Your Questions Answered on Booking and Staying in our Rental Apartments
Here are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions, also, please read our Terms & Conditions,
taking note of our Cancellation Policy.
Are taxes included in the price of the Barcelona Rental Apartment?
All local taxes are included in the price, unless otherwise stated in the Additional Conditions on each apartment page.
Are the prices per person or per Barcelona Rental Apartment?
This depends on the apartment. For some apartments the price is the same regardless of the number of people that stay, for others,
the price is for a certain number of people, then there is an extra charge for each additional person. If you enter your arrival
date, number of people and number of nights, the price will be calculated for you automatically.
How much do I pay to make the booking?
To secure a booking we require a non-refundable deposit to be paid on credit card, the amount can vary from apartment to apartment.
What currency do I pay in?
The currency an apartment is priced in is stated clearly on the Apartment Page and the Booking Form in teh Pricing panel.
Other currencies are shown on this website as an approximate guide to aid you in comparing prices. The rates used to convert
to different currencies are mid-market rates, updated daily.
How and when do I pay the remaining balance?
The balance is typically payable on arrival. For most Barcelona Rental Apartments the balance can be paid by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or in cash.
For a few apartments you must pay the balance on arrival in CASH only. The options for payment of the balance are
specified on the Barcelona Rental Apartment page and the booking form. Where the balance must be paid in cash, we would like to remind guests, that
if you are concerned about travelling with cash, you can typically draw cash at the bank machines from your
accounts in your home country, but please check your limits with your bank before you leave.
Is there a security deposit that I have to pay on arrival?
A cash security deposit is an amount of money that is requested in addition to the cost of staying in the Barcelona Rental Apartment. It is returned on your departure assuming
that there has been no damage to the apartment, or no extra cleaning is required. For most Barcelona Rental Apartments we do not request a security deposit, as, like hotels,
the apartment manager will hold your credit card details as security. However for some Barcelona Rental Apartments in some circumstances you may be required to pay a security deposit, which will be specified
in the Additional Booking Conditions on the apartment page and booking form. Please note we also take your passport details, as any hotel would.
How accurate are the availability calenders?
This depends upon the apartment. For some Barcelona Rental Apartments we have real-time availability, for others the availability is updated
over-night, for a few we cannot show online availability at all. The calenders show when an apartment is definitely NOT available,
allowing you to then select from Barcelona Rental Apartments that are more likely to be available for your dates. When you make a booking or
reservation request we will double check availability before confirming back to you. You should never assume that an
apartment is booked for you until you receive confirmation from us.
What is provided in the apartment?
Bed linen and bath towels are provided in all of our Barcelona Rental Apartments. Beach towels are not provided. There may be some small
supplies of toilet paper, and tea and coffee in the apartment, as a courtesy on your arrival. Please note, due to the
logistics of supplying and restocking we do not provide toilet paper for your whole stay. The Barcelona Rental Apartments are self-catering,
and so you will need to buy any supplies of food and toilet paper yourself.
What is the Admin fee?
There is a small administration fee for each booking, regardless of duration. This is a one off payment for the fixed costs of administration for each booking.
Is there an extra charge for cleaning?
There is normally no extra charge for normal cleaning as this is included for most Barcelona Rental Apartments, where it is not, this is specified the individual apartment page.
There may be extra charges if the apartment is left excessively dirty. We expect you to leave the apartment tidy without any excessive dirt.
How secure are my credit card details?
We use the strongest commercially available encryption technology when you send your credit card details to us. These are held in a 24 hour secure site.
How often are the Barcelona Rental Apartments cleaned?
Your apartment is cleaned before you arrive. Some serviced apartments are cleaned more regularly and this will be detailed in the apartment description.
Where will we get the keys?
Your greeter will give you the keys when they meet you at the pre-arranged check-in time at the apartment or at the apartment building reception.
Alternatively you may be asked to go to a central office and then you will be escorted to the apartment.
On booking we will send you a confirmation email that contains a detailed check-in procedure for your chosen apartment.
What time can we arrive and depart?
Check-in at the apartment is normally 15:00 or after, and check-out is normally 11:00 or before, pre-arranged at a mutually
convenient time. Wherever possible we are flexible with these times and are happy to discuss your requirements.
Who will meet us at the apartment?
You will be met by a greeter, this may be the apartment manager, the owner of the apartment, or a representative
of the owner. We will ask you to call your greeter when you arrive at the airport or, if driving, you are about an hour from
the apartment. For some apartments, you may have to pick the keys up at an office at a different address to the apartment.
If so, this is mentioned on the apartment page. Alternatively, if the building has a reception, you may check-in there.
What happens if something goes wrong whilst I am staying in the apartment?
