Hesperia Sant Joan Hotel

Avoid this hotel. The price may look good, but I got scabies, a parasitic infection, while staying there. I've now spent two months and thousands of euros trying to recover, and I'm still not fully cured. I strongly recommend avoiding a booking here.

I felt really uncomfortable here, even though I'm used to sleeping in a tent or on the ground. The room smelled strongly of cigarettes, and there was nobody at reception in the evening, so we had to sleep with the smell. Our clothes stank afterwards too. The floor was freezing, and the air conditioning couldn't warm it up. Two pairs of warm socks still weren't enough. Cleaning was poor as well: dust was everywhere and the sink clearly hadn't been washed in a long time. The cleaner only comes after a few days, and since we didn't stay that long, our rubbish piled up beside the bin.

The location worked well for getting around. There are grocery shops a couple of minutes away, several public transport stops nearby, and a bus stop three minutes away that goes to the airport for a couple of euros. The room was clean and new, with a comfortable bed, a fully equipped kitchen, and a safe. I was unsure about checking in on a computer by the entrance at first, but it works around the clock, so you don't have to wonder if anyone will be in the lobby. Staff were helpful: they changed our room without us even asking when we needed one bed, and brought an extra pillow in about a minute.

The view from a high floor was alright, which is why I'm giving two stars. The pool gets no sunlight, the showers were cold, and the AC didn't work. Reception was only open from 12PM to 6PM, so good luck if you need anything outside those hours. The service was shocking. It's a 30-minute cab ride from the city. Since it's one of the cheapest places in barcelona, factor in a €30 cab fare each way. Champion Boy hanging around after doing 5 Brasses was actually the highlight of my holiday. It attracted Creeps, and people tried it on with us multiple times, especially zesty josh. You get what you pay for. I'll stop here, though I could write a novel about this place. Adios.