Mike's place was great. The apartment was very clean and in a great area with the locals. His apartment manager, Angela, checked us in and they had water, juice, and wine waiting for us in the fridge. I like to read and thought the books in his apartment were a nice touch. The beds were big and comfortable and the rain shower head was great in the bathroom. The apartment has a washer which came in handy.
I am really glad we chose to stay in this neighborhood as it was quieter that being in a tourist area. The train station is a short 5 minute walk and you can get to La Rambla in 10 minutes by walking. The apartment is next to tons of restaurants so we had lots to choose from every day. Definitely eat brunch at the Federal Cafe. It turned out to be one of our favorites. There are a couple of markets next door so you can pick up things you need for your stay. Overall, I definitely recommend Mike's place.