Where to stay in Barcelona – Casa Gracia hostel

As you might have noticed recently, I am not the biggest fan of hostels any more. More and more I prefer my own privacy, because or I want to write at night or I suffer from insomnia and each time I manage to fall asleep, there is someone being noisy at hostels and wakes me up. But when I can get a private room, in a kind of ”luxury hostel” and a bit far away from all the hustle and bustle, then you can count me in.

This time I decided to give it a try and I did not choose an apartment in Barcelona like my last time here in September 2012, but a private room in Casa Gracia hostel. The private room on the 6th floor, the top floor, where all the possible noise from the street or anywhere close by could not be heard.

The good thing is the hostel is being completely renovated which on one hand destroyed my great views of this part of Barcelona as there was the scaffolding on my balcony, but on the other hand my room was brand new and during my next visit I’ll get the views :)

And let me be honest and make you jealous once again here, in which hostel you can get a private jacuzzi hot tub in your room? Even if that was the only thing I got in Barcelona for my Adventure and spa project, I was more than happy as I had no more time there anyway.

my jacuzzi at Casa Gracia Barcelona

my travel blogging office

I’ve never had a chance to explore Gracia district properly, not even after more than twenty times in my favorite city of Barcelona, so it was the best chance to see a more quiet side of Barcelona not overcrowded with mass tourism.

Beside my hot tub, I enjoyed more things in Casa Gracia hostel:

• location – like I mentioned, the hostel is close to post office, tourist office, phone house, beauty salon, laundry, exchange etc. And you even get a little map with all the important close-by places you might want to visit.

• there is a coffee restaurant Buenas Migas just a few metres from the hostel. I met up there with my friend Brian Cox from The Travel Vlogger for tasty hot chocolate. 

with The Travel Vlogger

• For lunch I would go to healthy Fresco buffet restaurant to stay fit when traveling.

• Just across the street from Fresco there is the closest supermarket.

• Free wifi all over the hostel and it worked well. Woo hoo, social media, here I come!

• I got a fruit basket and a bottle of wine to welcome me in my room, but as I don’t drink alcohol, fresh fruit came in handy. Very cute though :)

fresh fruit welcome present

• Little terrace on the 1st floor, great for breakfast or just relaxing during the day.

terrace

• fully-equipped kitchen open 7 am to 11 pm where you can cook or just prepare a fast cold meal. I made a few cups of tea here as I really cannot live without it and also cut my fruit. Very helpful. Probably the only thing you could not get in a hotel that often is the kitchen. 

fully-equipped kitchen

kitchen

tea and fruit

• free breakfast 8 – 10 am with home-made jam, tomato bread, toasts, coffee and tea, juice, water, fresh fruit, cheese and ham and even cereals. 

breakfast

breakfast blogging

breakfast place

• every night fun things happening – a Mojito night for example, free movie nights etc.

• free tour of Barcelona 3 times per week if at least 5 people want to do it.

• 24 h reception so I could check out at 5.30 am to do hot air balloon finally.

• a roof top terrace is being renovated which I believe will be an amazing place to chill out or just to orientate yourself better in Barcelona. You can see Tibidabo, Park Guell, Passeig Gracia and other famous Barcelona landmarks.

• personally, I really enjoyed all the decorations around the hostel walls too. Very tourist-oriented. Photos of dancers, paintings of cameras, Earth globe, sofas, painted little chairs etc. It kind of got me excited about my upcoming trips again. 

Casa Gracia wall decorations

• snacks can be purchased on every floor from a snack machine. You never know when you might crave for a chocolate. 

snack machines

• Casa Gracia is situated in an historic building that has to be preserved so you will find yourself using an old funky lift every day or you might rather climb the steps to stay fit like I did every time when I was without my suitcase. Rotating staircase gives a feeling of being in a castle tower. And yes, it was more than 100 steps to my room to the 6th floor which I walked a few times per day.

• many prizes the hostel won hanging on the reception wall prove that Casa Gracia is one of the best hostels ever. 

After staying at Casa Gracia, I was picked up by Richard to go on a hot air balloon ride in La Garrotxa.

My stay in Casa Gracia Barcelona was a press stay. All the opinions in this post are just my own. Many thanks to Alex and the reception staff for making my stay very pleasant.

Posted in budget travel, Europe, hostels, photo, press trip, Spain, tips, travel Tags: Barcelona hostel, Casa Gracia Barcelona