Hostalin Barcelona Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona

Location is great - right in the main shopping area between the luxury stores. Transport links to major sites and short walk to tourist attractions. Basic hostel rooms, could do with a bit of TLC but for the money not bad at all. Could be cleaner and have better soundproofing but nothing major. Employee was friendly and helpful when we arrived. For a few nights this is a great base for exploring.

There are some great advantages to this hostel, but it’s best to know what to expect. Firstly, the advantages. The situation is unparalleled, nestling between Louis Vuitton and Gucci on Passeig de Gràcia. Handy for Diagonal Metro and Plaça Catalunya as well as the two most important Gaudi buildings. The hostel shares a beautiful period entrance with several other businesses, and reception is on the first floor, accessible by lift or stairs. The staff speak very little English, but are very friendly and amenable and having a smattering of tourist Spanish and Google Translate, it wasn’t a problem. The bed and pillows were comfortable. We had a Juliette balcony with fab view of the city. There was no noise problem. Toiletries were provided on the first day, but I recommend you bring your own. There was a Nespresso machine with two capsules (not replenished - we bought our own at the Nespresso shop), which was a nice touch. On the downside, our room wasn’t clean. The floor was unmopped and sticky and the sink and toilet had been given a cursory wipe, streaks (hopefully cleaning fluid) still showing. This may have been an exception as it was a bank holiday and they were possibly short staffed. The towels and bath mat were clean but grey and not changed during the three night stay. The sheets were clean but threadbare, very thin in places. The furniture was MDF with (chipped) melamine, but functional. The floor of the shower was cracked and moved underfoot, and with no door on the shower, it was difficult to prevent the bathroom floor from being awash. The room wasn’t serviced during our stay, but the shutters were drawn over in our absence against the sun.