Raval BCN Apartament

The main downside was loud construction above our room each night, from 11 PM until around 4 AM. It sounded like they were tearing the place apart. The pool was also closed during our stay. Even so, I’d still recommend the hotel. We had no trouble around it despite the area's reputation, and the outside security opened the doors manually every night, which felt reassuring. The room itself was fine, with surprisingly good insulation from street noise. Breakfast was pretty good in both selection and taste for an average hotel. Free luggage storage came in handy, and there were lots of event tips and discounts by reception. Honestly, I expected worse.

We had a great time and will come back. The hotel was extremely clean and well maintained, and the rooms were large and comfortable, with good amenities, including shower gel, a hairdryer and towels. There was good WiFi, a warm shower, a nice TV and hot or cold air conditioning. Staff, breakfast and rooms were all excellent. The location is fantastic, just 200m from La Rambla. We felt safe, as the street and surrounding area didn't seem dangerous.

The best part was breakfast: excellent for the price, with a setup that let you make lunch to take away. There were good choices for people with multiple food allergies. The room was clean, but very noisy, both from other guests and outside. Despite the heat and the advertisements, the pool wasn't open. I felt unsafe when the front door stayed locked for up to five minutes in the evening while I waited for the front desk to buzz me in. Being stuck as a foreigner on a side street in Barcelona after the desk had warned about tourist attacks was uncool. The front desk also said parking was 10 euros cheaper than it actually was.

The hotel is really clean and has a very good breakfast. The staff were very kind, and it's well placed for getting to everything and the metro. The area may not be the best.