Living at Xior Paseo de Gracia: A Premium Student Residence in the Heart of Barcelona Choosing where to live is one of the biggest decisions any student makes when moving to a new city — and in Barcelona, location changes…
Choosing where to live is one of the biggest decisions any student makes when moving to a new city — and in Barcelona, location changes everything. A student residence in Barcelona isn’t just a place to sleep; it’s your base for exploring the city, meeting people from around the world, and building the kind of routine that makes studying abroad genuinely enjoyable.
Xior runs three residences across Barcelona, each with its own character and neighbourhood, so students can choose the setting that fits their university, budget, and lifestyle. In this article we’ll focus on the crown jewel of the trio for location — Xior Paseo de Gracia (formerly The Lofttown) — while also showing where its sister residences, Collblanc and Diagonal Besòs, which might be the better fit for you.
Ask anyone who knows Barcelona to name its most prestigious avenue, and the answer is almost always the same: Paseo de Gracia. This is the boulevard of Gaudí’s Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, of flagship boutiques, historic cafés, and wide, tree-lined sidewalks. Living at Xior Paseo de Gracia means this is your neighbourhood — reachable on foot in about two minutes.
But the real magic of this address is balance. The residence sits just above the avenue, right where the polished elegance of Paseo de Gracia melts into the bohemian, village-like streets of Gràcia proper — one of the most beloved neighbourhoods among locals, full of small plazas, independent bookshops, tapas bars, and weekly markets where you’ll feel like a resident, not a tourist. Few residences in Barcelona sit at this exact intersection of prestige and authenticity.
Everything Within Walking Distance
One of the quiet luxuries of student life is not needing to plan around transport. From Xior Paseo de Gracia, most of your daily life happens on foot:
That last point matters. Walking to campus — or reaching it in a short metro ride — saves you money, time, and the daily stress of long commutes. For business students in particular, the proximity to EAE, EADA and ESIC makes this one of the most practical addresses in the city.
A premium location gets you through the door, but what makes a residence feel like home is the life inside it. Xior Paseo de Gracia is designed around the reality of student living — social, focused, and refreshingly low-maintenance.
On the study and focus side, you’ll find dedicated study spaces and a co-working area, so you always have a quiet, well-lit place to work that isn’t your bedroom. On the social and lifestyle side, there’s a game zone, a restaurant, comfortable living spaces, and terraces where the community naturally comes together — plus an outdoor gym for the days you want to move without leaving the building.
This blend is intentional. Living abroad can be overwhelming, and having a space that supports both your academic goals and your social life makes the adjustment so much smoother. As one long-term resident put it after two years here, it offers “a welcoming, trust-based environment” alongside all the leisure facilities you need.
All-Inclusive Comfort, No Hidden Surprises
Budgeting as a student is hard enough without unpredictable bills. At Xior, comfort is included, not bolted on afterwards. At Paseo de Gracia, rooms start from €800 per month, and that price already folds in the things that would otherwise arrive as separate invoices.
Every room comes fully furnished, with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, curtains, and a proper bed and mattress. Utilities are included in the rent, so there’s no scramble to set up electricity or internet contracts in a language you may still be learning. Fortnightly room cleaning and a fortnightly change of bed linen and towels are part of the deal too. You can choose anything from a shared double room to a private en-suite studio with a kitchenette and terrace.
Compare that all-in figure against a private apartment — where rent alone runs from roughly €1,100 to €2,000, before food, utilities, Wi-Fi, gym membership, and the value of a built-in community — and the residence isn’t just more convenient. It’s often the smarter financial choice.
Paseo de Gracia is the standout for a central, prestige address — but the best residence is the one that fits your life. That’s why Xior gives students three distinct options across the city, each fully all-inclusive with the same standards of comfort, security and community.
The premium, central choice. Ideal if you want to live in the heart of the city, minutes from Paseo de Gracia and close to Barcelona’s top business schools. Rooms from €800/month.
The best value. Starting from just €599/month, Collblanc is perfect for students who want quality without stretching the budget. It sits close to the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and EU Business School, a short walk from the lively Carretera de Sants shopping street and just nine minutes from the Spotify Camp Nou. It also offers an optional full-board meal plan — fresh, varied meals every day so you can forget shopping, cooking and washing up entirely.
The campus-and-lifestyle option. Located right inside the UPC Diagonal Besòs campus, it’s the obvious choice for UPC students who want to roll out of bed and into class. It’s also the most resort-like of the three, with a swimming pool, gym, sea-view rooms, and easy access to Diagonal Mar shopping centre and the beach at Port Fòrum. Rooms from €700/month.
Whether you prioritise a central address, a gentle budget, or being on campus by the sea, there’s a Xior residence built around it.
It’s tempting to choose student accommodation purely on price or room size. But the setting you pick shapes your entire experience abroad — how much you spend on transport, how easily you meet people, how safe you feel walking home at night, and how much of the city you actually get to enjoy.
For students who want to be in the middle of the action, Xior Paseo de Gracia flips the usual trade-off: a student residence in Barcelona that combines a prestige location with a safe, well-managed building trusted by families and students alike. Parents value the peace of mind of a secure, professionally run home; students value being three minutes from the metro and two from one of Europe’s most famous avenues.
Barcelona rewards those who live close to its centre — and there are few better places to do that than the edge of Gràcia, moments from Paseo de Gracia. With all-inclusive pricing from €800, a location that turns your daily commute into a short walk, and a community designed to help you feel at home from day one, Xior Paseo de Gracia offers something rare: a premium address that still makes sense for a student budget.
It’s worth checking current availability and any offers on rooms nearby before you decide — options move quickly at this location. And if another corner of the city suits you better, Collblanc and Diagonal Besòs are ready to welcome you too.
Xior Paseo de Gracia (formerly The Lofttown) — Carrer de Sèneca 24-26, Gràcia, 08006 Barcelona. Reception open daily 07:30–22:30. Contact: paseodegracia@xior.es · +34 686 93 20 17.
