Spain/Portugal/Gibraltar - Where to stay in Barcelona?

I'm only in Barcelona for one day and night. The idea would be to go out and party within walking distance (preferably) of the hotel after the night is over. Also, easy transportation back to the airport in the morning is needed (or desired, really).

So, with that in mind, what part of the city should I be looking for hotels? And, if you know, what hotels should I be looking at?

I guess as long as I'm asking: what would be a key attraction or two to visit in the time I have?

Thanks in advance.

What's your budget/desired price range?

and what kind of party are you looking for? (important for deciding on city areas)

Cheaper budget, anything less than USD120 per night. Looking for the younger crowd with a higher potential to speak English. My spanish is broken and my friend can barely learn the word "hola".

This trip is actually through, but I plan on going back. I ended up staying at the Grupotel Gravina; very nice property, reasonably priced. Right across the street from Hotel Jazz. Any other suggestions would be welcomed, though, as I might need it for further use.

Thanks.

In terms of where to go out in Barcelona-- if you're looking for an English-speaking crowd, I'd recommend checking out the website of Elite Barcelona (http://www.delisgroup.com/ing/). The head of it, someone named ...., sets up parties at different bars/clubs on different nights. When I went to the different bars that were advertised on the website, I definitely had an amazing time each night, and met a large amount of fellow English-speaking travelers.

Bars are scattered throughout the city, but I'd probably recommend staying somewhere around Plaça de Catalunya. If you can find a place near there, you'll find its a good hub for your sightseeing and transportation.

Cheaper budget, anything less than USD120 per night. Looking for the younger crowd with a higher potential to speak English. My spanish is broken and my friend can barely learn the word "hola".

This trip is actually through, but I plan on going back. I ended up staying at the Grupotel Gravina; very nice property, reasonably priced. Right across the street from Hotel Jazz. Any other suggestions would be welcomed, though, as I might need it for further use.

Thanks.

Last time I stayed at the HIX@22. Easy public access and the rate was about 40 EUR per night.

Thanks for the extra info guys! This should make my next trip there that much better (it was a pretty sweet trip last time I went).