apartment rental advise

I have booked a number of AirBnB apartments for Spain for Oct/Nov. If you can wait it out, here are some things to consider with apartment rentals.
There are various payment methods. Some require just deposits with final payment upon arrival - often in cash. Others want complete payment before you even arrive and see the place (this isn't that uncommon and generally all works out). Some take credit cards, other charge an extra 3 - 6% for you to use the card. Some use PayPal, others bank transfers. Many have some sort of security deposit, and sometimes this is in cash upon arrival.
There are various types of cancellation options - read all fine print before committing to anything!!!
Booking allows you to pay to them, but the listing tells you what, when and how much. Also what the cancellation policy is and how security deposits are handled. These can vary from listing to listing, as it is the owner who determines this. Same goes for VRBO, Homeaway or other short let apartment 3rd parties.
Airbnb has a consistent system....which is why I use them.
You do pay all or part at the time of booking - but it is held by AirBnB. They do not pay to the 'host' until you have been there 24 hours - so in the event things are not what they seem, you can contact them and tell them so. Then they try to resolve the issues. They also hold the amount of the security deposit on your credit card so there is no large amounts of cash trading hands. Having 500euro handed to me before a flight home to Canada is useless and a waste of money.
If the host asks for more money for security or payments other than a nominal city tax of under 3euro a day, then I don't think that fits the Air BnB rules to host and I ignore those ads. AirBnB is not liked in Barcelona as it has increased the price of housing for locals. Hosts are supposed to comply to the city rules, but not all do and AirBnB has massive outstanding fines about this.
There are Spanish short let apartments that are reputable and recommended...again, they have their own rules and regs.
Spain has been cracking down on visitor apartments and various cities have made their own rules. Barcelona requires all rentals to be listed with the city and they then collect tax. When looking for any apartment, see if there is a HUTB# listed. If there isn't one, you can ask for it, but if not provided, it is an illegal apartment.
Spain in general is making some sort of country wide decision about these apartments within the next month - so there could be changes that impact your choices. Not all cities require registration, but to protect myself, I have booked hotels for the 2 cities I can't get registration numbers for.
Even if from a company, I would advise asking about the city regulations and want numbers.
It is a lot, and all comes with some requirement of due diligence, but I have used AirBnB in a number of countries and like their system. I have used others in other places, but you still need to know it will suit you.
I have food tolerance issues and I like morning coffee in my pajamas. I am a solo woman traveller and not a night owl. For all these reasons - and the fact that I get a lot more for my depleted Cdn$ in an apartment than a hotel, I choose apartments anywhere I am more than 2 nights.
As my alternative, I am using Spanish hostals (not Hostels)...these are 2* pensions type places for often under 30Euro a night.

These are the areas we stayed in for our recent trip
In Madrid: Plaza Santa Ana, in Seville: Barrio Santa Cruz, in Barcelona: Eixample

I much prefer an apartment. So much more room and integration into the environment.

Here is where we stayed:
Madrid: http://www.spain-select.com/en_US/rent-apartments-madrid/santa-ana-ii
Barcelona: https://www.habitatapartments.com/en/barcelona/apartment/view/lauria-veranda.htm
Seville: https://www.vrbo.com/6845325ha

We have had great experiences with apartments. We did this in Italy also, and really loved it.
However, if you want a super soft bed, apartments may not be the best. Typically beds have harder mattresses in Europe.

We are heading to Barcelona, Madrid, Seville & Malaga in November. It will be 5 adults. I have booked at the following:

Madrid: http://www.spain-select.com
Barcelona: https://www.habitatapartments.com
Seville: https://www.vrbo.com
Malaga: https://solaga.co.uk

All of them had great choices and very very good reviews. We are in the Eixample District in Barcelona, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, on the coast in Malaga and don't remember exact area of Seville.

We are heading to Barcelona, Madrid, Seville & Malaga in November. It will be 5 adults. I have booked at the following:

Madrid: http://www.spain-select.com
Barcelona: https://www.habitatapartments.com
Seville: https://www.vrbo.com
Malaga: https://solaga.co.uk

All of them had great choices and very very good reviews. We are in the Eixample District in Barcelona, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, on the coast in Malaga and don't remember exact area of Seville.

Just returned from Barcelona and Madrid last week.
In Barcelona, stayed in Eixample area near Plaza Tetuan. Walkable to Sagrada Familia and Casas Batllo and Mila. Near metro Girona for straight shot to Barri Gotic. Loved the apartment, which we rented through Only Apartments (#414309). This same place was also advertised on all the biggie sites but was significantly cheaper on this site. Host was amazing. Paid a deposit, then balance in cash on arrival plus a cash security deposit which was returned when we checked out. Highly recommended.

