When in Barcelona I have always rented an apartment. You get to live like a local, at half the price of a hotel and you can be right in the centre. I always like to stay in Barri Gottic area as this is best located for the beach and all the tourist attractions as well as being one of the prettiest parts of Barecelona.
I have used this company twice and they have very beautiful apartments but make sure you confirm how many rooms are in an apartment as pictures can be deceptive: www.tourismbarcelona.com
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