All of the Barcelona Rental Apartments are consistently and thoroughly maintained, however, as apartments may contain many appliances, from time to time maintenance
issues may occur, for example, a broken washing machine. Initially you should call your greeter if you have any problems with the apartment.
If they cannot resolve the issue to your satisfaction please call our office number. This is very important as we aim to resolve all issues to your
satisfaction whilst you are staying with us. Unfortunately, if you do not draw to our attention an issue that has not been resolved to your satisfaction
we will be unable to help resolve it. We log all issues and aim to ensure that they are resolved to your satisfaction in a timely and efficient manner.
What if there is an emergency?
If you have an emergency that requires our immediate attention, such as a flood or being locked out please call our regular office number as detailed on your confirmation email.
All calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Please state that you have an urgent issue that requires immediate attention, and you will be put through to somebody who
will try to help.
What happens if I need to cancel?
If, for any reason you need to cancel the booking - please notify us immediately by email, fax or phone. The deposit that you pay is non-refundable.
How soon the booking starts dictates any further cancellation fee that may apply. Please see our Terms & Conditions for more details and the
Additional Booking Conditions on the apartment page.
Why would Loving Barcelona cancel my booking?
In exceptional circumstances, possibly only once in a year, we have had to remove an apartment from our portfolio. This may be
due to various reasons, such as security, standards, or the apartment building community. It is very rare, and we only do it
as a last resort or if we have no choice, as it means we must cancel or reallocate each future booking. Unfortunately it
is a reality for all apartment rental businesses. In these circumtances we will always offer a full refund and subject to
availability, alternative Barcelona Rental Apartments.
What if I don't like the apartment when I arrive?
Please call us immediately. We want everyone to be happy with their chosen apartment. For that reason we provide
many photos and an honest, accurate description to ensure that you know what you are booking. There should be no
surprises when you arrive. If you have reasonable concerns or doubts about an apartment we will try to deal with
them at the apartment or accommodate you elsewhere subject to availability. If you choose not to take the apartment
for reasons that we consider to be unreasonable the cancellation policy will apply.
What happens if, when staying at the apartment I lock myself out?
Try to call us, on the office number, or emergency number given to you at check-in. We will try to get to you to let you in.
This is subject to a minimum 50 Euros call out charge, or more if it is late at night and we need to have the
keys delivered to you by taxi. Do not under any circumstances try to break in or ring the neighbours buzzers (they will not be
able to help you, and this will
only make them angry). If you are locked out without our phone numbers, then go to an internet cafe and look at our website
to get our office number. If this is not possible, as a last resort go to the police who will give you the number of an
emergency locksmith, then call us at the first opportunity. If an emergency locksmith does need to be called out because you
are locked out, (and that includes occasions where you leave the key in the lock on the inside of the apartment), you will be
charged for their services. Also, if you lose the keys, for whatever reason, you will be charged for replacements, so, again,
please make sure that you have travel insurance to cover these costs. Please never leave your keys in the lock on the inside
of the apartment when you go out. If you do you will not be able to get into the apartment on your return. You will be liable
for the locksmith charges.
Can I bring my bicycle?
We are sorry but no large sporting equipment, such as bicycles, canoes, and sledges are allowed in the Barcelona Rental Apartments, or the
building stairwells, or foyers, or balconies or terraces. You may bring skis and snowboards only if they are in appropriate
bags. This may seem like a bizarre question and answer, but we did once have 4 guests each bring a bicycle whilst staying
in a very small apartment in an old building. Considerable damage was caused to the stairwells and the apartment, and the building community
subsequently prevented us from ever letting out that apartment again.
Can I have tickets sent to the apartment or your office?
I am afraid that we cannot accept tickets sent to our offices or the Barcelona Rental Apartments. Please arrange to collect tickets from the
ticket agent or venue.
Are there extra charges for gas, electricity or water?
There are no additional charges for gas, electricity or water.
Is the roof terrace private?
For the Barcelona Rental Apartments that have terraces, they can be either shared or private. "Shared" means that the terrace is communal,
and typically anyone in the building has access to that terrace. "Private" means that the terrace can only be used by the
occupants of the associated apartment - it does NOT necessarily mean that the terrace CANNOT be seen by other people, it
does NOT mean that it is NOT overlooked, that is, it COULD be overlooked. Also, for a roof terrace, the roof maybe divided
into "private" sections, again this only means that that part of the roof is for the sole use of the occupants of the apartment,
and does not mean that the division cannot be seen by another person in another division. Please contact us before booking
if you have a specific requirement for a terrace that cannot be overlooked.
Is there a lift?
On our apartment description pages we indicate whether there is a lift in the building, (or if the apartment is on the
ground floor). However, please note that even if there is a lift, this does not mean that there are no stairs to climb.
Some of the buildings in the old town have had lifts retro-fitted and so there may be some stairs to get to the lift.
