Masia Can Trabal Alt

The outdoor area could be nice if the weather cooperates, and the top bunk I slept in was fairly comfortable. There was also a dishwasher with tablets. Beyond that, I wouldn’t recommend this place in winter. We arrived to a freezing house that hadn’t been heated for us. The downstairs fireplace warmed only the area around it, cold air came in from outside, and there wasn’t enough wood for the weekend, so we had to go buy more. The small kitchen radiator only helped if you stood right next to it. Upstairs was similarly cold. The bedroom heat pumps didn’t warm the rooms properly, and cold air came in through the windows. Only the two tiny windowless rooms were properly heated. We were cold all weekend, and I came home with tonsillitis and a cold. Upstairs, there was one bathroom for five bedrooms. It had a heater, but still wasn’t warm enough to be comfortable. Downstairs, a wall separates the toilet from a tiny shower area with no space for anything. You have to take your clothes and toiletries in with you, since there’s nowhere to put them. The kitchen was short on equipment. The oven was filthy, and three pans were in poor shape, especially one with peeling Teflon. The toaster worked only if you held its button down once you figured out how. The coffee maker leaked, there was no dish towel, and the downstairs kitchen table could barely fit ten people. By the fireplace there was a sofa and armchair, and beside them a TV area with a worn, uncomfortable sofa. The house was full of atlases and old books, but there wasn’t a single letter. The area felt odd and deserted, like a development with nothing going on. The next-door house seemed suspicious, with lots of souped-up cars. On the other side, someone who didn’t seem to be doing well started yelling at 4 AM at some girls he wanted to hit with a stick. The photos don’t capture the place. It’s cold in every sense, and completely lacking in the little touches that make a house welcoming. Air fresheners didn’t help it feel cozy. There was so much stuff around that I wondered if it was there to cover the smell of sewage or something, because otherwise it didn’t seem normal. I can’t speak for summer, but I wouldn’t recommend it right now.

We spent a weekend there with friends. The outdoor space was the best part. Some of the rooms were large too, though the layout felt a bit labyrinthine. Overall, the house seemed neglected, with details like badly fitted door frames, old toilets and mirrors that had been replaced poorly. The entrance bothered me most. There were four mikado air fresheners there when we arrived, so we spread them around the house over the weekend. Then a urine smell emerged in the entrance hall. I came away feeling that the house’s problems were being covered up instead of fixed. We also had company all weekend: a group of men spent the time outside the front door smoking more than just tobacco, which didn’t feel reassuring. I wouldn’t rent it again.

The garden area was really comfortable, and the house has a spacious kitchen and dining room with plenty of equipment. I’d give it five stars if the beds were better. Apart from the newest bedroom, they were old and uncomfortable, which is a shame because the rest of the house is great.

We’re back at Masia Alt for our second summer, and it still has everything we need. The garden is spacious and great for a relaxing break with family or friends, and our pets are welcome too, which we especially appreciate since they’re part of the family. The bedrooms are comfortable, and this year almost every room has air conditioning. The kitchen is fully equipped, with everything you could need, just like home. We’ll definitely be back!