Galaxy Star Hostel Barcelona

This probably wouldn’t be my first pick for a typical trip, but if you’re on a budget, it could work for a few nights. We were in a 10-bed room. The bathroom was clean, though the room felt cold and dim, and sometimes smelled, maybe because of the blankets. The kitchen had everything necessary, the location was okay, and the lockers had locks already, so we didn’t need to buy one.

You get very little for what you pay, and the place was only barely decent. Most of the staff weren’t kind, except for one guy. People kept coming into the bedroom at all hours to use the bathroom, open the locker beside you, or shower, and they often woke me up. They advertised lots of free tours, but whenever I turned up for one, it didn’t happen. My room was full of older locals who seemed to live there and didn’t take much care of their hygiene. They’d change clothes right in front of you while you were asleep, snore incredibly loudly, and even fart in their sleep. The room smelled strongly of sweat all day and night, and I woke up with a headache more than once. I’m used to hostels and didn’t mind all of that too much, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to the average traveler.

The hostel is handy for the metro and shops, and the rooms have plenty of space with big beds. But the plastic beds get really hot to sleep on, and it’s expensive for what you get. I only stayed because I needed one night and it was the only place available. It’s not bad, just not worth the price.

I’ve never stayed anywhere like this. Bedsheets cost an extra €2, and there was no blanket unless you asked. The room was dark, and getting an extra lamp meant leaving a €5 deposit. The room key also required a €5 deposit, but the door could be propped open, so the key was sometimes pointless and anyone could get in. We couldn’t sleep well after staff changed the beds of two French girls without asking or giving notice. They came back at 3 a.m. and shone a flashlight right in our sleeping faces. They apologized, but the girls and the staff had both been really rude. Check-in was at 1 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m. We arrived at 11 a.m. and waited. At 12:45 p.m. we got the key, but were told we had to wait until 1. Fine. Then a staff member tossed our bedsheets onto the beds without any respect for us as guests and left like a boss. I only chose this hostel because our other apartment was cancelled too late. I wouldn’t choose it again.