My friend and I are renting a car in October and spending 2 days in Barcelona and then friving to San Sebastian for 2 days then onto to Provence. Any recommendations for a place to stay in Barcelona and San Sebastian where we can safely park the very small car but is also cheap and good?
We stayed at Hostal Campi in Barcelona. It's well located a couple blocks from Placa Catalunya and a block off the Ramblas. The staff are good and it's affordable (we paid about 65 euro for a double, with shared bath). The downside is it's not luxury and about half the rooms don't have ensuite (make sure you book ensuite if you need it). I prefer a quiet room and always ask for it. Normally, a quiet room means no street view and no street noise. Instead your view is of an inside courtyard or alley that more often than not isn't that great. In San Sebastian, we stayed at Pension Belles Artes. It's walkable from everything you want to see in San Sebastian, but not right on the beach. It was one of the nicest rooms we stayed in. The owners were by far the most friendly and helpful. At 117 euros it was also the most we paid for a room. Unfortunately, we were there during French Spring Break and had horrible street noise all night. Without the noise, it would have been ideal.
Brad didn't mention the availability of parking at that Hostal. I would recommend the place we like, also near Placa Catalunya, but I know it doesn't offer parking. Why don't you pick up the car on the way out of Barcelona so you don't have to worry about it while staying in Barcelona?