This was my first time visiting Barcelona and this was a great location to use as a base for exploring the city. The apartment is gorgeous, exactly as pictured, and is immaculately clean. It's next to a metro station so getting around the city is incredibly easy. It's about 8 blocks from both the beach and Parc de la Ciutadella which is another bonus.
I had trouble with the electronic key and when i called the office, they attempted to remotely unlock the door but where unsuccessful. They sent someone over promptly. He arrived within about 15 mins to grant access to the apartment which was a huge relief after traveling all night.
Unfortunately, while we were visiting, the apartment was rather loud. Repair work was happening to the sidewalk below the balcony during the weekday daytime hours. It was incredibly loud due to jack-hammering. This is, obviously, no fault of the host.
We were lucky enough to be in the city during La Merce and were able to enjoy many festival events. The "downside" was hearing drunken people getting off the metro all hours of the night. I don't think this reflects how the apartment is all the time but it was what we experienced. I slept in the bedroom which had balcony access and the en suite bathroom. My travel companion slept in the back bedroom away from the street and wasn't as disturbed by the revelry. Some noise could be reduced by installing thicker curtains to help absorb some of the street noise.
Thicker curtains would also help reduce the amount of light pollution coming into the master bedroom. There is a streetlight just outside the apartment's french doors and the curtains are thin and do little to obstruct it. Luckily, i brought a sleep mask and earplugs. The other two bedrooms were significantly darker and more quiet.
The lock on the french doors in the bedroom was broken. I contacted the host and the reply was that since it isn't a ground floor apartment, it would be fine. Hmmm....that's not what female travelers want to hear.
The beds and pillows were incredibly comfortable. There was ample storage for our belongings. Having access to a washer/dryer was convenient.
The kitchen is stylish and has plates, glasses, and cookware. It would be lovely if it included more than 2 Nespresso coffee pods and Melba toast in the arrival package. Adding some basics like napkins or paper towels, ice trays, salt, pepper, and oil would make it more user-friendly for travelers.
We visited for 5 nights and only received one towel and one hand towel per person.
Despite what may appear to be a string of complaints, I was happy with our stay, will give it a solid 4-star rating, and will recommend the apartment. With a few improvements and finishing touches, this would be a 5-star apartment.