As a young person traveling Europe I expected to have to choose between a fancy expensive hotel or a tacky, but affordable youth hostel. I when I travel I prefer to travel in style, but on a budget so I was looking for someplace classy, but affordable so I can sleep comfortably and save my wallet for buying shopping and di

ning. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out about Somnio Hostel online. It’s definitely not your typical hostel. The owners Lauren and Lee, sisters, are actually Chicago natives. The name Somnio to dream or to imagine foolishlyis derived from Latin. The “boutique hostel” as the owners like to call it clean, safe, comfortable and stylish and best of all won’t break the bank. Located conveniently in the heart of Barcelona a short walking distance from Casa Batlló on the corner of La Rambla Catalunya and Deputació on the second floor of the building.  It offers a single, double, and dorm style guest rooms. All the rooms are bright and sunny and charmingly decorated. The double we booked was quite cozy at €80 per night with a private bathroom. Rooms from anywhere from €23 to €80 and they also offer singles, doubles with shared bathrooms at a lower rate, and dorm rooms for groups. Along with it’s chic boutique style feel the service is excellent. The receptionists super friendly and gladly recommend attractions, tours, and city walks, in addition to placing dinner reservations. Among the amenities include Wi-Fi, computer use, and an option to store your luggage after check out for an additional fee. The rooms have comfortable beds, with quality linens and nice large winds. There are also nice details such as reading lamps and chairs. Rosanna and I sat and relaxed in the patio sipping our complementary bottle of cava and chatting with the diverse group of visitors. In the past year only they have had visitors from over 67 countries. I spoke to a guy from Brazil and a girl from Germany and made plans for us all to check out the nightlife scene together. This marks the beginning of what I know will be a very memorable travel experience.