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Reviews of Borne Down Town Apartments

3.5 out of 5
Borne Down Town Apartments
SANT ANTONI DELS SOMBRERERS, 4, Barcelona, Catalonia

Reviews

6.8
Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 283 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 122 out of 283 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 78 out of 283 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 31 out of 283 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 21 out of 283 reviews" "

7.6/10

Cleanliness

6.4/10

Staff & service

5.6/10

Amenities

6.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Carlos, Texas, USA

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
So... The place didn't look like in pictures, the neighborhood was more or less decent, ugly a little bit since the first thing I saw when I arrived there was 2 prostitutes. Loudly neighbors, I didn't have electricity for half day on a Saturday!! ... When I asked to be change from location or at least a refund they said no due to their "low sales" and now I know why. At least the WiFi was free. I think cheaper cost more when it comes to a trip like this, I won't recommend it and I won't repeat business with them.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy, Orlando

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This apartment was in a great location and very clean. There is an elevator if you have a disability or to help carry your luggage up to the room. The one downside is that you must check-in at a central location then either carry your luggage take another taxi around a mile to this apartment.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The bed was horrible and the room was very small otherwise it was very great
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018

4/10 Poor

Paul

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Excellent location, Terrible accommodation
Always judge a stay by would you stay there again , NO !!!!!!!! Aside from the walk from checking into apartment from reception which was 10 minute walk away with suitcases. The apartment is located in nice area, however it is located down dark alleyways that stink of wee and rubbish from local restaurants and cafes. The room itself was ok, hardly any storage however. Felt clean however. The major disappointment for our stay here was on the second night when we were locked out of the main building along with 2 other couples. The key for the main door failed to work, the lock had broke, and therefore no one was able to get into or out of building - a major fire risk. We rang the out of hours office number, she was no help. said we had to locate owner of building to contact his insurance company so that they could send a locksmith, this was at 11pm ? Eventually after waiting 40 minutes with another couple, who has a young child. The father forced the door open and broke the frame work of door. We entered building and reported the next morning to reception. The door was fixed that day. Overall a disappointing stay
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2018

2/10 Terrible

Jaime, Chicago

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Avoid this place at all costs. The location in Borne is good but the apartment is terrible. The apartment is tiny and quite depressing in person. The photographer made the apartment look bigger than it is. This probably was not originally an apartment but likely a room and closet made into an apartment. The bathroom sink is so small it’s hardly useable, water gets spilled all over the floor. The bathroom is way too small and the wall is literally 10 inches in front of the toilet so you have to hold onto something to sit down on the toilet because you can’t balance yourself. The shower sliding door keeps coming off the track and the drain is partially plugged so you have to take short showers or turn the water flow way down so as not to overflow the basin (you will be standing in backed up water while showering). The kitchen is barely equipped (lack of sufficient plates, etc.) and there is no dishwashing machine. The office where you check in is supposed to be an 8 minute walk from the actual apartment but it seemed much longer and the apartment was hard to find since the streets are so narrow and the buildings are relatively tall that the GPS on your phone won’t be able to locate your position.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Christine C., Huntington NY

Interior Apartment was clean wi-fi was terrible
Positives: Overall the apartment was clean, the air conditioner worked well, and the person during check in was friendly and helpful. Cons: My complaints were the WiFi was terrible, it only really worked if I was standing next to the front door. It didn’t work while laying in bed. There were no outlets near the bed so your phone had to charged in the only WiFi spot near the door. The apartment is advertised for 3 but there is no way another person would of fit comfortably in the apartment. I’ve seen a few different listings for the 10 apartments some look to have shelves for clothes the one I stayed in really had no place for unpacking there was a very small closet but with two people staying in the apartment there was no room for unpacking. My last complaint is the entry to the apartment it smelled terrible like sewage or garbage is collected there and kept there for weeks. I covered my nose every time entering or leaving the apartment building.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Ariana

Liked: Cleanliness
Pictures better than the real studio. Studio is on a small street with no car access. We'll equipped, clean, in the heart of the Gothic quarter.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Response from Veronica on 19 Jun 2018
Thanks for your words Ariana. Our pictures are as real an natural possible. We will check them anyway. We hope your stay there will be a pleasant one and that we could welcome you again.

