The place looks exactly like in the pictures. Everything was clean and friendly. Communication with Maria was easy. The location is very central, right around the corner from the central market. The next tube station (Angel Guimera) is only a 10min walk away. The northern train station is a short but ride away. Nearby are a lot of small tapas bars and cafes. The party area el Carme is only a short walk away.
The only problem I had with Maria's place was the incredible noise at night. The street behind the house (Calle Viana) has a lot of street prostitutes and drug dealers who were conducting their business mostly at night. The yelling, shouting and screaming went on all night until the wee morning hours. Despite this I never felt unsafe in the area and was never harassed by them.