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Review 4058: Habitat Apartments, Princesa 17

www.habitatapartments.com

Review by Fletch from Australia

1bed/1bath apartment in El Born area, Barcelona

When

March 2009, 6 nights

Location

The apartment was in the El Born area of Barcelona, a great area to stay in.

It was on the second floor of an old building, which had been renovated. There were two lifts and the stairs were not steep.

Walking into the apartment it looked sparse and without any ambiance. We didn't change our opinion during our stay.

Nearby Amenities

El Born is an area with many cafes, restaurants and bars, all within a short walk. We felt safe while walking here, even at night. The supermarket was in a nearby street.

The House/Apartment

The apartment was in an old building, which had been renovated and made into small apartments. The lounge/dining and kitchen area was small but functional. There was a medium-sized bedroom with a bathroom off it. The laundry was between the kitchen and bedroom. There was a washer dryer, but we couldn't get the dryer to work (I have one so do understand how they work).

The soundproofing in the apartment was very bad. We could hear our neighbours as though they were in our apartment at times particularly in the middle of the night.

There was very little street noise as the apartment is on a pedestrian street and our bedroom overlooked a small lane-way where an occasional motor scooter could be heard.

There was some renovation below our bedroom window, but it started at a reasonable hour and we were out most of the day so not a problem.

We are not sure about how many apartments but think about 20. There was a concierge/janitor who attended the front door during the day.

You can view the property directly: Princesa 17.

Garden

There was no outdoor seating, but the apartments are built around an atrium with the ground floor being a glass roofed restaurant.

The agency had recommendations for restaurants close to the apartment.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The furniture was in reasonable shape. There was one sofa, which was uncomfortable to sit on, but would be OK for a third person to sleep on. The apartment was clean.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The bed was a double or small queen size but comfortable enough. The linen was not luxurious but adequate. The towels were a bit old.

There was a wardrobe with shelves and with a safe in it.

Kitchen

The kitchen was small and adequate to prepare a basic meal. There was a microwave but no oven. The refrigerator was normal size. There was a bare minimum of dishes and glasses.

Problems or Bonuses

The kitchen had nothing in the cupboards, not even a cloth to wipe down the benches. There was a tea towel. There was no salt and pepper or any leftover oils etc. There was no dish washing liquid. We bought these and left them.

The noise from the neighbours was a problem. There are quite a lot of permanent tenants/owners so no noisier than any other apartment block. We have lived in an apartment several times without the neighbours being a problem so this was unexpected.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

The agency communicated well before and after our rental. We were met by a nice young woman who explained the appliances and accepted our rental money. We paid €570 for six nights. We gave our credit card number when booking but it wasn't charged and we arrived with the whole amount in cash.

The arrival information was very good, however the taxi driver took little notice of the map we gave him or the information written in Spanish we gave him. He dropped us off at the wrong area and it was a very seedy area. I guess we were just unlucky with the driver.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I would probably not stay in these apartments again. They were in a wonderful area and we really enjoyed our time there. The apartment was reasonable size for two people but lacked any ambiance. We left after breakfast and returned briefly before heading out for a drink and a meal, so it didn't spoil our time in Barcelona.

I have emailed the agency with my complaint about lack of dish washing and cleaning gear, and they have replied promptly.

Things to do in this area

There are many restaurants and bars in the area. We loved the tapas bars and there were many in the area. We enjoyed Cal Pep for the food and the experience.

The Picasso Museum is a few streets away.

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

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