2/10 Terrible

Maria, England

Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
The most inhospitable stay I've ever experienced
I will assume you have read the reviews from other people who have stayed with this "hotel" and know about the unusual situation of checking in in one location and then lugging your bags to another location. So I will spare that details and simply talk about how inhospitable the whole stay was. I felt like I was in constant FEAR of doing something wrong. First they give you a full list of rules that you must comply with otherwise your deposit of 300 euros will be forfeited. Rules such as taking out TRASH! And cleaning the whole place to the same degree as when you checked in. Who wants to have to clean the morning they have to check out? It felt like the SS would come knocking down on the door if we didn't leave at exactly 11am. Funnily enough, they call themselves SSG. Who wants to feel paranoid throughout their whole stay? This was the worst booking I've ever made.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Noisey and small
The appartment is small and not well designed or appointed. The bedding was hot and pillows too few. Kitchen poorly equipped eg 2 small glassed. No wine glasses. The Born is very noisey. Night tour groups congregate outside the appartment and continued until midnight and later. Not the neighborhood to stay if you wsnt to get awy from the congestion of the streets and get a good nights sleep.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Location over comfort
The location of the apartment was absolutely perfect. Couldn’t get any better!! But the building is so badly sound proofed that one could hear every little movement virtually within the entire building. So if your trying to sleep, it’s very difficult. Saying that, it is a descent apartment...
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
Close to good restaurants, historic places, the Metro, las ramblas, very nice!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2018

4/10 Poor

jim, scotland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Overall good, it’s just the smell at entrance.
Two girls at office extremely helpful, glad we arrived out of hours and went straight to apartment and got keys there .
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2018

8/10 Good

k, australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, room and cleanliness
My stay was really great here! The location was really convenient and the room was super clean. The only thing that I did not like was there was a seafood smell that lingered in the apartment. Have no idea what it was but other than that, it was a great place to stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2017

8/10 Good

Victoria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The location was amazing, couldn't beat that! The room was also very nice. Only thing that was not great was the terrible smell in the hallway and the fact that you have to go to a different location to get keys prior.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2017

8/10 Good

annie, england

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
nice room bit small for three.
the room was okay as I said a bit small for three and also quite a way from anything I do not walk too good so found it a bit hard.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2017

2/10 Terrible

Mohamad said

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bad experience
To check in is far away from where you stay , very expensive price comparing to rooms , not that good location
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

Jazmin, San Diego, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
I stayed in a studio apartment for 6 nights and enjoyed every minute. Although the view from the patio was a covered up church it was nice to sit outside and watch people pass on by. Besides the shower draining slowly the overall experience was great.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2017

2/10 Terrible

Candi B, Honolulu

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Studio in El Borne
The checkin is very difficult. The office closes at 8 pm and is quite far from the actual studios. The entire neighborhood is primarily cobblestone pedestrian streets that are not accessible by car. Most hotels, apartments, hostels, etc are at least within a couple blocks from a street with taxi/car drop off access. These locations are 6-8 blocks each from street (auto) access and about 1/2 mile apart which is quite difficult with luggage and especially with a rental car. The building smells terribly of sewage and the bed was very uncomfortable .
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

4/10 Poor

Payal

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Extremely smelly entry way!
Its well located! thats it, thats the only good part. The entry way had a few steps leading up to a teeny tiny, 250 kg limit, elevator and once off the elevator were a few more steps. so good luck carrying the luggage up. Cars cannot come up to the hotel, so good luck dragging the luggage too. The street is not smelly and the apt was not smelly, but the journey from the street to the apartment, made me sick every single time, it was like walking up a sewer pipe. we had to hold our breath till we got into the room. The hotel said the smell is something they cannot do anything about. The room itself was ok, the A/C was blowing directly on the bed, the remote was broken. They did not provide us with toiletries, they did not clean the room even once in the 5 nights we stayed. The Refrigerator was a joke, it was leaking out water and making noises through the night. The hotel booked us the taxi to the airport for 40 euros for 4:30 am. the taxi driver showed up, but said it will be 55 euros or he wont go, this is a total rip off. not sure if it was just the taxi guy or the hotel is involved, either way, we will not return.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2017

2/10 Terrible

Franklin, Argentina

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It won't be your place to stay in Barcelona...
The one room apartment isn't look like it shows. It is too small, depressed and dark for three of us. So if you are looking for a cozy and relax place in Barcelona, if you are couple or travel with your family, it is not your place.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2017

