Hotel Madanis Liceo

We had a lovely breakfast buffet each morning, and being close to a Metro station was very convenient. The air conditioning barely worked, though, so we had to open the windows and put up with a lot of street noise. We were tired from sightseeing and managed to fall asleep, but I can't imagine staying there in summer.

The room was the weak point. The TV was tiny, the bed moved around when you sat on it, and the mattress was very thin. The bathroom had no ventilation except for a window that opened. At least it was clean, had all the essentials, and came with a toothbrush, soap, and clean towels. The low price makes it a good-value 3-star stay, and I'd come back on a budget. Fix the beds and it could beat some 4-star hotels in Barcelona. We arrived before our rooms were ready, but reception let us leave our bags in a tagged, secure spot. The check-in and checkout were easy, and we had a nice conversation with the receptionists. The rooms were very clean and staff did a great job, but nobody gave us clear directions to our room, which was on the other side of the block. The location was great for us. Collblanc Metro Station is just steps away, with a 28-minute ride to the airport and 14 minutes to Sagrada Família. There was a McDonald's or KFC across the street for late-night snacks, and places like dangelis for good pasta and pizza. A Spar and a Mercadona were both within a 7-minute walk for our regular Spain supermarket shopping. I'd give the location 9/10 and the service 9/10.

The fire alarm went off during my stay. It seemed the hotel wasn't connected to the Barcelona fire brigade, which was concerning on its own. The receptionist then turned off the alarm himself without following proper EU fire-safety procedures. Nobody thoroughly checked every room and common area, there was no evacuation, and nobody confirmed that all guests were safe. This way of handling an alarm puts everyone's safety at serious risk. A fire alarm is a critical safety system, not a technical inconvenience, and must be handled according to strict regulations.

One plus is that Spotify Camp Nou is within walking distance, with good metro and airport connections. There's also an Indian restaurant nearby. The rooms are very compact, and the service was the worst part. They don't offer room service, so if you need something or have an issue, you must walk to reception at the other end of the building.