Overall really wonderful:
Juan's apartment is beautiful, serene, and perfectly located! We rented for a month, and worked from home at the long, well-lit table--a perfect spot for two people to work from either end. The master bed is really comfortable, with great sheets and memory-foam pillows. The kitchen is well appointed, with everything you need to make regular meals. The bathroom was perfect- heated towel rack, very hot water with great water pressure.
Our favorite part was the balcony- great view, wonderful spot all day long for breakfast, lunch, cocktails, dinner...and just generally watching the world go by and listen to the bells chiming at the Sagrada Familia. The opportunity to look out onto that beautiful architectural treasure is the joy of a lifetime- really really special.
The natural light came pouring in during mid-morning (this is in March), but the reflected light from the buildings across the street kept the apartment light all day long. The street is relatively quiet- we were never bothered by the sound of cars or honking or loudness that can sometimes be part of living on an urban street. The cafes directly below were mellow and it was nice to have a coffee and pastry option literally right downstairs.
The apartment is even cleaner and more spacious that it appears in the pictures. Juan's son did an incredible job with the design and build- you can tell that everything has been thought out and considered for form and function. There's something really beautiful and calming about coming home to the beautiful tiled floors, warm lighting and spare furniture...it really felt like an oasis (when the construction wasn't going on downstairs).
The location of the apartment is really perfect for those who want to be in the heart of the city, but not in the more crowded, touristy areas. Gracious old buildings line every block, plenty of cafes, grocery stores, pharmacies, bread shops all within a block or two. There are multiple delicious eating options within a block or two, and tons of the best options in town are located within 5-15 minutes walking distance. It's really easy to navigate the city, and we walked everywhere--every neighborhood is within walking distance, and even the trek between destinations was always beautiful and interesting. We loved the covered markets where you can find excellent produce, meats, cheeses and tapas. And, of course, being able to stroll over to the Sagrada Familia in the evenings when it's dramatically lit and relatively quiet was magical.
Things to Know:
Pro Tip: when renting air b-n-b (or anywhere, really)...ask about any construction going on in adjacent apartments/buildings. The neighbors directly below were doing a full renovation the entire month, and for about two weeks we could not be in the apartment during work hours because of the level of drilling, jackhammering, sawing, grinding, hammering, radio blaring, dust clouds, etc. I kept hoping it was only for a day or so...but after two weeks (not including weekends), we reached out to Juan. Juan wrote back right away and let me know that he had spoken to the workers and that they would be there for the rest of the month, but hopefully the loudest part was over. I can completely appreciate that this type of thing is out of the owner's control, so I wasn't expecting him to be able to make it stop. So this is more of a reminder/heads up to the air bnb community (both owners and renters) to be considerate and flexible about normal life that takes place in an environment with lots of people living on top of each other. I'm from NYC, so I get it...AND next time I will definitely be asking my host about any construction projects in the area!
The back bedroom:
The only less-than-perfect room was the small bedroom at the back. In traditional style, the only window opens onto the inner airshaft, which makes it airless and very loud with the noise of neighbors clacking dishes, hoovering, yelling at their kids, etc. Because there was major construction in the apartment downstairs, there was an enormous amount of dust and detritus coming up from their windows, and we had to keep the bedroom window closed most of the time...but it was still loud all day with construction and all night with neighbors and kitchen noises from the cafes. This bedroom also had very uncomfortable beds- hard and lumpy mattresses. I wouldn't recommend it used for anyone other than small kids who won't notice these types of drawbacks.