Bruc & Bruc Barcelona

The location and service were both 10/10. Someone was always around to help or bring us what we needed, and the shared bathrooms were cleaned every day. There was always one free, which was more than we expected. We liked the balcony overlooking a cute little intersection and the lovely neighborhood, with a tapas and wine bar downstairs. We were unsure at first because of the tourist tax reviews, but it was well worth it. We’d absolutely stay again and highly recommend it.

The photos on bookingcom gave me a very different impression from the place I arrived at. It felt like a low-quality, overpriced accommodation posing as a hotel, despite being registered as a "YOUTH HOSTEL". The registration certificate is in the photos. The reception desk was right behind our room door, so we heard every chair move, along with the smell of fried fish and the shared toilet noises outside our window. They tried to charge a city tax of 7 euro per person per night, as for a luxury hotel, when the legal requirement is only 3.20. The online payment request also came under another hotel name, which seemed sketchy. Based on my past stays, I could have spent the same money somewhere much better.

The tourist tax was the main reason for my low rating. They ask for it in cash and, as another reviewer said, seem to charge extra and pocket the difference. That’s shady and especially unfair in a city where tourists already get taken advantage of. Check the government website for the correct rate and report them if they quote you more. The location is excellent, with good connections and lots nearby. The facilities were clean and well furnished, but the shared bathrooms may have a queue early in the morning. We ran into some not very nice people in line, and the shower drain was clogged, so it wasn’t hygienic and we had to rush. We stayed because we were moving into a nearby flat, and it was handy for that, but there are many better options around.

It’s basically a small bed in a noisy shared apartment, with no one around to complain to. People were doing dishes right next to my bed at 1 in the morning. For what you get, it’s insanely overpriced and barely qualifies as a hostel. The photos are heavily staged and edited, so don’t be fooled. The location is okay, but it felt like a tourist trap pretending to be a good deal.