Where to Stay in Spain

When asking yourself where to stay in Spain, you are really asking yourself two questions - which city or town you should stay in and what type of accommodation to go for.

Where Should I Stay in Spain - Which City?

Check out the following resources for advice on which city to stay in:

• Best Spanish Cities
• Where to Stay in Spain in February

Where Should I Stay in Spain - Types of Accommodation

Spain has an abundance of accommodation available - no matter what level of comfort and price you are used to, there'll be accommodation that's right for you in Spain.

Types of Accommodation in Spain

Accommodation in Spain may include:

• Paradors
• Private rooms, home exchange and Couchsurfing
• Casas rurales
• Budget hotels and dormitory backpackers hostels
• Mid-priced hotels & pensiones or hostales
• Five-star luxury hotels

Read on for information on each of these accommodation types in Spain.

Paradors

A parador is a luxury state-run hotel. Most are in castles or former monasteries. The service can be as you might expect from a state-run organization and sometimes the age of the building might make certain facilities impractical (such as a sauna), but the setting will be second to none.

More:

• Paradors in Spain.
• Top Ten Paradors in Spain

Private Rooms/Apartments, Home Exchange and Couchsurfing in Spain

Airbnb is the accommodation service that is taking the online world by storm. Locals in Spain (and all over the world) offer their spare room on the secure Airbnb website. They make a little extra cash and we get accommodation at way lower prices than at traditional hotels. What could be better? When I'm traveling, I use Airbnb now. Check Prices on Airbnb

Alternatively, if you have an empty apartment of your own you'd like filling, a home exchange is a great way to get what would normally be expensive accommodation during high season.

If you don't have a home to swap, maybe you could just borrow someone's couch for a few days (known as 'couchsurfing'). Your host could also act as a handy guide to your destination.

Check out my page on Home Exchange and Couchsurfing for more details.

Budget hotels and backpackers hostels in Spain

If you're short of cash, or you'd rather spend your money on other pursuits, you'll be pleased to learn there are plenty of budget hotels in Spain. Most touristy cities will have a couple of backpackers hostel (where you usually sleep in a dormitory), while there's also the state-run youth hostels.

• Book youth hostels at Hostelworld.com.
• Hostelling International Hostels or Independent Backpackers Hostels?

Mid-priced hotels & pensiones or hosteles in Spain

This is probably the most common form of hotel in Spain. Can I recommend a good one? They're all pretty much the same! You can expect most (but not all) to have air conditioning (check!) and the general conveniences you'll need, but without the fancy stuff that you won't. The best prices can be found by just turning up and inquiring about rooms, but for peace of mind, book in advance.

One of the most important things to bear in mind is location, especially in the bigger cities. Read about the various locations of hotels in Madrid below.

• Hotels in Madrid - By District
• Book Hotels in Spain (book direct)

Five-Star Luxury Hotels in Spain

If it's luxury you're after, Spain has it aplenty. Perhaps the most famous hotels in Spain are the Reina Victoria and the Ritz in Madrid and San Sebastian's Londres y de Inglaterra, though the services in the latter are not what they once were.

• Book Five Star Hotels in Madrid (book direct)
• Book Five Star Hotels in Barcelona (book direct)
• Book Hotels in Spain (book direct)

Casas Rurales in Spain

Casas Rurales are country houses that can range from a room in a modest house in the middle of nowhere to a stately manor. Prices vary accordingly.

• What are Casas Rurales?