Search Barcelona Hostels from AU$165

• Factory Hostels Barcelona: Don’t worry about when you arrive—the front desk is open 24 hours. Start your day with a jolt of caffeine from your in-room espresso machine or meet up and swap stories with other travellers in the on-site café. You’ll be about a 5-minute walk from Casa del Guarda and the Gaudi Experiencia.

• Generator Barcelona: This Barcelona hostel has its own bar and lounge—the Fiesta Gracia, which serves up light international fare and delicious drinks, as well as a happy hour that attracts travellers and locals. The rooms are air conditioned and you’ll have access to laundry facilities if you’re staying for a bit. The hostel also is smack in the middle of international restaurants and shops running along Carrer de Corsega and is about a 15-minute walk from the Placa de Galla Placidia.

• Hola Hostal Collblanc: Start your day off right with a free breakfast or whip up something yourself—the communal kitchen has a fridge and microwave. The rooms are air conditioned and housekeeping comes through daily, ensuring you have a clean, comfortable place to rest after a day spent exploring Camp Nou, home to FC Bareclona, which is only a 3-minute walk down the street.
• St Christopher’s Inn, Barcelona – Hostel: Don’t drag your computer on holiday with you—instead use the hostel’s computer station to catch up with friends and family. Fuel up at Belushi’s, the on-site bar famous for its burgers (vegan and vegetarian options are available!) then attend one of the free city walking tours the staff provides.

A hostal, which is specific to Spain and a handful of other countries, is the sweet spot between a regular hostel and a hotel. You’re likely to have a private room and bathroom here—hostals tend to have fewer rooms than hostels in general—and linens and bedding are typically provided. You might have a shared kitchen or you might just have soda or coffee machines.