Pilar is a responsive host, always reply messages.She assisted us beyond her responsiblity as host, and care to do the detail, for instance she sent detail info on how to get to her apt, and it really eliminated unnecessary long thread of messages like "how to get there? Which floor? Which station?" Etc. I hv been using Airbnb for quite a while, believe me, there are hosts that never bother to offer other info other than written in Airbnb desc.
About the apt, since we are family with a baby and a buggy, we found some small inconvenient, like the hall outside the lift is so narrow, it is difficult to manuever the buggy, and the lift itself is so small, once the buggy inside there is hardly space for others. But to make it up, Pilar keeps alot of toys in her home, and my baby was happy playing them.
For the location, although it is near Sagrada Familia and in the center of city, but it is abit off from the main tourist attraction, like Old Town. But it turned out well for us. As I saw the apartments in "trendy places" like gothic or ramblas, if they are not sound-insulated well, it will be like having the whole neighborhood inside the apartment with you. Nightmare. Here, it is always quiet nights.
All for all, what I think has excellent value for money for this stay is not the apartment, but Pilar herself. As being the third most visited city in Europe, it is only natural that Barcelona is never short of apartments to rent for travellers. Even in summer peak season, you are still spoilt with choices. But a host like Pilar, is indeed a rare find.