Hotel Dailyflats Barcelona Center (Barcelona, Spain)

You won't be a stranger in Barcelona for very long. Thanks to the very friendly and attentive front desk staff, you'll be armed with all the metro routes needed and hints and directions regarding shops and restaurants.

The apartment is simply great and set off by the lovely balcony - which has an additional, useful area for drying clothes. The kitchen has everything you need and the free Wi-Fi is good. Apartments on the higher floors have a useful, if very small, lift.

‘Their' restaurant is actually quite good, but there are plenty more to sample and all are within easy walking distance. Grocery stores are nearby if you insist on self-catering and so too is the metro... enabling you to zoom around this incredible and vibrant city.

The area isn't particularly attractive, but the atmosphere changes further as night falls and becomes a bit ‘leery'. Females should take particular note.

The elevator is very slow and can take only one person at a time. Some rooms and in particular, the bathroom, are also on the small side.

On arrival, it's clear, from the ‘human-related' smells that cleaning/maintenance/checking hasn't been completed very well. When you look around the apartment, it becomes clear that it has been furnished ‘on the cheap'. There's a problem with cooking and other smells coming from the apartment below. Possibly the worst aspect is the depressing outlook. The glamour of Barcelona is close - but seems to be many miles away.