I decided to breath before writing this note for the sake of being fair.

We had a wonderful trip, great experience with all our reservations in Belgium, Paris,Lisbon and Madrid. Barcelona was a fiasco.

We reserved a family room and a double room and prepaid one night thru Paypal (thank God!). During the multiple email exchanges never got total clarity on location, just "near the cathedral", which was fine with me. Far, difficult and dangerous from the cathedral.

We learned that taxis do not take you there, walked and walked, asked directions, Saint Pere has many alleys, all intertwined. Unfortunately I ran into problem with my mobile and my only way to get in touch with owners was using public phones which were scarce or usafe to use. You need to call the owners to meet you to get there and to open the place for you. The location with plenty of grafitti, loud, trash and laundry hanguing all over and a scary a little plaza in front of hostal,(learned from cafeteria attendant downstairs that there you have 4 skilled thieves that quickly identify tourists), cat smell coming out of the place.

The downstairs and kitchen were fine. The double room had a shower and a toilet all together on a tiny square separated by a plastic curtain on your face. Room very small. The family room for 4 was somewhat better, no window,dark, nothing as published.

The man (I assume Sasha's husband)was rude, loud voice, their place was the best in town and wanted the four nights paid in advance, cash.
Finally, we managed to be heard and said that we would talk next day since we were entitled to that night stay already paid.

Next day before 10AM we told them we were leaving. After he insulted and screamed at us, he said he was calling the police, we said, fine, please do. He never did. At that point we wished he did.

Being a party of 6 traveling with the convenience of a kitchen, not having any other reservation or plan B, we could have reconsidered staying, maybe, but this guy's attitude put us over the barrel.

This experience was a very bad start for the family visit to Barcelona

Luckily we found same room arrangement at Hostal Martina, Bailen 42. The owner, Maria, was wonderful, gave us same arrangement,(no kitchen), great big rooms with terraces and better rate, half a block from Paseo de Gracia, good area, great stay.

Some lessons learned.

So you didn't like it then? ;-)
We're staying there in September, we have been recommended to it by several people. We do know the area it is situated in, having been to Barcelona before and are fine about staying in a "local area".
Sasha has told us to phone her from Arc de Triomf station and she will meet us there. She has also warned us to be very careful with our bags. I'm very suprised she didn't offer to meet you at the station.
Did you stay in Arthostal 1 or 11?

No, I did not like it, will not recommend it either. It was Arthostal at Basses de St Pere. No, Sasha did not offer to pick up us from Arc de Triomf. She told us to walk to St Katerina market(long way from airport bus stop)and call her from there.

Should I have checked other reviews before my trip, I would not have gone through this experience. I searched them after to see if we were the only ones!

This is not a "local area"(I would not stay by Ramblas either) but a dangerous area, difficult place to find and dangerous to walk to and from given and as a tourist you will be going places. I also failed to see the enchantment of it.

Walls are thin, doors do not allow privacy inside the room.

The big plus is the kitchen if you want to cook your own food.

For the same money, you could stay safer.