Layover hotels in Barcelona airport – costs, cheaper alternatives, and what to do at the airport

Have a long layover at Barcelona El Prat Airport before an onward flight? You could kill time in the airport, but it could be a better idea to find a hotel for the night.

To help you get some much-needed rest during your layover, we’ve put together a handy guide to Barcelona airport hotels. This includes options for accommodation in Barcelona itself, just in case you have some time for sightseeing.

If you plan on spending some money at the airport, in Barcelona, or during your travels outside the UK in general, check out the Wise card. Wise’s customers get to spend British pounds abroad at a fair mid-market exchange rate and transparent fees. Skip the exchange rate markups and save money with Wise.

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Hotels in Barcelona airport

There aren’t any hotels within the airport itself, although there are Sleep & Fly units which we’ll look at later in this guide. But there are a couple of hotels extremely close to Barcelona airport which could be a good option for a layover:

Cheap hotels near Barcelona airport

If you’re willing (and have the time) to stay a little further away, you could potentially save money on your accommodation.

We’ve found two relatively cheap hotels near Barcelona airport - the AirHostel Barcelona Airport 24h and the Hotel Blauet.

The AirHostel Barcelona Airport offers an airport shuttle bus service, but you can also hop on a local bus to get to either hotel. The PR1 bus goes from the airport through the El Prat neighbourhood, and stops within a short stroll of Hotel Blauet. A one-way fare is around €2.40/£2.10*.⁴

You could also get a private transfer, which should cost somewhere in the region of £42, if booked in advance.⁵ However, hailing a taxi could be cheaper but the price isn’t guaranteed beforehand.

AirHostel Barcelona Airport 24h

This hostel is geared towards travellers wanting easy access to the airport. It has a 24-hour reception, is just 15 minutes drive from the airport and offers a handy airport shuttle service too.

The AirHostel Barcelona Airport offers cheap stay in dorm rooms, along with a fitness centre, free high-speed Wi-Fi, air conditioning, kitchen facilities and large outdoor terraces. A stay in a 6-bed female dorm room starts from £22 a night and in a mixed 6-bed dorm room starts from £31 a night.⁶ Both options have breakfast included.

Hotel Blauet

Part of the Bossh! brand, Hotel Blauet is a family-run hotel just under 15 minutes drive from the airport. It has a cafe, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and breakfast available, along with staff to help you book local tours and experiences if you have time to spend in Barcelona.

A stay in a double or twin room with flat screen TV and ensuite bathroom at Hotel Blauet will cost from £85 a night.⁷

Cheap accommodation options in Barcelona

If you have some extra time to spend, why not stay in Barcelona itself and see something of this fabulous city? We’ve put together a few options for accommodation in Barcelona city centre.

Motels and hostels in Barcelona

• St Christopher's Barcelona - a modern, spacious hostel in a renovated building in central Barcelona, just at the top of the famous La Rambla. It has a restaurant, bar, 24 hour reception and free Wi-Fi. Stays start from £19.13 for a dorm bed in female dormitory, and from £107.40 for a private room with ensuite bathroom.⁸

• Safestay Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia - a central hostel located in an architecturally beautiful area close to Plaça de Catalunya. It has a bar, lounge area, free daily walking tours and views across the city, along with free broadband and affordable breakfast. Stays start from £104.90 a night for a double bed private room, or from £21.85 for a bed in a 14 bed mixed dorm.⁹

Airbnb options around Barcelona

• Rustic Flat Gothic Quarter - located in the old town of Barcelona, this two bed flat offers city skyline views, a kitchen, TV and laundry facilities. Stays start from £143 a night including service and cleaning fees.¹⁰

• Loft in Eixample - a studio loft apartment close to Las Ramblas, in the lively downtown area of Barcelona. The apartment offers self check-in, a full kitchen, coffee maker, Wi-Fi and air conditioning. A stay starts from £174 a night including service and cleaning fees.¹¹

Staying at Barcelona airport

If you don’t have much time during your layover, you could simply stay in the airport. We’ve put together some helpful info on things like Barcelona airport shops, restaurants and facilities.

And don’t forget that if you need spending money, you don’t need to change cash at the currency exchange desk. In fact, this could be the most expensive way to spend during your trip, as airport exchange rates and commission fees tend to be eye-wateringly expensive.

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What can I do in the airport during my layover?

• Duty free. You’ll find a Barcelona airport duty free area in both terminals 1 and 2, plus a number of Duty Free Express shops near the departure gates.¹²

• Shops. Along with duty free shopping, the airport also has shops by brands such as Adidas, Barça Store, Burberry, Sunglass Hut, Ted Baker, Tech&Fly and a number of tobacconists and pharmacies.¹³

• Lounges/VIP areas. You can take your pick from Barcelona airport lounges in both terminals, including the Canudas VIP Lounge, Colomer VIP Lounge, Joan Miró VIP Lounge and Pau Casals VIP Lounge.¹⁴

• Restaurants/cafes. Barcelona airport restaurants include Como Restaurante & Cafe, Deli-Cia, Dots Bakery, Eat., Burger King, Exki, Food Market, Tapa Tapa and La Donatella.¹³

• Bars/Pubs. There are lots of places to get a drink within the airport, including Innis&Gunn sports bar, Dehesa Santamaría and most of the tapas bars.¹³

Can I leave Barcelona airport during a layover?

UK nationals don’t need a visa to enter Spain for stays of 90 days or less¹⁵, so you should be fine to leave the airport during a layover.

However, bear in mind that you’ll need to adhere to local Covid-19 regulations for entering the country. You’ll also need to go through security again when you arrive back at the airport for your onward flight.

Can I stay at Barcelona airport overnight?

You can stay at the airport overnight, and you’ll have a choice of options. You can relax in one of the airport lounges if you buy a pass, although bear in mind that many lounges have a maximum stay of 3-4 hours.

You can also book a room at the Sleep&Fly unit within the airport, for a few hours or overnight.

Can I shower in Barcelona airport?

There are showers in the Sleep&Fly area of the airport, at a cost of around €22/£19.27* if you’re not booking a room.¹⁶ You can also find showers available in some of the VIP lounges.

Does Barcelona airport have sleeping pods, and how much do they cost?

The airport does have sleeping pods, although they’re more like hotel rooms. You can book by the night or for just a few hours, depending on your needs. Here’s an idea of prices:¹⁷

• 3 hour day use - €80/£70.08*
• 6 hour day use - €125/£109.50*
• Overnight (including breakfast) - €220/£192.72*

Contact options and a phone number for Barcelona airport

Need to get in touch with the airport? Here’s the Barcelona airport contact number, along with other contact details you need to know:

• Phone number: (+34) 913 21 10 00¹⁸
• Website: www.aena.es/en/josep-tarradellas-barcelona-el-prat.html.

After reading this guide, you should be all set to plan your layover in Barcelona. We’ve covered the closest Barcelona airport hotels if you’re purely looking for convenience, along with cheaper options further away and in the city centre. Or you may simply choose to stay in the airport itself.

Whichever option you go for, have a great trip.

*1 EUR = 0.8760 GBP (19-09-2022)

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