Free Hostels Barcelona

With a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sign bearing its name at the awning of its entrance, Free Hostels can easily pass off as an apartment building. Inside, there’s a much cheerier, more personable vibe to the boutique-like hostel. Sticking to a color scheme of black, white, and bumblebee yellow throughout the property, the common areas incorporate character into their more functional elements thanks to the decorative stylings of artists from the nearby Barcelona Academy of Art. Sprawling nature and travel-themed hand-painted murals adorn the hallways. The shared kitchen, dining, and lounge areas feature contemporary accents like canary-hued clocks and coffeemakers, stuffed toys, and chuckle-worthy word art prints. Between the reception area -- a simple black front desk peppered with an ongoing rotation of local maps, pamphlets, and fliers advertising upcoming hostel events -- and a chalkboard wall filled with multicolored scribblings of past guests, there’s a definite sense of community here, even as travelers range from ages five to fifty. 

In a quiet area amidst the quiet, tree-lined streets and 19th-century inspired architecture of the Eixample District -- home to both Barcelona’s bourgeois and its backpackers -- the hotel isn’t a walkable distance to the most popular city attractions. However, it’s central enough to reach most of them within about 30 minutes by public transport; there’s a bus stop across the street and two train stations between nine and 12 minutes away on foot. Casa Mila can be reached on foot in just over 20 minutes. The Sagrada Familia is a 30-minute ride away. The famous Las Ramblas main street and Passeig de Gracia fashion avenues are both 25 minutes away. The Picasso Museum takes 30 minutes to reach by train. Closer by, the Camp Nou football stadium is a 20-minute train ride away. Plan on a 20-minute drive to Barcelona’s El-Prat Airport.

Free Hostels offers shared rooms for either four or six guests, and private rooms accommodating parties of two, four, or six. All-female rooms are also available. The slightly cramped quarters of the dorms don’t allow for much by way of frills or floor space, but the nine local artists hired to decorate each room manage to make use of the walls to add playful touches with richly colored illustrations. Windows in each room let natural light stream in. Apart from the two-person private rooms, which come with double beds, all rooms feature bunk beds with either dark wood or white metal frames, memory foam mattresses and free linens, and individual curtains for extra privacy. The small but efficiently designed bed units also include two electrical outlets each, individual lamps, shelves, and lockable luggage storage spaces. All rooms include air-conditioning and heating, plus free Wi-Fi.All rooms have their own en-suite or adjacent private bathrooms with walk-in showers, shower gels, and hairdryers. Towel service costs an extra fee. 

Features are limited at Free Hotel. A free daily breakfast is served in its modern, window-framed dining area; while it’s a simple spread of toast, meats, cereals, juices, and coffee, it’s a welcome perk for visitors with especially tight budgets. No other meals are provided and there's no cafe or restaurant on-site, but guests can cook in the sunny and fully equipped communal kitchen, which includes a stove, fridge, toaster oven, and multiple microwaves. Snacks and beverages are available from a vending machine, and free Nespresso coffee and tea are available all day. A small common area, decorated in the hotel’s signature black and yellow palette, is accessorized with magazines, writing utensils, games, tables, and a couch for lounging. Wi-Fi throughout the property is free. Security cameras, 24-hour reception, wristband keys, and a luggage room for storage indicate that safety for guests and their belongings is a priority here. Fees are charged for other amenities like on-site parking, laundry service, and beach towel rentals. Charges also apply for airport shuttles to and from the hostel.