This was by far the worst hotel experience I have ever had.
To begin with, the reception area is extremely small, with barely any space to stand. There were lots of people waiting, but no clear queueing system, so several people simply pushed in front of us. While I appreciate that the behaviour of other guests is not entirely the hotel’s fault, the staff made no effort to keep track of who had arrived first. They seemed unaware of what was happening around them and simply served whoever stepped forward. For a hotel that is supposedly ranked among the top five four-star hotels in Barcelona, I found this level of service very disappointing.
There was also no service at reception to arrange a taxi for us, and no bell staff available to help take our suitcases to the room. Again, this is not something I would necessarily complain about in a cheap business hotel, but it is not what I would expect from a highly rated four-star hotel. It honestly made me wonder whether the overall standard of four-star hotels in Barcelona is simply lower than expected.
The room itself was probably the worst part of the stay. The toilet area and entrance smelled very strongly of sewage, to the point that it was extremely unpleasant. The shampoo and body wash provided also felt very cheap and basic. I have to repeat that this would be understandable in a budget hotel, but it is completely out of place in a hotel charging this much and presenting itself as one of the better four-star hotels in the city.
The soundproofing was also terrible. We could hear everything from the corridor and neighbouring rooms, so the room never felt peaceful or comfortable. There also seemed to be a linen or housekeeping room nearby, as we could constantly hear loud thudding and rumbling noises, almost as though heavy objects were being moved around.
There was virtually no natural light in the room either. Another building is immediately beside the window, blocking almost all sunlight.
The swimming pool was another disappointment. The photographs on the website are, unsurprisingly, taken from very flattering angles. In reality, it felt about a third of the size it appears in the photos.
Considering that we paid around £250 for one night, I find the whole experience genuinely shocking. I cannot understand how this hotel has received such a high rating. In my opinion, it does not deserve even one star based on the experience we had.
I don't even have any picture of room, that's my first time of my life.
I wouldn't recommend to stay here.
