Speaking of apt rentals...(clicky & PIPs)

hz80408

....when you go on vacation and get a hotel/apt/etc...how do you decide how nice of a place to get?

This is so stupid, and I know I'm a grown adult,but I'm torn on our Barcelona apt and am tired of trying to make a decision...so if you don't mind, help :O). 

We're renting with my sister and have 3 contenders, all with difference advantages.  Do you choose the nicest place in your budget, the best location, the nice enough to get by but not over the top etc? (I apologize, this is turning into a long pong)

 I am tired of pondering over the 3 of these.  If you were us, which would you rent:

 #1.  This is about 3 blocks SW of Plaza Catalunya (a central location to the city we're aiming to be near). 2 bed, 1 bath. 13 good reviews. We'd pay $130/night

 #2.  This is about 0.6 mi W of Plaza Catalunya. No reviews, but the management company has been very quick to respond to my emails and the girl said the place was really nice. 3 bed, 2 bath, we'd pay $170/night

#3. This is on a main strip, Paseo de Gracia and just a few blocks north of the Plaza. No reviews, but looks gorgeous and manangement company was pretty quick to respond.  We'd pay $210/night

I have budgeted $200/night and overall we'd a couple hundred under our budget (with accommodations and major travel paid for) but I do think my budget for meals is on the lower end.

Is it worth more money for the nicer place, especially since it's the best location when we'll probably be gone most of the day anyways? Or is it just as well to get a place that's off of the main area that's less $? (although advantage according to sis is that #2 and #3 have more than 1 bath)

ETA: Per roar's point; it's for 4 nights.

[Poll]

roar

This my POV when picking lodging for a trip:

How long will you be in your place during the day/night? You are taking a vacation to place with a lot to see and eat and do. Creature comforts are good, but for a place like Barcelona, I would only need a place to sleep and bathe that is relatively clean and safe. Because I would want to spend my time out, out, out.

So I would go with the least expensive accommodation in the best location possible so I could get out and about easily. 

hz80408

roar:

This my POV when picking lodging for a trip:

How long will you be in your place during the day/night? You are taking a vacation to place with a lot to see and eat and do. Creature comforts are good, but for a place like Barcelona, I would only need a place to sleep and bathe that is relatively clean and safe. Because I would want to spend my time out, out, out.

So I would go with the least expensive accommodation in the best location possible so I could get out and about easily. 

Whoops, I should have said that, our stay is 4 nights.

I keep going back and forth. #1 really does meet all of our needs (although there is only one bathroom, but that's meeting needs) and is so cheap...but then again, #3 looks like it'd be so nice to return to at the end of a long day

eta: Thanks for your input!

cheekywife

my priorities for lodging are generally a clean room & bathroom and comfortable bed(s). in a hotel, a fridge is nice too. 

i prefer to spend more money on shopping, sightseeing, a splurge meal or two. they all look really nice so maybe go with option two and split the difference? 

i know it's hard to pull the trigger but since you have three good options, you probably can't go wrong. GOOD LUCK!

ooolalalolo

#1 for the location and it's closer to most of the things I'd want to be near (the market, the gothic area, two of Gaudi's popular designs, etc). Especially for that price, this location is fantastic. Book it.

AGsWife

cheekywife:

my priorities for lodging are generally a clean room & bathroom and comfortable bed(s). in a hotel, a fridge is nice too. 

i prefer to spend more money on shopping, sightseeing, a splurge meal or two. they all look really nice so maybe go with option two and split the difference? 

i know it's hard to pull the trigger but since you have three good options, you probably can't go wrong. GOOD LUCK!

All of this. 

maxlad

I think location and price are most important to me.  Like pp said, you aren't really there much - sleep, shower, rest a bit.  Unless you are planning on hanging out in the apt, no reason to spend more for a fancier place. 

We had 5 people in a one bath, 2 bedroom in Prague and it was fine for showers etc.  We just planned if we needed to be somewhere early.

sunshine_day_dreams

I picked #1.  Good location and great price.

I typically look first for location, then for price.  Then I browse pictures and reviews to see which look best.  For me, apartments with no reviews are a no-go unless they're owned/leased by a realty company.  Too much risk for me to want to chance it otherwise.  Also, for me, bathroom photos make or break the place.  If they look gross and/or teeny, teeny tiny I will always look for something else.

GilliC

Location is my top priority. I won't enjoy the place I'm visiting if it's not easy to get around. I like to be close enough that if I'm totally exhausted, I can get home easily. But I tend to have long days and to see/do as much as possible. My rule of thumb is to book the cheapest place I can comfortably tolerate that's within easy walking distance of the area I'm targeting.

Also, I don't trust owners' photos. If I'm thinking of splurging (in distance or money), I need to have seen candid traveler photos that prove to me the place is worth it. I love TripAdvisor, and I've seen too many places that look great on the hotel/management website but ordinary in real life photos.

hz80408

Thanks for all of the responses.

 For those who have been to Barcelona; #1 is technically in Raval neighborhood; right at 'Jardin de Torres i Clave'; however since it's the north end of Raval; near the Plaza and has 13 good reviews; I'm not really worried about a seedy location/people.

The owner said it's on the 2nd flr and it's in the non-street side of the building; so it's pretty quick.

 So, it's a book right?!

 

iLikeSloths

I'd go with #1 for the location, price, and it has some positive reviews which is comforting. 

bula

I really love how #3 looks but if you aren't spending much time at "home" and are out and about, you might as well save the money. Location is definitely key and having no reviews for a place is a little worrisome.

Are the prices you posted per couple per night or total per night? 

GilliC

hz80408:

 For those who have been to Barcelona; #1 is technically in Raval neighborhood; right at 'Jardin de Torres i Clave';

EDIT: Just realized something weird happened to my post.

Anyhow... What I tried to say before is that last time I was in Barcelona, I met up with some friends who stayed at the Hotel Jazz a block north of there, and they seemed happy with the area.

AKuzReve

I'd do #1 too. 

PittPurple

We look at location first and the rest afterwards - there's nothing more annoying than not being able to get home in a reasonable time. At the end of a long day, a short walk can feel like forever!

hz80408

GilliC:

hz80408:

 For those who have been to Barcelona; #1 is technically in Raval neighborhood; right at 'Jardin de Torres i Clave';

EDIT: Just realized something weird happened to my post.

Anyhow... What I tried to say before is that last time I was in Barcelona, I met up with some friends who stayed at the Hotel Jazz a block north of there, and they seemed happy with the area.

Thank you GilliC! I am going to go ahead and book today.

Thank you all for your input.

hz80408

bula:

I really love how #3 looks but if you aren't spending much time at "home" and are out and about, you might as well save the money. Location is definitely key and having no reviews for a place is a little worrisome.

Are the prices you posted per couple per night or total per night? 

Agreed.

 The prices I posted are the rates H and I will pay.  It's us and my sister, so we worked out the prices to be fairly even, although for #1, we'll pay more than our share because we want the bedroom I posted a pic of.

 The "real"/total prices, for 4 nights, over Easter (so there's a slight markup) are (in USD):

#1 - $176/night

#2 - $255/night

#3 - $314/night.

MrsA1210

I would definitely choose #1.  With apartment rentals, I'd want to see positive reviews, not just the advertisement.  The pictures look really nice, it sounds like it's a decent location (I haven't been to Barcelona), and the price difference is huge!