In Madrid, stayed in La Latina. Fantastic location walkable to Plaza Mayor, Puerta de Sol etc. Felt very local with countless great bars, restaurants and shops in the area. Rented through Mad4rent, name of unit was "Latina V". Again, same apartment was on multiple sites, but cheaper on this site. This was a 2 br as we were with family on this leg. Same deal - deposit paid in advance, balance on cash on arrival - host waived the security fee. Super responsive (family was delayed on arrival until 4 am!) and when we couldn't get the wifi working.

I would not hesitate to use either of these 2 sites in the future, and both apartments were great. Clean, comfortable beds, safe, quiet areas, full on kitchens and laundry with air con.

2 yrs ago we stayed in Sevilla at Apartamentos Turísticos Alianza booked through Booking.com. Best place we have ever stayed, we wanted to move in. Ideal location near Catherdral and Real Alcazr.

We have visited Valencia 3 or 4 times in the past 10 years. Lovely city. On our last trip, we stayed with Vicente in an Airbnb booking.

Valencia, Spain · Joined in April 2014

He was a wonderful host. Apt. is 4 or 5 blocks from the sea. Ask him for GPS coordinates. I gave them to him when I was there. His apt. is a bit hard to find.

Malvarrosa Beach Valencia air condi
Bed & Breakfast - Private room • 2 Guests

Your Host
Vicente Martínez
+34 60 105 5547
Message your host

House Rules
I working during the week (Monday to Friday), and the only rule is that is not possible to receive visits beyond 10:00 p.m.

I found his gps coordinates: They will come in very handy looking for his apt., assuming you have a gps.

Hello Vicente,

Here are the gps co-ordinates I told you I would get.

39.4737137,-0.3305621

Regards,

John and Sue

Your trip and choices for accommodation sound bang on Kathleen. A great time was had I bet.

I appreciate all of the great advice. I am focusing on specific areas to figure on my choices. Hotels are so small that no matter what the apartment is the way to go. I have been searching several websites. But find it interesting some places may require cash payments and deposits in cash..

For now our trip is but I will be looking at all suggestions given. I like bookings.com but will try suggested sites also.

4 nights Madrid, with trips to Toledo
slow suites Augusto

5 nights Seville, with Trips to Cordoba and Rhonda
apartment Vinuesa 15

5 nights Barcelona, trip to Figueres for Dali Musem
Gracias Bas Apartment

We have 4 extra nights to either add to these cities or ad overnights to Rhonda or Toledo or Cadiz

What to do with 4 nights?

We wanted to head to a beach resort but it may be too rushed and best to split the nights up between the 3 cities and add an overnight or 2.

Granada has no interest to us.

Thanks so very much and appreciate the help..

Greg

Greg, not sure where you are are flying in or out from, but what about Malaga for the other four days? There is beach, promenada, but good Roman ruins and museums. They have been upping the anti in the tourist and culture destination deoartment. I think the down side is that beach area is known to be British retirement territory. There is much more to the place than that, however,

I just returned from Spain last night. My friends and I stayed at Easy Sleep Apartments in Barcelona (Eixample, located at Carrer de Sicilia 159, in apartment 3-3). It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small but functional kitchen, living room/dining room combination, with a small balcony off of one of the bedrooms. While it showed a little wear and tear (mostly paint issues and scuffs on some walls), it was spotlessly clean and had very nice bath towels. It was located about a 10-15 minute walk from La Sagrada Familia. The price was less that what I was looking at for a regular hotel room with three beds. I wouldn't hesitate staying there again.

Greg, I'd strongly urge you to reconsider Granada. The Alhambra is without comparison, and blows most people away.
You don't mention time of year, or if you are relying solely on public transport.
With 18 nights ...

1. ARRIVE Barcelona (5N)
2. Barcelona
3. Barcelona
4. Day to Figueres & Girona
5. Barcelona
6. Fly to Granada (2N)
7. Visit Alhambra
8. Train/bus to Ronda (1N)
9. Train/bus to Seville (5N)
10. Seville
11. Day to Cordoba (Mezquita)
12. Seville
13. Day to Cadiz
14. Train to Madrid (5N)
15. Madrid
16. Day to Toledo
17. Madrid
18. Day to Segovia
19. DEPART Madrid

We found apartment hotels in most of the Spanish cities we visited - Barcelona, Seville, and in Madrid one of our traveling companions booked an apartment, probably through airBnB

I like the apartment hotels. They had a front desk and guest services.