Hotel SB Icaria

I was very disappointed. This doesn't feel like a four-star hotel: the showers leaked, there was no satellite TV as the website said, and it was very noisy. The main part of the room had just one light. Breakfast was ordinary, with bacon, sausages, and eggs sitting in fat, and the toilet paper was one-ply. The location is useful for the hop-on and hop-off routes, and within walking distance of the beach. Also, when our group of 37 arrived to check in, a stranger was in the lobby area and a bag was stolen. The police weren't interested.

The receptionists were friendly, and we're grateful they helped us track down our lost baggage through the airline helpline, which only worked in Spanish. The hotel is in a great area, with convenience stores nearby and bus and taxi connections.

The room noise was a real issue. We could easily hear the person next door early in the morning while we were trying to sleep, and music from another couple on the other side came through both the room and corridor. The soundproofing is poor. The entrance is nice, and the staff we met were friendly and answered our questions. We were on the third floor, where the corridors were very dim. The room was decent enough for the price, but there was no bottled water in the fridge, black mould around the bath and under the sink, and what looked like rust on the bath handles. The window opened all the way, so be careful if you have small children. We stayed a few days as a family and paid almost £1000 for three nights. Would I stay again in Barcelona? Yes, but I don't think the price matches what we experienced.

The location is nice, and you can walk to pretty much anywhere. But I usually stay with this chain in Casteldelfels, and for the same stars at twice the budget, I was disappointed. There was no water in the fridge, the room was small, and the cleaning could have been better. I've had better stays, even outside high season. I wouldn't come back. I hope this was just an isolated case.