Hostel Ideal Badal

It's an inexpensive, clean place if you don't mind a longer ride to see Barcelona. But getting to anything interesting takes a hike on the metro, and the room I was given definitely didn't match the pictures and details on the Priceline booking.

The room was clean, I'd say 9/10, and the booking site details were accurate. We booked a private bathroom and toilet, and even though the two separate beds weren't what we wanted, pushing them together worked fine. The floor tiles were properly clean, the linens and pillows were fresh, and we had a wide view outside. We slept well despite being near the road, with no noise bothering us. The rooms with bathrooms were clean too, though I would've liked a little renovation. The shared-bed rooms use a shared kitchen, toilets, and main lounge; the fridges are numbered and only open for you. The staff were friendly. Overall, 9/10. My fiancé and I came to Barcelona from Alicante after an early start, already tired and hot from the Spanish heat. Hostal Ideal Badal was an affordable choice with shops and amenities close by, and we were impressed by the polite, helpful service. Our check-in was at 2pm, but we got to Barcelona Train Station around 10am. I called, thinking we'd arrived too early. The man was friendly and spoke good English, which helped since we only know basic Espanyol. He offered secure bag storage at the office, though I wouldn't recommend it, and agreed to let us check in early so we wouldn't have to walk around with our luggage. We waited about five minutes for the guy to arrive. He apologized right away, asked if we wanted drinks, and got us comfortable on the office sofa. He filled out the forms quickly and correctly. We didn't have enough cash to pay then, so he said we could pay later. Please don't take advantage when people are nice. He showed us the room enthusiastically. There was a Lidl about a 10-minute walk away, open 10am-9pm, with cheap things like fresh bakes, meat, seasonings, and toiletries. If you're on a budget, it's a handy place for bottled drinks and toiletries. For people from London, Aldi and Lidl are quite alike, with affordable, good quality products. Around another 10-minute walk gets you to the Metro for Central Espanya. My fiancé and I walked there in about 25 minutes instead, which was fine with nice weather and cold drinks. There are Spanish corner shops and great tapas places close by, but you'll do a lot of walking. Pack walking or running shoes. I brought cute sandals and ended up with blisters, pain, and moaning. If you want a nice time with your partner, family, or friends, bring walking shoes and save the sandals for later. The place has a lot going for it, and we deserve to give it 5/5 stars. We'll book here again.

I strongly advise against booking with Hostal Ideal Badal. Because of COVID19, they wouldn't let me change the booking dates or refund the advance payment, even though I booked before COVID19 began. I couldn't reach them by email or phone. It seems the main thing is getting paid in advance, and then you won't get the money back and can't do anything about it. It's highly unprofessional. I'll leave negative feedback wherever I can to warn other tourists. An unfriendly place.

The staff are friendly and good, and there are nice shops nearby. The hostel is okay for a night or two, but I wouldn't recommend staying longer than three days. For comfort, I'd give it no more than 3 out of 5.