We had a lovely stay at Luisa's apartment. We couldn't be too specific on arrival time as we weren't sure which train we'd get but this wasn't a problem for Luisa who met us with the keys and gave us the tour. Our Spanish is pretty much non existent but Luisa has a good go at English! If she doesn't understand something she asks you to write it down which is easier for her.

The apartment itself is perfectly situated in the old part of the city with lots to see right on your doorstep. There is a lift which was handy for suitcases and our 3 year old's buggy. Inside it was neat and tastefully decorated. Our son had the 2nd bedroom which handily had wooden shutters for light / noise reduction. The two showers were lovely and powerful although one didn't drain too well, which we reported to Luisa. The WiFi was excellent (far better than we have at home). As we didn't want to eat out all the time we did make use of the kitchen. It is quite basic but has the essentials to make simple meals. The only major thing we felt it lacked was bowls for cereal / snacks / soup etc! We used saucepans while we were there which made it fun, but also mentioned this to Luisa who said she is planning on adding some more kit.

Given that the apartment is so centrally located and the close proximity to the streets surrounding it, it's no surprise that it can be a bit noisy at times. The cars / motorbikes echo on the narrow streets as do loud conversations had at 3 am! However we've certainly stayed in noisier hotels. Ear plugs are a handy tool for those wanting a good night's sleep (not that we use them as we want to hear our son).

Overall we had a lovely time in Valencia. It's a beautiful city which is very child friendly and lots to do, from wandering around the beautiful streets to visiting the aquarium, zoo and beach. We also had some fantastic walks along the old riverbed which was drained mainy years ago and runs through the middle of the city. Now a lovely spot for walking or running it has playgrounds and cafes and also serves as a great link point to some of the major sites.