Hostel Friends Barcelona

I stayed three nights in a room with its own bathroom and had no complaints. A decent option for a couple of nights if you’re not looking for anything luxurious.

My son and I have never been treated so badly. The woman at reception had a really bad attitude and should be fired.

The area is nice, and you’re very close to the main bus stops and metro. We often walked about 1 km to find local tapas places off the main street, and the food was amazing. Our private room had an en suite, air conditioning and a balcony. It was basic but did the job, with a good shower. Cleaners came every day, changed the towels and made the bed. The one tiny pillow wasn’t comfortable, and when I asked for another, they said no. It’s a hostel, so it’s cheaper than a hotel, and you get what you pay for. We were there midweek, but could still hear people talking and doors closing at all hours. For a cheap place to stay a few nights while you’re out seeing the city, it works well.

Getting around was easy, with transport, restaurants and nightlife nearby. The room itself was in pretty poor shape. The toilet kept running unless we jiggled the handle, a sump pump made a strange racket whenever water ran or was flushed, the mattresses were old and lumpy, and the lighting was bad. Service was poor too. They were especially unhelpful about bikes: there was no storage on site, and when we asked about alternatives, they sent us to a commercial car park. The staff there wouldn’t even let us lock our bikes in an unused open area cluttered with traffic cones and painting materials.