Traveler Favorite - January '09

Hostal Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain

Why so darn good? "Mercedes, the owner, is incredibly nice and sweet. She has a natural warmth that made us and our three year old feel very welcome. We appreciated the hostal’s large, comfortable rooms and its location just off the Ramblas in the lovely neighborhood of Poblenou."

Location: "A ten minute walk to the metro, and just a few stops from the city center, Hostal Poblenou isn’t far from Barcelona’s main sites, yet the neighborhood has a feel all its own. We enjoyed coming back from a long day of site-seeing to wander along our neighborhood’s tree-lined mini-Ramblas, relax at one of its many open-air restaurants, and people-watch while eating gelato. The Parc del Poble Nou and the beach are at the end of the Rambla not far from the Hostal."

Rooms: "The rooms are large with high ceilings and tile floors. They are painted white with white linens and have splashes of bright color coming from the rugs and artwork on the walls. The hostal has ten rooms on three floors of an atmospheric 1930’s apartment building. The front rooms have little balconies overlooking the street."

Food: "Hostal Poblenou offers cereal, baguettes with butter and jam, juice, tea, and coffee for breakfast. For five extra Euros, guests can order a fresh fruit salad, meats and cheeses, and/or eggs. Breakfast is served on a lovely rooftop garden in warm weather, and inside a small dining area at other times."

Vibe: "The hostal has a friendly, down-to-earth, and warm vibe, and we well understood why we met so many return vistors at breakfast."

Keep in Mind: "Mercedes has some cats that wander outside on the terrace or in the halls. Also the apartment building is a walk-up with no elevator."