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
Horrible service and will never go again.
We have a no access to the original apartment because the key is faulty and after 2 hours waiting outside the apartment and 5 phone calls, the lady on the phone offered us an alternative apartment in 25 mins walk when it is 10pm and we have 7 luggages. She said it had elevator but she could not promise that do we have to move again. When we arrived to the another apartment, it is on the 3rd floor without elevator. This is totally unreasonable and unacceptable, so disappointed and we still have to go to the office on the next day to deal with the problem of the key. Nonsense! The person then offer us a refund on the first night, taxi from the second apartment to the original one, late check-out but then none of it was made happen. The person said the problem on the key has happened a lot of times to them but then they still do not have a proper back-up plan to deal with it. Also, they do not keep their words. The apartment itself is small for four person as it contains a sofa bed, when the bed is opened there are no space for the luggages. Also, the walls are old and dust comes out, making everywhere dusty. The elevators are small and does not go to every level, and we have to go up one floor before reaching the elevator. The stairs are narrow and difficult for a bigger size person to move a luggage.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Kevin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Picture very inaccurate for room we got!
Picture was very inaccurate but it was a lovely small studio apartment directly beside the basilica del Santa Maria
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017
Dear Kevin, Thank you very much for your feedback, we will check the pictures to be sure they are the right ones. We hope you enjoyed your stay in Barcelona, we will be happy to welcome you in a future. Kind regards, Front Desk Team

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The studio was clean and modern
The only reason I did not give it a 5 star is because location to get to the apartment was secluded, in an alley and it was not well lit around especially coming in late. I would recommend arrive early and bring a bottle of alcohol to leave in the room while you venture out. Then come back before it gets too late

6/10 Okay

Kara

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Met our needs but hassle
The apartment was adequate but a large hassle to have to go to the office first with all our luggage, then walk ~3/4 mi to apartment with luggage thru crowded streets to repeat the process for check out. Apartment was clean and adequate but in a sketchy alleyway. I would look for accommodations that were easier next time.

8/10 Good

Louise

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Good value for money
It was difficult to collect keys from one area and then lug two heavy suitcases to our apartment and up a flight of stairs. The booking office is not well indicated nor is the apparent which left us walking in circles. It is centrally located with limited modern amenities. It was clean and comfortable but compared to the other apartment we had booked at a similar rate we'll probably not stay here again.

4/10 Poor

Leigh Anne, Indiana, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sewer smell, noisy, and clogged shower drain..
This was the only negative during our one week stay in Barcelona. The building upon walking inside smelled STRONGLY of sewer. The smell didn't seem to penetrate the room but still..ugh..has to be some sort of health code violation. The bed was lumpy but not completely uncomfortable. Not that it mattered because sleep was impossible. The noise outside was nonstop and the walls were paper-thin. People in the halls and the street might of well of been our room. After nights of terrible sleep to further irritate us, our tiny shower had very little hot water and a clogged drain. We had to take cold showers in quick spurts as to prevent the ankle deep water from flowing onto the bathroom floor. The only forgiving attribute to this place is the location. It was a great spot close to a variety great food and drink. Borne is the neighborhood to stay while visiting Barcelona..just not at this hotel/apartment.

10/10 Excellent

Nida, Farnborough

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Superb Location
This apartment was at Superb location. Many attractions were only 5 minutes walk. Shopping place was just 1 minute walk. The only problem was checkin and apartment were 10 minutes away from each other. Apart from that it was good.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

katie, dublin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stylish apartment in the heart of Barcelona
We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It was a 10 minute walk to La Rambla. We arrived late, and this was not an issue. The keys were awaiting us upon arrival. The apartment was modern and very clean. It is right beside a beautiful old church. There are plenty of shops and restaurants directly below it. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a cheap and cheerful short stay. 5/5

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not what I expected
The apartments are located in a small street where there is no access for cars, so please be aware you will not be able to get a taxi straight to your apartment, be prepared to go walk. The apartments themselves are in a little alleyway which doesn't really look safe and I was clutching my handbag while I was walking in and out. When you get into the apartment, it's also feels unsafe.

8/10 Good

Minna, Galway, Ireland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect base for exploring Barcelona
We booked an apartment for our stay this time as we wanted somewhere central for wandering around the gotchic quarter. This place was perfectly located, near a handy metro stop and surrounded by restaurants, shops and sights. The apartment is located about 15minutes walk away from their reception, both locations easy enough to find as long as you keep your eyes open! Friendly staff at reception checked us in and held our luggage for us as we were early and the apartment wasn't ready to check in yet. Once in the apartment, we found plenty of clean towels, extra blankets and pillows and all the amenities you need for a short stay. The apartment was clean and compact, kitchen and bedroom/living area and a standard bathroom with a shower cubicle. Small balcony too, overlooking the little streets of this area. The apartment is in a residential area and on a street with no traffic so noise was no issue. Air conditioning in the apartment made for a comfy stay.

