The apartment was nice, but the photos were definitely cleaner, fresher and brighter than the actual apartment. Really great location, but we had a couple of other disappointments.

When we arrived we were told the dish washer was broken and the TWO air conditioner units in the back of the apartment were broken also. If we would have been looking at units without a dishwasher or air conditioning throughout, we would have been in a different price range. And three appliances out at the same time in a unit is unlikely unless they’ve been out for a while or the place is poorly maintained. Unfortunately, we specifically got extra bedrooms because we work remotely and are both on conference calls during our work hours, so the closed door rooms are really important for us. However, even in November work was stuffy and hot for the duration of our stay because the air didn’t work.

Also, they made us sign a contract outside of Airbnb. I felt like this was sketchy when they sent it ahead of time and should have been more insistent then. I provided our passport info instead, as they need that for legal requirements, but I did not sign the contract. Unfortunately, when we arrived the host made it sound as though it was a requirement. I expressed my discomfort, but he insisted. We were past the refund stage and it was late at night and already dark, so I felt like we had no option but to sign this external contract. Eek.

The location of the apartment is great. It’s very central and within healthy walking distance to most of the places you’ll probably want to check out. And for the ones a little further away the metro is a short walk or ride shares using Cabify are quick to get and inexpensive.

Parking is in a nearby garage for 25 euros/day. This is a fairly typical price in the central areas of most large, European cities, but it’s helpful to know to factor into your expenses if you’re arriving by car. The garage is only about a block away and so very convenient.

Be aware Barcelona has a low emission zone that I learned about by reading other Airbnb descriptions. It requires a permit to drive inside the zone, which encompasses Barcelona. As tourists, you can get a permit, but it takes roughly three weeks (which we didn’t have). If you don’t have a permit, I read the tickets are 100-200 euros. The zone is in effect M-F, 7am-8pm. We arrived on a Sunday, but had to leave on a weekday which meant we had to get up super early to leave before the zone enforcement began at 7am. Just something to keep in mind as you plan your stay.