Hostal River

For the price, this is a really good hotel, so the negative reviews surprised me. The bathroom was new, the shower was nice, and the rooms were clean. The woman at the front desk was so friendly, and she let us leave our bags before check-in and after check-out. My friend and I felt welcome and would book here again.

The front desk woman was kind, and the location was perfect, but the room was gross. In our private two-bed room, we found bedbugs on the mattress and mattress protector beneath the sheets. One towel had odd yellow and brown stains, and the underside of a pillowcase had a dark black mark. EDIT because I can’t respond directly to Hostal River’s comment: Thanks for replying. I only saw your response recently and want to clear up a few things. At the time, we submitted photos of the bedbugs and stained linens through our Expedia claim. Looking back, we should have added them to this review too. The photos show stains, black dots, and hairs on the sheets that were already on the beds when we arrived. We booked months ahead and were honestly excited to stay at your hostel. When we got there, the room and bedding seemed unsanitary. We told the staff right away and asked for another room so we could still stay at the property. The only option offered was several floors up, with no AC or even a fan during Barcelona’s July heatwave. That wasn't realistic for us. There wasn't a comparable room available, so we had to find somewhere else for the rest of our Barcelona trip. It was especially disappointing after three weeks of traveling mostly in budget hostels. This was the only property where we had a problem serious enough to leave. This review was never about trying to cancel or change a booking “for no reason.” It describes what happened to us and the condition of the room we were given. We hope management takes future guest concerns seriously and responds constructively instead of dismissing them outright. Given management's response, it's only right to edit this post and change the service rating from 3 stars. Very unprofessional. I'd be happy to submit more of the photos and videos we took here so everyone can see them if preferred :)

We left Hostel River less than two hours after arriving, then luckily found a better and even cheaper place nearby. My partner had booked a room with its own bathroom through Booking and paid in advance. I can't recommend staying here if you care about your health. The bathroom had no window or ventilation system, just a door into the bedroom, so the air stayed damp and musty. The bedroom smelled strongly of mold, the paint was blistering from moisture, and one corner showed what looked like mold covered with plaster or paint. I began having breathing discomfort soon after going in. The place felt unhealthy and poorly maintained. In my view, the bathroom conditions violate Spain's legislation, specifically the "Código Técnico de la Edificación - Documento Básico HS 3 (Calidad del aire interior)". We were made to pay the tourist tax before we could enter and inspect the room. At first they refused to refund us. After a long argument, they returned only part of what we'd paid. They still haven't refunded the tourist tax we paid again at the new accommodation. There were also mosquitoes all over the room. Dead ones stuck to the walls suggest that people staying before us had swatted them there, some already full of blood. The room had no air conditioning, so the only way to get fresh air was to leave the bedroom window open. With no mosquito net, the mosquitoes could come straight in. I only read other guests' bedbug reviews after the fact, and I'm glad we didn't stay overnight. Being close to La Rambla wasn't worth staying in such an unhealthy, poorly managed place.

I stayed for 9 days in a room with a private bathroom. It was clean and felt safe, with a comfortable bed and hot water in the shower. Housekeeping made the bed and brought fresh towels. Guests were generally quiet, but you can hear people walking along the hall, so I wouldn't suggest it for light sleepers. This place suits an unfussy traveler who'd rather spend money on food, drinks, smoke, and entertainment. You're right in the middle of everything, in one of Barcelona's liveliest areas, and can enjoy the nightlife without spending much. Come here and you won't regret it!