I enjoyed my stay here and would potentially even consider staying here again. Although please note this is a room with a private bathroom in the host's apartment, whilst the hosts are there. As I first thought the whole apartment was available when I initially booked until reading some more reviews!
Most of the previous reviews are also accurate and the place looks exactly as depicted on the pictures. The area does seem slightly sketchy at night but Barcelona is pretty safe and I did not encounter any problems entering or leaving the flat but just be vigilant at night. However this place is in a great location and everything for me seemed accessible by walking or the bus! The centre (e.g. Gothic Quarter etc) only took 20 mins for me to get to by walking however if that is too long for you the metro is located 4 minutes away! You will be also very close to Montjuic which I highly recommend going for a day trip and you can see some great views from 5 minutes away from this place. The beach is not that close but the D20 (or H14) bus will take you straight there in around 20 minutes!
About the actual place, some say the room is small but for me as a single person staying, it was perfect. It has a double bed, large wardrobe, television with Netflix etc and a small kitchenette area with a microwave. I believe there is hotplate to cook, pans and utensils in the draw however I did not use these. There is a small fridge which was very useful and Elena also kindly provided water and beer in this.
The bathroom is quite small and is only separated from the room by a light sheer curtain (no door) so this may be an issue for couples? However, the sink, toilet and shower amenities functioned as needed. The only slight problem I had was the shower can be very powerful and fall from the holder causing water to spray everywhere so use it on a slower/lighter setting! Despite there being a shower curtain the water from the shower also does spill onto the floor so I had to put a towel down. Although I brought my own, Elena does provide these. This shower temperature also fluctuates from hot to cold. One other thing is the window in the bathroom connects to another bathroom or kitchen?? I'm not sure if this was still part of the apartment or the neighbours but this did make me feel slightly uncomfortable. However the window is small and I just kept it closed and the bathroom curtain drawn when I was sleeping so I was able to deal with it.
Another thing to note about the room is as there are many surrounding apartments/neighbours and the walls are thin you may be able to hear outside noises and people walking/talking in the building etc. This may be noisier on days such as the weekend as opposed to weekdays. The room also has a small standing fan and a ceiling fan and a window which was very useful to keep the room cool as it was very hot weather when I went. The room has a lock on the door which you can lock from the inside then again with a key from the outside which I appreciated for privacy and safety purposes.
The general cleanliness of the room was decent however I did find a few small hairs here and there and the toilet seat looked like it had a few faded marks/stain but overall it was clean. The rest of the apartment also looked very nice and tidy and the balcony is lovely especially when the sun is shining into the living area although I did not spend any time here.
The hosts themselves (Elena and her husband) were really nice and helpful although I predominantly liaised with Elena. Elena was very quick and good at communicating with me before and during my stay via messaging. She greeted me when I arrived and said it was ok if I came slightly later than planned and offered to carry my bag up the stairs (the apartment is located on the fourth floor.) She settled me in and gave me brief summary of the room and the area and even recommended a street "Carrer de Blai" to visit. During my stay I did not really see Elena or her husband throughout the apartment however I did only use the apartment as place of rest and I would be out for the full day and only return at night to sleep. I saw Elena and her husband maybe once during this time, not sure if they were there or not so it does kind of feel like you have the place to yourself? Elena was ok with me returning late at night as I confirmed if this was ok and would not cause any disturbance etc. When I had to check out Elena also said it would be ok for me to leave my luggage with them to collect later as my flight was in the evening which was super helpful, although I ended up leaving it with a friend instead.
I hope my thorough and comprehensive review provides an accurate insight for staying at this place. I think if you are a solo travelling, having a short stay or will just be using this place to rest, this place would be perfect for you. It has all the basic necessities, is close to shops, a lot of food places and a good location to get around, not quite the city centre but close enough to walk there! Enjoy! :)