Barcelona 226 Exclusive Rooms

The apartments are tastefully furnished, clean, and in good shape, with a layout that’s a bit unusual: rooms run along one side of a very long corridor, with a main room at each end. There’s plenty of space for a good number of people. We had a small problem with the stove, and it was fixed within hours. It’s run like a professional hotel, only better. They rent out around seven apartments, and one to three genuinely engaged staff are at reception to help with city questions or buying tickets. The location is pretty good, with a bus stop right outside and an underground station a two-minute walk away. You’re not quite in the center of the action, which has its upsides and downsides.

The room was a standard double in the basement, with a window facing a brick wall, as did all the rooms. The bed was two single beds pushed together. The pictures are deceptive, so don’t believe what you see. On arrival, they required us to pay the standard nightly city tax. Noise made it impossible to sleep. There was constant banging in the early hours, and strange clanging and construction sounds through the night and into the morning. Renovation, hammering, and building work were constant and very distressing. The walls also had nowhere to put a toothbrush or bathroom things, so we had to leave them on a towel beside the sink. Breakfast was basic, served by the hotel door in the reception area, which felt uncomfortable. It was cereal, tea or coffee, bread, croissants, and cheese, with no hot food. Staff leave at 9pm, so from then until 7am you’re alone without security, which made us uneasy. I wouldn’t stay here again. I’d rather pay more and feel better about where I’m staying.

I’m writing this at 3am, kept awake for the second night in a row. There’s a nightclub in the adjoining building, open from around midnight until 6am. I tried white noise apps, a fan, and other things, but couldn’t block out the bass or people yelling. The walls are very, very thin too, so you can hear people on the stairs and talking as if they’re right beside you. The apartment itself is cute and comfortable, with a long hallway and rooms off the sides. It has nice views, there’s a bus stop next door, and you can walk to things. But there’s construction nearby, possibly why we got a cheaper price, and it happens at random hours, sometimes at 7am and sometimes in the evening. Despite the good points, I wouldn’t stay here again.

The apartments are clean and spacious, and the staff are friendly. But it’s a very old building, and the windows may not shut tightly because they weren’t replaced during refurbishment. There’s no soundproofing. I could hear every person entering or leaving, and when it was windy, there were strange noises. We booked four nights, but my family and I left the next morning because we couldn’t stand the noise. I complained and asked for a refund, but management refused. I understand the policy said “no refund,” though I expected at least two nights back since we’d booked four and left in under 24 hours.