This lovely apartment in Poble Sec was the perfect base for my girlfriend and I spending 5 days in Barcelona.

First of all, the location was great - central but quiet, just like the listing said - and surrounded by more hip little bars and restaurants than you could possibly hope to visit, plus just a short stroll from the beautiful gardens of Montjuic with their epic views over the city.

As for the apartment itself, it was lovely and spacious for a one bedroom place, with some clever design features and just very nicely decorated - Silvia & Gabri are architects by profession, and it really shows! And although the kitchen isn't big, it's very well-equipped, so if you enjoy cooking like a local when you're travelling, you'll have everything you need.

The hosts live just across the road, which makes everything really easy, and Silvia was really helpful when we needed some tickets printing. The communication throughout was great, and we were made to feel very welcome.

We were sad to leave at the end of our short stay - we'll probably be back before long!