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Review 1340: Urban Flats, Via Laietana

www.urban-flats.com

Recommended. Review by Simone Kiersky from USA

2bed/1bath apartment, Barcelona

When

March 2005, 3 days

Location

Located in Barcelona on Via Laietana, 5-7 min walk to Las Ramblas.

Nearby Amenities

There was supposedly a nearby supermarket but we never got to it, as our stay was relatively short. There was no shortage of nearby restaurants. There was also a convenience store located two doors down and a coffeeshop there as well.

The House/Apartment

The building was in excellent shape. There were roughly 10-12 other apartments located there. As far as peace and quiet goes, it's hard to come by anywhere in that area of Barcelona, as there are partiers at night and horn-blowing drivers in the morning, but the apartment is located at the very top of the building so you're only getting to hear the loudest of the loud.

Garden

There was a lovely terrace with a view of the neighborhood. It had two chaise lounges and a table with four chairs.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The furniture was all in excellent shape and the apartment was spotless when we arrived. There were four chairs around the dining room table, so if you're traveling with six you may want to bring in some chairs from the terrace or ask if more chairs can be brought in. Plenty of room for six in the living room as there was a long IKEA pull-out couch and some chairs.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The beds in the room with the pushed-together twin beds were very comfortable. I had no complaints from the couple in the room with the double bed so I'm assuming the bed there was comfortable as well. Our bedroom had a door out to the terrace. There was a heater that worked very well.

There was only one bathroom which can get a little cramped with four people in the apartment, but that would be the case anywhere. There was always plenty of hot water and lots of towels were provided.

Kitchen

Although we did very little cooking in the kitchen, it was well-stocked. A full meal for six could definitely be cooked there, as there were three or four pots and pans of various sizes and lots of plates and glasses.

Problems or Bonuses

We were surprised by the size of the flat. It was larger than the pictures seemed and provided plenty of space and privacy for two couples.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

The agency representative was there at the appointed time, spoke very good English, and we had no problem with the price. We paid 423 euros for three days ($577 USD at the time of this writing), which when split between the couples was comparable to a hotel, but we got far more amenities and a great location.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I would highly recommend this flat with no qualifications at all. Urban Flats was extremely professional and delivered more than was promised.

Things to do in this area

If you are willing to spend a little bit of money, you must go to the 4 Cats (Els Quatre Gats) which is only about a two minute walk away, in the Gothic Quarter and can be found in any guidebook. It has a beautiful interior, superior food and service and was one of picasso's favorite haunts in barcelona ... in fact he even designed the cover for the menu.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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