really is.
2. Perhaps not the most important point, but check the neighbourhood. The different districts of Barcelona are very different from each other. Choose the Ciutat Vella for thriving city life, Barceloneta for a beach holiday and Eixample for a quieter, tranquil setting.
3. If you have children, seniors, or those with any kind of mobility problem, check that your accommodation has an elevator. Remember, many of the buildings here are 100-200 years old, and set very closely together. As a result, entranceways can often be quite narrow and up a flight of steps, and inside there may well be no elevator, so check this first. It's too late to find this out when you get there.
4. If you are booking a vacation in Barcelona for the summer period, remember that it is almost always hot and humid. For this reason, and for your comfort, check that your accommodation has adequate air conditioning. If not, you are likely to be uncomfortable at night, and this could spoil your holiday.
5. Make sure you find out what the check in and checking out times are. Hotels usually have a fixed time for this, but apartments can vary quite a bit. Checkout times can often be 11 am, although if you have a late flight, facilities for storing your luggage can be arranged. Checking in times can vary from between 2 pm and 4 pm.
6. When booking online you'll usually assume that all charges are included in the price, but make sure you find out about any additional charges, such as late checking in or checking out surcharges. Many people take advantage of the low-cost flights to Barcelona, but as these often arrive late at night, people can find themselves facing a €20-€40 surcharge for collecting keys between 10 pm and 8 am. Remember, apartment lets don't usually have a receptionist.
7. Avoid any times when there are major fairs or conferences in Barcelona. The city of Barcelona is well known throughout the world for holding some of the biggest trade fairs and conferences in Europe, and at these times anything up to three million extra visitors come flooding in to the city. Not only does this add to the crowds, but also accommodation can be difficult to find. In addition, prices usually increase at these times, which means that booking a vacation in Barcelona can cost a good deal more than you might otherwise expect to pay.
8. Think about any special requirements which you may have, and make sure that you discuss these with the rental provider well in advance. For example, if you are traveling with a very young child, and will need things such as a cot or crib, a high chair and so forth, then you will need to speak with the agency beforehand. Usually such facilities can be provided, but don't assume that they will be left available in the property unless you ask for them.
9. Check out any special offers or discounts which might be available. If you can be at all flexible with your holiday dates, and aren't tied to the usual weekend-to-weekend times, then have a look at the special rates and discounts which agencies can usually offer. You might be surprised to discover that very often savings of between 20%-40% aren't unusual.
10. Make sure you choose the apartment rental agency carefully. Most agencies are highly reputable, but it always pays to do a little homework first, rather than rushing in to making a booking as you are caught up in the excitement of the whole experience. Look at their website and ask yourself how well laid out it is, how helpful, and how clear the images are. Can you find the contact details easily? Why not send them an email with a few questions, and see how quickly they respond, and how helpful their advice is?
Remember, any internet booking agency based in Spain must be legally registered, which will mean that they will be using the letters S.L. or S.A with the business name, as well as including legal information on the website. If this isn't apparent, then you might be best looking elsewhere.
It's always good advice to try to obtain some testimonials about either the letting agency or the apartment itself. The agency might be able to provide these on request if they are not already included on the website, but don't forget to use independent review sites which are increasingly popular on the web.
Bearing these 10 tips in mind will almost certainly help to ensure that booking your holiday in Barcelona is thoroughly enjoyable, and your apartment is comfortable, suitable and just what you were expecting.
To find a holiday apartment rental for your next trip to Barcelona, visit Way to Barcelona Apartments website located at http://www.way2barcelona.com for more information and advice about this type of accommodation.