4/10 Poor

conor

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cheap but for a reason!
Hotel is very good value, relatively clean and great location but is in need of a refresh. Room was grotty, old and in need of painting. In the bathroom, the shower door was replaced with a horrible black shower curtain. The way the shower door was left caused injury to one of my companions. Bathroom was grim!! Hotel would suit someone on a budget who doesn't mind these issues.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Ed, Melbourne, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Close to everything.
Awesome location but hassle of check in. Better to be done at actual location rather than Central office. Specially when you have a child and 3 suit cases.

10/10 Excellent

Tytti, Abu Dhabi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Functional cosy apartment in El Born
Short stay in the heart of the old part of Barcelona

6/10 Okay

Ilona, Schomberg

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Overall good, but a few troubles
Location was quite good if you want to be in the old part of Barcelona. The check-in is very problematic. First of all, it's in a different part of town, so you have to go a distance with your luggage. Also, they took $450 from me as a deposit, which was a total surprise. It said NOTHING about this on my reservation and it ate a big chunk out of my money for this trip. I didn't get it refunded until 6 days later. The room was fine, but we had such trouble with the strange key that we had to ask the cleaning lady for help. Thank God she was there. On our own, and with the instructions, 3 of us still couldn't figure it out. Bedding is good and space is good, but wifi is on and off, and only if you stand in the bathroom... if you're lucky. Overall we enjoyed our stay.

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The worst hotel experience in Spain
After visiting Madrid, Seville, Granada and Valencia over several weeks, the hotel room in Barcelona was the worst experience not only in Spain but in all my vacations. The room had sticky floors and had a pungent tobacco smoke smell. The building is dirty and not maintained with poor lighting on the stairwell and hallways, broken steps and sewer smell. The location is central, next to Santa Maria del Mar, but the whole neighborhood is smelly, dirty and noisy until 3-4 a.m. I know this because the air conditioning did not work (no cold air) and had to keep the window open.

6/10 Okay

Tom, London

Disliked: Room comfort
Central location in Gothic quarter. Compact.
Nice apartment. Very compact - the bathroom is very small! Neighbourhood is in gothic area and there are lots of nice cafes and bars nearby. Currently having a dispute with hotel over double charging my credit card - but hoping this will be rectified soon.

8/10 Good

Alison, Ontario

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Studio in the heart of the city
Great place to spread out after two weeks on a cruise ship! Staff were extremely helpful before, during and after.

10/10 Excellent

John, Stockport

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cosy apartment in a great location
Liked this apartment a lot. Its a nice cosy apartment in a great location. All the facilities you need are there. The only real negative is that the check-in was somewhat convoluted where you have to check-in at another location (that wasn't that easy to find), and then its not obvious where the actual apartment is (or where the entrance is from the alleyway). Getting into the building the first time is also complicated with various codes and keys, but once in its fine. Overall would recommend though.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
Super location. Great base for a sight seeing trip. May need google maps to navigate around the tiny streets. Clean and tidy room. Some nights were very noisy as others staying at the apartments came in late, playing music loudly and shouting. This was the only draw back. Otherwise I had an amazing time in Barcelona.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Barcelona sightseeing
Good clean apartment in the old town walking distance to town and beach

8/10 Good

Kris, Montreal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The condo is in the Gothic Quarter. Close to metro
Our vacation was awesome. We were 4 people, my boyfriend, my 9-year-old son, my sister, and myself. The condo was okay for us since we were outside most of the time. It was more for like taking a shower and sleeping. It was close to El Casal Restaurant so we ate there almost everyday. Great staff and owner! The food is cheap and amazing. The Gothic area is great, its close to Jaume I metro if you need to use it. But we didn't need to. Barcelona is a walkable city. Everybody was so nice. The food and atmosphere is great!!!! Everything is close if you're a tourist. We will definitely go back again. My family loved it and my boyfriend wants to move there. LOL

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Nice hotel but difficult to find
Nice hotel and close to hotels, amenities and attractions. The address is difficult to find. We arrived around 9 pm and were asked to self check in. We were going around the place for 30 mins and finally had to call the out of hours office who guided us over the phone.

10/10 Excellent

Ryan James, Manchester

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay!
Amazing place to stay all the city is within reach in this great location and the apartment was really nice would stay here again

4/10 Poor

chris , London

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
disappointment
I booked for a 4 people studio I was was given a 2 people studio very much smaller not as per picture advertised difficult to find it at first the map supplied by the agent was not so clear

6/10 Okay

Ann B.

Liked: Cleanliness
family weekend break
Studio apartment was bit small for travelling with our child. Perfect for a couple.The location itself was a bit worrying at first, dark alley, grotty entrance etc but I have to say it was the ideal location smack bang in the middle of the gothic quarter. All the sights were easily accessible. Everything you need is at your doorstep.