Rooms Nuevo Balmes

The toilets were dirty and the place was unclean. When we arrived, they said we had to pay a €100 deposit and would get it back at the end of the stay. Now we’re stuck in an email war and being told to wait up to seven days for it. Absolutely diabolical. Even if it means sleeping in the street, don’t stay here.

I still haven’t received the full deposit, and Agoda and the property have both failed to sort it out. Agoda support tried to help, then said the hotel had refunded correctly, while the hotel blamed the bank or transfer system. Neither took proper responsibility. For my five-night stay, the apartment hotel required a €100 cash deposit before check-in. In writing on WhatsApp, they promised the full amount back and said they would cover any transfer or bank fees. But only €80 came back. When I raised the €20 deduction with the property on WhatsApp, they ignored my messages and eventually blocked me. I feel cheated out of €20. The room was dusty and dirty when I arrived, and it wasn’t cleaned once during my five days. No fresh towels, no rubbish collection, and I saw mice and flies inside the apartment. There was no soundproofing, so it was very noisy and uncomfortable. Staff were rude and unprofessional. I felt treated dishonestly and disrespectfully, and regret choosing the place. If you value honesty, hygiene and basic service, avoid it. There are better, more reliable places to stay in Barcelona.

The bathroom and shower room are separate, but the shower is completely broken. Sleep was impossible: you can hear people talking, opening doors and showering all night through the paper-thin doors and windows. The curtains barely deserve the name, so the room stays bright all night too. Outside, there was construction during the day and people shouting. It felt like a holiday on a construction site, with so much noise you couldn’t hear yourself think.

The owners aren’t always around, so if you have a question, ask them as soon as you can. Otherwise, this apartment has good WiFi, includes towels, and gives you your own set of keys for easy access. The sanitary facilities were very nice and cleaned regularly. It’s easy to walk to la Rambla, and there are lots of supermarkets and small shops nearby for a quick breakfast. I rented a bike to get around the city, and there are little fences in front of the building where you can lock up a bike or scooter.