Have you ever stayed in an aparthotel before? Imagine the hospitality and service of a hotel teamed with the facilities of a rental apartment. Well, that's exactly what an aparthotel is. For those who crave a little more than a pricey minibar, travel kettle and a small selection of instant coffees on their travels, an aparthotel may be the answer. Serviced aparthotels are designed to be a home away from home, combining the service of a traditional hotel with more day-to-day living facilities in your room or apartment, whether that be a fitted kitchen or larger living area to kick back and relax!
During our first trip to Barcelona we spent our final two nights at the Aparthotel Silver in Gràcia - the more bohemian and artsy district of the city adorned with independent shops, quirky cafes, delicious restaurants and Gaudi's architectural route of Modernism. In fact, the Aparthotel Silver is located just 100 metres from the first ever home designed by Gaudi, Casa Vicens (which we somehow missed during our trip!).
The Room & Ammenities
We stayed for two nights in a 'Comfort Double' room that overlooked the aparthotel's colourful little garden. Our room included a double bed, which was incredibly comfortable and perfect for crashing out on after a long day of wandering around Barcelona. Every comfort room also comes equipped with a 32" TV with satellite and a DVD player/hi-fi system, which sits at the foot of the bed.
The kitchenette is the main draw of the Aparthotel Silver, which sat alongside the bedroom area. The room itself is a open space (other than the bathroom, obviously) so the room is reminiscent of a small studio apartment. Each kitchenette comes with a mini fridge, microwave, sink, kettle and electric stoe top. You'll also find pots, pans, cutlery and other necessities stocked in the cupboard for you to use so that you can be self-sufficient and cook whenever you please. The only thing I did note was that there's no oven within the kitchenettes meaning you are limited to just cooking on the stove top and in the microwave.
We only used the kitchenette once and made a huge batch of late night pasta to save ourselves some money on eating out. Whilst cooking we opened our window as the room steamed up pretty quickly and one of the staff actually came upstairs to knock on our door to make sure everything was okay so we assumed it must have set off some kind of trigger despite the window being open to let out the steam - whoops!
One of the best amenities, however, had to be an electrical foot massager that was tucked away inside the wardrobe. Whilst it was a small touch, it was much appreciated at the end of each day when our feet were in absolute agony after trekking around the city!
Reception & Lobby
The reception at the Aparthotel Silver is manned 24-7 meaning there is always someone on call should you need them at ridiculous o'clock in the morning. Barcelona has a bit of a reputation for pickpocketing (we didn't have any problem whilst we were there but we were warned by locals and friends before going) so the staff behind reception always ask to take your hotel keys before leaving to keep them safe and are always on hand to give them back when you return. We found everyone we came into contact with at the front desk to be incredibly welcoming and helpful, particularly when they allowed us to check into our room a little earlier than allowed on the day of our arrival!
The lobby just beyond the reception desk is incredibly homely as it's dotted with a variety of seats, a long table, a bookshelf full of reads on the local area and a small 'help yourself' honesty bar where you can pour yourself a whisky or cup of coffee for a small price. In the far corner is a beautiful, glossy piano with a decal on the wall above inviting you to play.
There are also two desktop computers available for all guests to use within the lobby that includes access to the internet and printing facilities should you need them. There's something quite social about the lobby to the Aparthotel Silver and you could easily spend a little time there with a glass of whisky losing yourself amongst the books.
Breakfast
For just 9€ per person per day, you can enjoy Aparthotel Silver's continental breakfast in their garden area between 7am and 11am every morning. Unfortunately, as with most hotel breakfasts, the vegan options were pretty limited as the selection was very meat and dairy-orientated. However, I did manage to get the last little bit of avocado before it run out to have on some bread with tomatoes and a side of fresh fruit - who can resist watermelon when they're on holiday?!
However, I did notice that they had a pretty decent range of gluten-free products available, including cereals, bread and biscuits! Here's to hoping they add a few more vegan-friendly options in the future too *fingers crossed*.
Location
As I mentioned before, the Aparthotel Silver is located with the Gràcia district, a little further outside of the city centre and is known for its bohemian atmosphere; it's the ideal place to soak up a more authentic experience amongst the locals of Barcelona.
The aparthotel itself is mere minutes from both the Fontana metro station and the Gràcia metro station, which are both ideal for taking the train into the city centre. There are also plenty of restaurants and boutiques around the local area and a supermarket just a few buildings down from the aparthotel itself. As well as Gaudi's Casa Vicens building being close by, the aparthotel is no more than 15 minutes walk from one of Gaudi's other great masterpieces: Park Güell.
The location is perfect for those that want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre, which can admittedly get a little tiring during high season. By metro, it's no more than 15 minutes to the Gothic Quarter and the seafront meaning its quick enough to get there should you need to.
Rooms start from just 70 € per night and can be booked directly via the Aparthotel Silver website here.
Find the Aparthotel Silver
Address: Carrer de Bretón de los Herreros, 26, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
I always love having an apartment when I go away as it gives you more space and options to cook for yourself and store food. Shame about the breakfast for you though x
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