Vale Suites in Barcelona

Our family of four stayed for four nights. We were allocated a unit at 35 Rda Universitat. CLEANLINESS - bad. Our feet turn black after taking off our shoes for 2 mins. Informed hotel and asked for cleaning service but no response from them. In the end we have to get cloth to wipe all the flooring ourselves. AMENITIES - moderate. No English instruction on how to operate the washer and dryer as all buttons are in Spanish. Clean towels were provided in all bedrooms. The apartment has quite comprehensive utensils available for use. They also provide detergent for your laundry. The apartment is very spacious. The key to our unit is so thin that it is difficult and painful to use when unlocking the door. We end up using the spare key with is shaped more user friendly. CONDITION - bad. Toilet flush not working. Took them two days to finally get maintenance guy to fix it but flush not working again after use. One of the window has a missing lock so the window cannot be closed due to the wind. The noise from the Main Street downstairs becomes so loud due to the faulty window. Informed hotel when we checked in and they said will fix it. The lock is still not there when we leave the apartment after four nights stay. The sofa condition is bad. The bathtubs are turning rusty. The water pressure in one of the showers is so low which makes it difficult to shower. LOCATION - good. The apartment is located in the heart of town. You can find Macdonalds, KFC, Italian restaurant, burger place just below the apartment. The place is accessible to most shopping outlets on foot. Very convenient. It is also easy to get taxis. CUSTOMER SERVICE - moderate. Accommodate our early check in request but we end up checking in late due to delay at airport. Check in desk staff is friendly. We are only disappointed that our feedback and request for maintenance were not attended to promptly. We have to follow up with few phone calls.

Our apartment with Uma suites/Smart Flats was very good-great location and well appointed, though the oven didn’t work. The reason for the low rating is that we were offered a discount due to the oven not working plus appalling service on the day we left when we were trying to check out -we went to the location we were told to check out at but it was closed and none of the phone numbers we were given were answered which meant that we were sent from pillar to post trying to check out. In addition, we had booked a taxi to the airport but there was no communication as to when or whether this would arrive. We spoke to Uma who said that we would be refunded part of our rental fee due to the malfunctioning oven and the poor service on check out. This dispute is ongoing (hence the late review) and we are at a stand-off now, with Uma refunding a certain amount and then, without our permission, taking back part of the refund. The apartment was great, as I said, so it’s a great shame that Uma/Smart are such an unbelievably unprofessional and disorganised outfit.

Horrendous experience! We checked in just for 2 nights and yet have to go through another. The air con is on 19 degrees and we are sweating. The staff came in and checked the thermostat wasted 2 hours of our limited time in the apartment and still the aircon doesn't cool. Having paid a premium the least we expect is a cool night with 30 degrees outside! I wouldn't recommend this place.