I am finally booking the rooms and found very good deals (nice apartments with many positive reviews in great areas) in Madrid and Barcelona that turned out to be must more economical than hotels in those cities.
My question now is: In Rick's Through the Backdoor, he mentions that he typically goes with a hotel if he's staying 1 or 2 nights because of the extra hassle with a shortterm rental. We'll be in Granada and Sevilla for 2 nights each and I am looking at both Airbnb and Rick's recommended hotels. There is not a huge difference in price but it is nice to have a kitchen or perhaps a Alhambra view. I'm looking at about $100 per night max.
I would like to hear if anyone has any experience they would like to share. Do you think it's worth the extra hassle to book an apartment over a hotel in these cities?