Airbnb at Marcela’s is just how Airbnb should be – a room in her own home with breakfast included.
The room is exactly as can be seen in the description and photos on the Airbnb website/app. It has a comfortable (and wide) double bed with a high quality mattress. All the furniture has been beautifully restored and painted by Marcela herself. There is plenty of storage space, thanks to the inbuilt wardrobes with lots of hanging space and drawers. We had our own private bathroom with toiletries provided. The whole flat is very clean.
When we have stayed in Barcelona in the past, we have always chosen accommodation right in the city centre near the Plaça Catalunya. Marcela’s flat is in a much better neighbourhood though. San Gervasi is one of the most desirable, wealthy residential neighbourhoods of the city. It is much quieter and more relaxing than the city centre with its noise and crowds, yet it is very quick and easy to get the city centre using Barcelona’s excellent, reliable, affordable (with a 10-journey T-casual ticket) and efficient integrated public transport system. In fact, if you like walking, it’s a very pleasant 2-mile (3.5-kilometre) walk, which only takes just over half an hour. Marcela’s place is directly opposite a beautiful park (the Parc del Turó) and the room actually faces onto this park. Locals use this park for relaxation, strolling and having a coffee in the little café there.

Marcela is the perfect host. She really does put a lot of thought and care into making sure that her guests have everything they need. Lots of little details make her guests’ stay comfortable and very pleasant. Examples include the small motion-sensor light which comes on in the hall when it’s dark, the different plug adapters, her preparation of a pack of tourist information and restaurant recommendations, and the bowl of fresh fruit in the room. One day she surprised us by bringing us some delicious really large strawberries. There was also a drawer with a key in it in the room, but we didn’t use that at all as it was clear from the start that Marcela was honest and trustworthy. Her attention to these little details is also very personalised. For example, my partner has a gluten intolerance, so she went out of her way to find him gluten free cereal for breakfast and checked its suitability with me prior to our arrival.
In summary, Marcela’s place is ideally located, the room is beautiful and Marcela herself achieves a good balance of being friendly and attentive without invading her guests’ privacy. She is interculturally competent and she clearly genuinely enjoys having guests to stay at her flat. We were keen to have our own private bathroom in a house where the owner actually lived and where there were no other Airbnb guests. We have absolutely no doubts in recommending the double room in her home and now much prefer to stay in accommodation in the beautiful San Gervasi district. ¡Gracias, Marcela! We will be back!