If you are in a wheel-chair, or have difficulty with more than 10 steps in a staircase, and so require an apartment with
easy access, please contact us before hand to ascertain the suitability of the apartment. Also please note that sometimes
a lift may break down. When this happens the president of the building community, or the concierge will contact the service company to get the lift
repaired as soon as possible. Please also note that in older buildings in the center of towns, the stairs may often be narrow and steep. If you
feel you may have a particular issue with steep steps please contact us before booking to discuss the matter.
What if there are building works?
If we are informed before-hand that there will be building works on the building that you will be staying in, that will disturb
your stay, then we will contact you with the options to cancel with a full refund, receive a discount, or, subject to availability,
offer alternative Barcelona Rental Apartments. Please note however, that many of the Barcelona Rental Apartments that we offer
are in private residential buildings, in central Barcelona locations, and so, if another resident starts work, or a nearby building starts work,
they have no obligation to inform us beforehand. There are laws in Spain to prevent works at night, however they are allowed to start
very early in the mornings. Barcelona is constantly undergoing rejuvenation and reformation, and building works are a part of that.
Is the apartment noisy?
This is always a difficult question to answer. Some of the Barcelona Rental Apartments are quieter than others, for example, if the only windows
in the apartment are onto a central quadrangle of a building, then this apartment will generally be quieter than those with
windows onto a road. Often those Barcelona Rental Apartments close to busy streets are double glazed with a/c and so can actually be
quite quiet. However, even in a quiet apartment it only takes a neighbour to have a party to create some noise, which,
unfortunately is out of our control, as is the case with any apartment company and even hotels. We do request feedback from
all of our guests, and if noise is consistently mentioned we will highlight this in the apartment description. Also, presidents
of building communities are usually very strict, and react very quickly when neighbours create too much noise, usually by calling
the police.
What is the minimum stay?
Normally there is a minimum 3 night booking requirement, but this does vary by apartment. We are happy to consider
requests for shorter bookings where availability permits. In high season and at certain
other times there may be a 7 night booking requirement. Please check the information for each apartment.
There is no maximum booking requirement. Bookings are subject to availability.
Do the Barcelona Rental Apartments provide wheel-chair access?
Some of our apartments have lift access, but may still have one or more steps to negotiate. Please contact
us to discuss your requirements before booking.
Do I have to pay for children?
For some Barcelona Rental Apartments you do not have to pay for children under the age of 10 on the date of arrival.
You do have to pay for children who will be 10 or over on the date of arrival. However please check each
apartment's description page for Additional Booking Conditions.
Do you provide cots and high-chairs?
Yes, subject to availability, we can provide a cot and a high-chair, typically at no extra cost.
Are pets allowed?
We are sorry but pets cannot be accommodated.
How safe is Barcelona?
Out of the thousands of people that have stayed with us in the past year only a handful have been the victims of non-violent
petty street crime such as pick-pocketing. To minimise the risk and consequences please use your common sense and try to follow
these few tips...
- Do not wear a camera or mobile phone around your neck.
- Please be extra vigilant at the airport and at train stations. When getting on and off buses or trains be very aware of who
is around you and keep your hands on your valuables. Do not let anybody help you with your bags. Take extra care when
travelling from and to the airport.
- When going out at night do not carry large amounts of money with you.
- Try to keep your passport, money and apartment keys on your body in a safe pocket, rather than in a bag that may be stolen.
- When sitting at a street cafe do not place cameras, phones or wallets on the table, hook your bag strap around your foot
or over your shoulder, and keep it where you can see it. If anybody other than a waiter approaches watch them very carefully,
especially if they thrust postcards in front of your face.
- Take a photocopy of your passport, and keep it separate from the original.
- Make sure you have travel insurance even if you are only taking a short break, so if you are unlucky you at least won't
have to worry about replacing cameras, phones and money, or any extra costs that maybe incurred.
There are a few scams that we have heard of, please look out for them...
- You may be spotted as a tourist and followed to your apartment building. The thief may then wait until you leave, then ask
some-one to buzz them into the building. The thief can then try to break into the Barcelona Rental Apartments in the building that are not
double-locked. Please make sure that you always double lock your apartment door, and that you only buzz in people
that you know. If you have ever been locked out, and seen how easy it is for an experienced locksmith to open a door that is
not double locked, by simply jiggling it around with some plastic card, leaving no trace of a break-in, then you will know how
important it is to double lock. (Please also see our note above about locking yourself out). Remember, only a
travel insurance company can insure you for your personal possessions - we, like all apartment rental, agency or hotel
companies, cannot.
- Cash machines with false fronts that take your card, then somebody will offer to take you into the bank to retrieve the card,
whilst their accomplice removes the false front and makes off with your card.
