Staying at Ibis Styles Barcelona City Bogatell

Ibis Styles Barcelona City Bogatell. Photo / Supplied

Stephanie Holmes checks into Ibis Styles Barcelona City Bogatell.

Location: Bogatell. It's not the liveliest neighbourhood, with not many tourist attractions around and it's about half an hour walk from the centre of the city. But the hotel has excellent access to the Metro — Bogatell station is less than five minutes' walk away — and the beach is less than 15 minutes' walk away.

Getting there: Travel by Metro, or take a 20 minute taxi ride from the airport.

Check in experience: Friendly, easy. I turned up at midday and my room was ready for me. My room had been pre-paid, but I needed to pay the Barcelona tourist tax at check-in. This is from €0.45 to €2.25 per person, per night, and payable for the first seven days of a stay.

Room: I was in a large corner room, which had its own large courtyard with table, deckchairs and all-day sun. The wallpaper was quite loud, with a bold, red print, which wouldn't be to everyone's taste.

Bed: Comfortable king with good weight duvet.

View: Nearby buildings.

Bathroom: Shower over bath, with rainhead and regular shower attachments. It was hard to work out how to turn it on — the first day I could only get the regular attachment to work; the second day both were on at the same time. The shower screen leaked, leaving a bit of a puddle on the floor. The tiling was a Gaudi-inspired mosaic design, which was a nice touch.

Toiletries: Refillable bottles of generic liquid soap attached to the wall by the sink and the shower. It's a great idea for the environment, eliminating the need for the wastage that comes from mini-bottles and bars of soap. But bring your own toiletries if you're particular about brand.

Facilities: Plenty to keep you entertained on site, including a rooftop terrace and swimming pool, a lobby bar, foosball table, outdoor courtyard, and kids' play area with games, books and toys.

Food and drink: Breakfast was included with my booking. The atmosphere was a bit like a high school canteen, with guests jostling for space and filling and clearing their own trays, but the food was excellent. Food was also available at the bar throughout the day, including local tapas dishes. Coffee, tea, waters and pastries were free all day.

Wi-Fi: Free and fast in all areas.

Noise: It's a quiet area of the city, so not much to disturb.

Perfect for: A reasonably priced stay in an easily accessible location.