Good things come to those who wait…or search…and search…and search…and search. Finding the perfect hotel can be a bit intimidating, am I right?
There’s no website with a search filter for “cute, boutique hotels with local culture.” If there was, it would be a whole lot easier to find place to stay that fits the budget, embraces local culture, has its own charm, and has everything you actually need in a hotel (like a safe, clean room).
Enter: Hotel Praktik Bakery. I searched endlessly (just ask Sarah, my perpetual travel partner-in-crime) for a hotel in Barcelona that was in reasonable distance to the things on our Barcelona Must-List, had decently priced rooms, and was cute and boutique-y, not a big box hotel that I could stay at in a city anywhere.
When I stumbled upon Praktik, I couldn’t believe I was finding a place this cute in my budget…and when I found out that they had one in Madrid as well (and four others in Barcelona!) I immediately booked that one too.
I mean, how dreamy is this breakfast room?
Budget & Location
Sarah and I stayed here during a trip to Europe that included Paris, Nice, Barcelona, and Madrid, so our budget for hotels each night was pretty small as we absolutely wanted to do everything each day to get the most out of our trip. Neither of us really wanted to stay in shared rooms in a hostel so when we found this hotel with rooms cheaper than a non-shared hostel room, we were thrilled!
Hotel Praktik Bakery is located in Eixample, which was a lovely neighborhood filled with adorable tapas restaurants, shops, and bars. It is about a 20 minute walk in one direction to the Arc de Triomf and a gorgeous sprawling park, and a 20 minute walk in another direction to La Sagrada Familia. A 30 minute walk and you’ll find yourself on the beach in Barceloneta.
Insider Tip: Book on their website directly. I waited a few weeks to book and never found prices cheaper than what was on the website anywhere else.
A lovely outdoor space for coffee!
Benefits & Amenities
24 Hour Cancellation: By booking on Praktik’s website, you automatically get cancellation of your booking if you let them know 24 hours before arrival. By any means, we were not planning to cancel, but it is always nice to have this little perk just in case you decide to stay an extra night somewhere else on your trip!
Room Upgrades: If you’re wondering if Praktik Bakery has room upgrades available upon your arrival, just ask! They’ll be happy to upgrade you to a higher rate room for no cost if one is available. We were upgraded to a room with a bit more space and it was amazing not to have to trip over my suitcase every morning when I got out of bed.
Baluard Bakery: Perhaps the most exciting (and dangerous) perk of them all, the lobby of this hotel is a popular, totally functioning bakery! As if waking up to freshly baked bread every morning wasn’t enough, try looking at the decadent desserts after spending a long day walking around the city.
Other Amenities: Free Wifi (and rentable mobile hotspots), 24 hour concierge, public carpark in close proximity to the hotel, assistance with restaurant reservations, laundry service, beach towels, airport transfer reservations, luggage storage
Photo via TripAdvisor
Breakfast
Like most hotels, Praktik Bakery offers breakfast each morning that can be reserved through the booking process or, if you’re unsure, bought day of. We opted to do breakfast there on our last day, and let me tell you, it was fabulous. With a decadent spread of meats, cheeses, jams, butters, and fruit, the shining star is (you guessed it) THE BREAD! It is made fresh in the bakery each day and absolutely heavenly. I recommend grabbing breakfast at the hotel at least one morning during your stay.
Photo via Trendland
Rooms
Every detail in these rooms was intentional. From the gorgeous blue backsplash in the bathroom, to the crisp, white sheets, to the amazing waterfall shower, nothing has been overlooked. Each room features two single beds or one king-sized double bed, a private bathroom, a hair dryer, a safe, heating, air conditioning, a television, and WiFi.
the curated adventure 