Umma Barcelona B&B Boutique

The shared kitchen with its fridge and microwave was handy, and we were glad to find a queen bed in our room. That’s not common in Barcelona, and it made for a comfortable stay. The freshly baked bread and croissants at breakfast were lovely, though the selection was limited. With just 9 rooms, this little boutique hotel has an intimate bed-and-breakfast feel. It’s in the heart of Barcelona, near shops and restaurants, but in an area that feels less touristy. The staff were great and did a lot to make our stay enjoyable. A couple of things to know: the central AC wasn’t as cold as I’d have liked, and you can sometimes hear neighbors through the thin walls. Check-in closes at 4:30 PM, so plan your arrival around that. Even with those small drawbacks, it’s a cozy place for a more personal stay.

The sheets were dirty, and the glass in the bathroom that should have been clean had already been used and was covered in stains. When we raised it with the woman there, I don’t know if she was the owner, though her attitude made me think she might be, she got very aggressive. She looked furious, was shaking, and tried to shout over us. It was shocking. She rubbed the dirty glass with her hand and said something ridiculous along the lines of, “What’s the problem? It’s just plastic, it’s clean now!” After that, we figured there was no point trying to talk to her. She kept yelling as if she could frighten us, maybe because she wasn’t used to someone refusing to stay quiet. I didn’t back down. We shouted back and forth for about 10 minutes, then I told her I hadn’t paid to deal with this drama and just wanted everything cleaned properly. I think she was looking for someone to take her anger out on, but she picked the wrong person this time. In the end, we got the staff to clean everything again thoroughly. Such a bizarre experience, and the breakfast was poor and skimpy too.

The bed was comfortable, the shower was great, and everything felt clean and homey. There’s a kitchen and a shared mini-fridge with reasonable prices. The staff were so kind and helpful, and we loved our stay. If I had to mention a downside, the walls are pretty thin, and there’s no extra lock on the inside of the door.

The rooms were clean, the shower was good, and breakfast was nice. I liked the original concept, the friendly host, and the location. There’s a shared kitchen if you need to microwave something. The walls are thin, though thankfully we didn’t have noisy or party-going neighbors.