- Somebody throws liquid over you by accident, then another passerby, actually an accomplice, helps
to wipe-off the liquid, and pick-pockets you at the same time.
- Street entertainer magicians hiding peas under cups - they are entertaining but all the other people around are their accomplices egging you onto bet!
Don't expect to come off any richer for your bet!
How much is a taxi from the airport?
The majority of taxi drivers here are honest and helpful, however, there are always some unscrupulous people ready to take
advantage of tourists. If you take a taxi from Barcelona airport into Barcelona be careful not to be overcharged. The
Institute of Taxi Drivers have told us that when you enter the taxi a charge of 1.35 euro aprox will appear on the meter (this can
change depending on whether it's a holiday or day or night). Then there is a charge of 0.91 euro per kilometre - the ONLY extra
charges that will not be on the meter are 0.85 euro for each suitcase (that measures more than 55x35x35cm) and a supplement of
2.10 for airport pickup/drop off. You should note down the licence number from the dashboard and also try to let the taxi driver
know that you will need a "ticket" (a paper receipt) at the start of the journey.
Any tips for driving to Barcelona?
Driving into Barcelona can be confusing even for the natives at times. Often the signposts for exits from the autopistas
are given at the exit with no notice. However, if you aim for one of the main arteries of Diagonal, Gran Via, Parallel or
the ring roads Ronda del Dalt or Ronda Litoral you'll make it to the centre eventually. Try to make sure you have a street
map of Barcelona with your apartment clearly marked, and possibly your intended route. Unfortunately we have found that
most people do get lost, delayed, or stuck in traffic, and so then arrive much later than anticipated so please do make sure
you tell us a realistic arrival time, and keep your greeter informed of your progress along the way - so when you do arrive
you can check-in smoothly. If you arrive much later than expected, without letting us know, you may have to wait before
a greeter becomes available again to check you in.
Is there parking near to the apartment?
Wherever your apartment is in Barcelona you will always be a short walk to paid for secure parking. Prices are
currently around the 1.50 to 1.70 euros mark. Your greeter will be able to tell you the closest car park.
Useful numbers for when you are here...
Ambulance - 061
Fire - 080
Tourist Police - 93 290 33 27
Municipal Police - 092
National Police - 091
Civil Guard - 062
Directory Enquiries - 118 18
International Directory Enquiries - 118 25
Barcelona Airport - 93 298 38 38
Trains (RENFE) - 902 240 202
How do I get from the airport to central Barcelona?
Barcelona's international airport is "Aeroport Del Prat de Llobregat" and it's very easy to get to and from. In 2010 a new terminal opened so you should be aware that some flights will land/depart from Terminal 1 (T1) and others Terminal 2 (T2).
If you are flying in with RyanAir you will be arriving at Girona Airport, (or as RyanAir may call it, Barcelona Girona Airport) or Reus.
From Barcelona Airport:
...by Aerobus. There is a regular bus service from outside each terminal at Barcelona Airport. Weekdays buses leave every 15 minutes from 06:45 until 23:00 and weekends and holidays they leave every 30 minutes. The Aerobus stops at Placa d'Espanya and Placa de Catalunya. The journey into central Barcelona takes about 30 minutes. It costs about 5 euros and tickets can be purchased from the driver. It's the easiest way from the airport. On your return please ensure you are on the correct Aerobus as there are separate services for each terminal. Check the front of the bus to see which terminal the bus is serving.
...by Train. The train serves Terminal 2 only. There is a free shuttle bus that links the two terminals. Buses are frequent but expect to add 20 minutes to your journey time if using the shuttle between terminals. Trains run to Barcelona stopping at Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gracia. It costs around 4 euros and is fast and comfortable, but take care of your belongings when getting on and off.
...by Taxi. Barcelona's distinctive black and yellow licensed cabs are usually in thankful abundance in ranks outside the terminals. You may have to queue but this normally moves very quickly. Expect to pay between 20 and 30 euros into central Barcelona. On return be sure to ask for the correct terminal.
From Girona Airport:
...by Bus. There is a bus service that departs Girona Airport about 30 minutes after the UK flights arrive. Journey time is
about 1.5 hours. It stops at Barcelona's Bus Station Estacio de Nord. From the bus station you can take the Metro Arc de Triomf
or take a taxi to your apartment. Click on this for details.
to see where the bus drops you off (its the blue dot in the middle of the map).
From Reus Airport:
...by Bus. There is a bus service that departs Reus Airport about 20 minutes after the UK flights arrive. Journey time is
about 1.5 hours. It stops in Sants Railway Station (Estacio Sants) in central Barcelona. From here you can get the Metro to your apartment.
Click on this for details.
to see where the bus drops you off (its the symbol the middle of the map).
For more detailed and up-to-date information about all aspects of Barcelona go to
www.bcn.es.
