Rafael's apartment was perfect for us, a family of six. It's located in a great part of the city, Gracia, which ended up being our favorite area. It's like a small Spanish town within the big city. Loads of cafes and shops. There are grocery markets conveniently located around the corner and the metro stop is just outside the front door of the building. The apartment itself was very clean and well-stocked with all the essentials like dish soap and towels, etc. In the back room we were woken each morning to the smell of bread from the bakery next store. Since Rafael was not in town, we met his sister, Alicia who was very friendly and accessible if we needed her. When we come back to Barcelona we will definitely be staying in the Gracia neighborhood again and if Rafael's place is available, we'll definitely be staying there.