La França

The street itself isn't especially busy, but the windows seem to block no sound at all. Even with them shut on the third floor, we could clearly hear people, conversations, and other street noise. It made the stay unpleasant, and we barely got any rest.

We spent two nights here while visiting Barcelona. I picked it partly because it was fairly central, and the free parking was the best part. The hotel is clearly designed for couples having an affair who want as much privacy as possible. Rooms, corridors, and elevators all have a very dark look, and staff keep guests apart so they don't see one another. They even have something to cover your licence plate in the parking lot. The location worked well: it's three subway stops from the port and the start of Rambla, or a 15-20 minute walk.

We left as soon as we saw the place. The linen was dirty, the whole hotel looked old and in need of renovation, and I wouldn't have gone barefoot on the floor. It smelled awful, like an old dusty sex shop, and the air conditioning made an annoying noise. I can't imagine staying here for a night, especially for a romantic one. It is supposed to be anonymous, yet we saw up to four security staff on the way to the room, and had to hand our key in at reception every time we went out. Some romance.

Booking.com didn't mention at all that this was a 'love hotel'. Guests should be told that beforehand. Leaving it out is very misleading.