Last year we visited Barcelona and stayed in a hotel in the L'Eixample. We enjoyed Barcelona so much that we have decided to return again this summer, but would like to stay in a different area ideally around El Born. Does anyone have any hotels/B&B suggestions? We will be there in the end of June, so air-conditioning is a plus.
Hi Christine
Sorry :))) I don't work in tourism and I'm not really up-to-date on the hotel arena in the city, moreover taking into account that there's a constant movement on this sector. So, this is just to point out El Born IS NOT a neighbourhood... it's just the name of a small 300yds boulevard which is located in La Ribera neighbourhood, which in turn is one of the neighbourhoods of the Ciutat Vella (Old City) district... just sayin'... in case you search in serious webs for apts or hotels -you won't (or shouldn't **) find an 'el Born neighbourhood'.
DISTRICTS: http://bit.ly/BCNdistricts | NEIGHBOURHOODS: http://bit.ly/BCNhoods
If anyone is interested, the name Born derives from the Catalan verb "bornejar", which means "to joust" (as in medieval jousting tournaments). The El Born boulevard is a short and narrow street where these jousts used to take place several hundred years ago.
PS. (**) Yet, a few expats offering tourism services in the city are ignorant enough to insist in referring to an nonexistent neighbourhood even after having been explained is not so.
thank you so much!
Enric, thank you so much for the clarification. I'm still learning my way around Barcelona and appreciate your input.
Feel free to ask :))