Apsis Splendid - Barcelona, Spain 

They booked us for two rooms instead of one and initially told us they'd take care of it. The next day, they informed us that we would be charged for the extra room and threatened to call the police if we didn't sign the voucher and pay for it. We argued that we weren't even offered a key to this 'second' room and were never able to utilize it, but now we're being charged for it. The reservation that I printed off my computer looked so ambiguous that nobody could tell I was being charged for two rooms instead of one. I'm just curious how many visitors they pull this on. They will have to deal with my credit card company now. There are too many nice places to stay in Barcelona, I would stay clear of this place.

We stayed at the Apsis Splendid hotel for 2 nights in June 2008 following our Mediterranean cruise from the port of Barcelona. (It was a dream vacation!) We were also supposed to stay 1 night prior to the cruise, but our American Airlines flight was canceled and we arrived to Barcelona only hours before we were to embark the Brilliance of the Seas. Needless to say, the hotel charged us for the night even though we were a no show due to circumstances beyond our control. But that does not impact my review of this hotel. I booked with the Apsis Splendid based on the very positive reviews on Trip Advisor. I knew this hotel was not a 5 star property and that the rooms were rather small, so I had my expectations set appropriately. Overall, I was still a bit disappointed. First, the street this hotel is located on is a bit on the "seedy" side. It literally smelled of urine right outside the hotel. The pictures on the hotel website don't truly reflect what the hotel looks like from the outside. They must have been taken right after the shrubs were planted and the outside walls and sidewalk thoroughly cleaned with a high pressure hose and a lot of detergent. The lobby is extremely tiny--about the size of a small bedroom. There is room only for two tiny chairs from Ikea, and a tiny table for a floral arrangement, then the front desk. The personnel were overall polite and professional. The guest rooms are as tiny as our cruise stateroom. Literally, there was only room for the bed and a few suitcases. Since this is my first time in Europe, maybe my point of reference is not good. But believe me, the rooms are very, very small. The best part of the hotel is that the bathrooms are unexpectedly nice. They are tiled in marble and are very modern and clean. That is the saving grace of the Apsis Splendid: great bathrooms! We did not pay for the buffet and ate our breakfast at the local farmer's market on La Rambla. We had a 2 egg breakfast with potatoes, sausage, toast, orange juice, and coffee for 7 Euro. I imagined the hotel as being steps from La Rambla, but it is a walk to get there. It does take about 10 minutes to get to the main street. There is a bar directly across from the hotel, but it never was a problem for us. Although our window faced the street, it was quiet and we had no problem falling asleep. This hotel is very interesting in that you must insert your room key into a slot in the wall to get the electricity to work in your room. Consequently, when you leave the room, every electrical device turns off (including the air conditioning.) Only the TV and refrigerator remain operational without the key in the wall. Also, getting ice for your room is a bit of a mystery. There are no ice machines for guests, so you have to either call down stairs or go there your self. They have you wait as the scurry off somewhere and then a few minutes later, they reappear with the tiniest amount of ice. Once, the maid literally gave me a small glass with 3 ice cubes and asked if that was enough. So, they are very stingy with their ice. Another problem is the mattress. They feel very low quality and are very hard. I am used to the Hilton or Marriott mattresses in the US that make you feel like you are floating in a cloud. These mattresses are like sleeping on a piece of plywood with a little bit of padding. Regarding pick pockets in Barcelona--please be very careful with your wallet and baggage! We were warned of this, so all our money was carried in a money belt. We did not carry wallets in our pockets. One poor guest arrived at the hotel in tears, telling the front desk that she had placed her luggage down for a second to look at a map, and two guys grabbed her bags and ran off with them. She was understandably shaken. Be very careful and you should have no problems. They have all kinds of con artists--especially ones that work with accomplices that form a diversion to distract you--such as street performers or people asking for directions. So, overall, I was a little disappointed. I wanted to like this hotel and thought it would be a secret gem at a bargain price. Who knows, maybe compared with other hotels in Barcelona at this price range, it is a gem. But I think travelers should be aware of the drawbacks. I would give this place only 2 1/2 stars.