Heading to Barcelona in March with my newly-teenaged daughter.

After reading in some fawning, toady slick travel mag that the rooms @ the new MO were "compact", I decided to take a different tack, especially given the premium pricing common in European luxury hotels (including the MO).

No intent to hijack this thread, but I opted for a luxury apartment. I will report after I get there, but the size is substantial, the location wonderful and the amenities numerous. Sure, I won't have an in-house spa or concierge to help with this and that, but I can get by without . . .at least I hope so. Hell, I'll have a kitchen, living room, a couple bedrooms, a balcony. . .all the comforts of home--and all at a price per night about 2/3 of a standard MO room.

I'm pretty used to 5* hotels, so this apartment thing is new to me, but with the kid along, it sure seems like a great alternative.

--mcz