Christmas Weather but still blues skies

According to the Christmas enviroment the cold is here to stay
at least for 2 months :(
but if we compare it to other destinations in Europe we are not than cold!
and the city is beautiful with all this lights and small markets all around.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas arrived to HelloBCN Hostel!!!

Our hostel is fully decorated with the Christmas stuff

We are already in December,time flies...
We feel like Christmas even the good and warm weathers we have at the moment
we didn´t use the coats yet!
Merry Christmas everyone!

HelloBCN Hostel Backpack Competition Winners

Congratulations to the 5 winners of the HelloBCN Hostel Backpack. They made their way through the winding streets of Barcelona to find the solucions to the riddles provided! Great work girls and enjoy your backpacks!

New HelloBCN Hostel Backpack

HelloBCN Hostel now has the best solucion for beaching it this summer! And you get to take your little piece of Barcelona and HelloBCN Hostel with you when you have to leave.. On sale now at reception!

Barcelona by Bike

Barcelona is an amazing city! And what better way to see it then on a bike, especially now that the sun has come out and the warm weather is with us again.

The authorities of Barcelona have been working hard to make Barcelona more 'bike friendly' putting inloads more bike lanes. So getting to places like the Sagrada Familia is a walk in the park... actually it is a really nice ride from HelloBCN Hostel as you pass by the port, then the Park de la Ciudadela and straight up Sant Joan Street. And if you still haven't seen enough you can head straight down Marina and make your way back to the hostel along the beach esplanade! Amazing!

It is important also to be aware of the regualtions governing riding bicycles in Barcelona or you may be hit with a nasty 'on the spot' fine. That's right as a non-resident of the Spain you would be required to pay any fine on the spot, so do be aware of a few simple (common sense) factors like: not riding the wrong way on a one way street; stopping at red lights; not riding at night without lights; and locking your bike up at the assigned bike racks (if left chained to a tree or light pole you might come back to find your bike missing as they may confiscate it).

So there you have it... tips for enjoying Barcelona by bike. Just ask us here at the HelloBCN Hostel reception where you can hire a bike!

Ryanair are now considering charging to pee...

Another factor to consider when buying that super cheap Ryanair ticket...

Firstly, there is of course the travel time involved in getting from the airports used by Ryanair, which in the case of Barcelona are an hour and a half bus ride out of Barcelona. Unfortunately we've had more than a few clients extend their stay as they did not realise that the airport was so far away (make sure you confirm the details before you purchase), or pay very nasty taxi fares to make it to the airport on time - up to 250 euros!

It's also important to consider the flight times, which are often leaving the wee hours of the morning or arriving super late at night (combine that with the 1 and a half hour bus journey!!). Then there's the limited luggage allowed to be checked-in. This is fine for weekenders, but not so great for 'backpackers' who use Ryanair as a cheap means of transport, not considering that their backpacks fill up with presents and little reminders of their trip... (We're now considering putting in a scale in the hostel so that clients can weigh their bags before they leave the hostel to save nasty surprises on check-in).

Ryanairs lattest initiatives to cut costs according to an article released today in Yahoo.co.uk are: They are looking at ways to get rid of check-in desks. That means on-line check-in only. And now they are considering charging for using the toilet... It may only be a pound, or 1.43 euros, but still...

Ryanair have done a lot for travel within europe, but ... Will you pay to use the toilet?

Help an aussie...

We have a lot of Australian's pass through our doors, and with a few of the staff being aussies themselves the news of the recent fires and floods in Australia really hit home. So many people have been left without anything.

One story of a particular victim of the fires in Victoria has touched our hearts - Lucky Phil - after loosing everything in the bushfires, including his backyard which was to be the location of his up and coming wedding, Phil is still able to call himself lucky. 'Lucky to be alive', he says.

We just love that aussie attitude and want to help Phil enjoy his wedding despite of everything. For that reason HelloBCN Hostel will be donating the proceeds from the bike hire for the months of January and February. We are also inviting guests to throw in a bob or two. Every little bit helps!

For more information on how you can help out, visit http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/melbourne_bushfiresoffer_help/index.html

Monday nights in the Sala Apolo - Nasty Mondays

It seems to be the new place to be on a Monday night... I come in to work on a Tuesday morning to see those expressions on those faces... 'we went out and had a great time last night and we're here working but wishing we were in bed, sleeping'. Oh to be young! It's amazing how much we put our bodies through for fun!

Come and check out Nasty Mondays in the Sala Apolo next Monday! It's just around the corner from the hostel, so you don't have far to stumble home! Reserve now at www.hellobcnhostel.com

COOKING @ HelloBCN

In January we had our first big Spanish dinner at the hostel. We cooked Fideuà (a kind of Paella with pasta instead of rice). Delicious!!! And… good news: as I said that was just the first time… we will cook one day a week for our guests. For only 5 euros you will enjoy a traditional Spanish dish and you will get 1 free drink! Join us!

Winter specials - 5 nights for the price of 4!

Not sure where your going next... With some budget airlines cutting prices even further, it's a great time to get a great deal on a flight to Barcelona. And HelloBCN Hostel is offering further discounts on accommodation:

5 nights for the price of 4!

That's right, make your reservation directly with the hostel to take advantage of this offer - email now info@hellobcnhostel.com. Offer only available for reservations made between 22 Jan and 15 February 2009 and for stays between 1 Febuary and 28 February 2009.



www.hellobcnhostel.com

Christmas day lunch @ HelloBCN hostel

Christmas lunch at the hostel!! Staff and clients joined together, creating a great enviroment. We ate roast chicken, tortilla and other typical Spanish tapas. A great day!