Barcelona is an incredible city that has such a diverse offering from the adventurous, night life to the relaxed that 'Barca' as it is locally known can suit everyone.  A family visit to the beach and hills, history fans, artists, couples who want to stroll down Las Ramblas and enjoy some evening street entertainment.  Barcelona will make sure everyone has a fantastic time. So unsurprisingly there are many accommodation options as well.  We just found a new option that is ideal for those on an around the world travel.  A Barcelona home stay is a great option for backpackers because it's a budget-priced accommodation, and travelers can learn more about Barcelona and its' culture and traditions.

Although home-stays are usually associated with Asian countries, why can this not easily apply to non-english speaking countries in Europe like Barcelona Home Stays??

We spent our best time staying with host families as you can really get exposed to local life.  Staying with people in their home gives you as real taste of what it is like to live anywhere in the world.

The good thing about Barcelona Home Stays is that they offer a combination of hostel style accommodation, where your laundry will be done and meals can be included.

They select a family for your guest, based on your specific requirements, a flexible length of stay.  You can choose the level of service you want based on the budget you are willing to pay.  Suddenly you have an agreed level of service without the astronomical cost. A good balance between couch surfing and a hotel stay we think! Although couchsurfing (http://www.couchsurfing.org) is a great option if you have just a short stay planned and are planning to take the risk on exactly where you sleep, as the range of sleeping arrangements is massive. We do prefer couch surfing though as the spontaneity and variation is all part of the adventure. All of this means that you can dig into the city life and ask for advice on where to head out to, the best local coffee shop and little gems you would never know about unless you have the advice of a local.  With a few different locations around town you know that you are not stuck in the tourist trap destinations, while still being ideally situated in the center of the city. The number of companies offering home stays is growing fast as the business is still a relatively new idea in Europe, but beware!  There are some newer businesses that have few host families that are reported to be trying to grow fast and taking on some less that adequate housing arrangements like "Barcelona Host Families" (http://barcelonahostfamilies.com).  These guys have a very small range of homes which is masked by a swanky website.  Unfortunately it is more substance than style and a business that is trying to quickly capitalise on a growing market. We have heard good things about another host - hostal website (www.bedycasa.com) that offers a range of services and has a far better range and is far more established, while offering a similar range from an authentic homestay to a basic hostel depending on the precise experience you want. On the other hand if you are a student then Camino Barcelona (http://www.caminobarcelona.com) is a good option if you are searching for a place on your own.  Just remember to ask your school or college for help (and even if you are a backpacker often the local schools will know of a local home stay. So if you have any experiences then please do let us know below!

Happy "Hostaling"