Quick Help/Opinion needed for Barcelona Habitat Apartments
 

Hi Fodorites,

I've gone through a number of threads, and it seems like Habitat Apartments is a reputable company. My sister-in-law and I will be going to Barcelona in a month, and these are the 2 apartments we're considering:

Sots3 http://www.habitatapartments.com/en/...view/sots3.htm
and
Princesa 8 http://www.habitatapartments.com/en/.../princesa8.htm

I know CAPH52 stayed in Sots 3 over the summer; and a number of Fodorites have stayed at one of the Princesa apartments.

I looked at the maps, they appear to be fairly close to one another. Reviews of both places are good, and I believe they are at quiet locations.

Prices are the same for both apartments, and I'm leaning towards Princesa 8 because it looks nicer in photos, larger, and has wifi. Sots 3 didn't list wifi as one of the amenities, so I'm assuming it doesn't offer it.

Anyway, is that a reasonable choice?

Also, it sounds like Habitat Apartments is fairly easy to deal with? Check-in time shouldn't be a problem since my flight arrives in BCN around 9am. On the website, it says check-out is 10am. But we need to leave before then as our flight is at 10:10am. Has anyone had trouble with an early check-out?

Any other issues or problems I need to be aware of regarding Habitat Apartments?

Thanks in advance.

We have stayed in Princesa 8 for the last two years in May. I really love the location and the apartments are very quiet since they are located on a small walkway not a road. The difference in the two would be natural light in the living room, Princesa 8 only has an outside window in the bedroom. I love the Born area of Barcelona. That is the only area I would stay in if we go again in the coming years. We also stayed in Princesa 3 which is a nicer apartment within that building. Is that available? Habitat is very easy to deal with--no deposits beforehand and they met us at the apartment and showed us how to use tv, washer/dryer and wifi. The wifi in Princesa 8 works better in the living room, not so great in the bedroom. No worries about checking out, we just left on our own and left keys in the apartment.

macdogmom, thanks for your detailed input! Only Princesa 8 is available for our dates at this point, probably because this is kind of last-minute. A quiet location is important to us, so that's good to know.

Another thing is that they want cash, I think you have to pay a little bit more to use a credit card.

Sots 3 does have wifi, yk. My son had no problem using his laptop while we were there. And it too is located on a pedestrian only street, noise was definitely not a problem. As you know from my TR, we were very happy with Sots 3. But if Princessa is larger for the same amount of money, go for it!

Oh, and as macdogmom said, early check out shouldn't be a problem. We didn't expect to see anyone before we left, but the next tenants arrived early!

Thanks CAPH52! It's good to know that Sots3 also has wifi. Sounds like we can't go wrong with either place.

BTW, can anyone comment on the sofabed in either apartment? Since it's me and my sis-in-law, one of us (most likely me) will be sleeping on the sofabed. Just want to see if one apt's is better than the other.

hi yk,

I've never stayed at either of them, so what am I doing joining in, you ask yourself? well, as I'm going crazy trying to pick an apartment in Rome at the moment, I'm keen to help someone else.

actually my only comment is that in the princessa apartment, it looks as if the bed is two singles put together so you might be able to get them to separate them - or use the old bolster down the middle trick.

regards, ann

Hi ann, I know what you mean about choosing apartments! When will you be in Rome?

I thought about the possibility of separating the beds, but I think we'd both prefer to have our own "space" so to speak. I tend to suffer jet-lag, so if I can't sleep at night, I can get up and read a book without disturbing my sis-in-law.

yk, I would stay in Princesa building. It is a nice ,safe building in a perfect location Habitat was easy to deal with.

p.s, there is a supermarket on Comerc . ( a few minutes from the building)
How ling are you going for?

I stayed in Princesa building in March... the other apt . looks nice too ( good location) but i am familiar with Princesa.
I think CAPH52 liked sot3.

I don't believe the bed in Princesa bldg was two twins. Just one queen size probably. My 6'6" son slept on fold out couch in living room--he had no complaints.

There is a great little market about a block away from the apt. Wonderful restaurants, bars, shops, Picasso museum and the beautiful Santa Maria church all close by.

yk - we are going to be in Rome in Feb from the 10th to the 17th.

I think i may at last have found an apartment care of fellow fodorite etononmymind. great relief all round.

i loved that area of Barcelona and the santa maria cathedral. there was a wedding when we got there and we crept in at the back. Very smart and up-market - three photographers, gorgeous designer dress being worn be a slightly mature bride, endless braidesmaids, the guests in evening wear [it was lunchtime] - and an events organiser herding them all around like noisy sheep. as they left another one arrived - a much younger crowd dressed up just like WAGS at a wedding!

you may know it already, but we found a great tapas bar diagonally opposite the picasso museum [towards the church] which advertised fresh beer. both the beer and the food were excellent and there was a nice mix of locals and tourists. I could have sat there all day.

have a wonderful time,

regards, ann

regards, ann

Hi, yk. Our son slept on the sofa in Sots 3 without pulling it out. I just IMed him and he said that as far as he remembers, it was fine. He doesn't remember having any trouble sleeping.

macdogmom, I was re-reading your comment, as well as some other reviews on TA about Princesa 8, and I'm now having second thoughts.

1) You're saying that the living room has NO window at all, right?
2) Someone on TA mentioned that the living room has a wall of brick glass which is semi-see through to the outdoor corridor. http://www.habitatapartments.com/res...ngarea1b_7.jpg

That would be a problem for me since I'll be sleeping on the sofa bed in the living room. I'm not sure if I want everyone walking along the outdoor corridor to be able to see me in the living room (esp when the light is on because there's no window)!

Maybe that's why it's still available? I think it may be safer to go with Sots 3 then.

We stayed there for two years running and you cannot see out to the outside corridor. As I said it is very quiet. I think the area it is located in is really wonderful-the best in Barcelona. Good luck with your decision and I am sure you will have a great time wherever you stay. My favorite places in Barcelona are Cal Pep, El Xampanyet, and the stunning Palau de la Musica.

Hi macdogmom, thanks again for your input.

I spoke with my sister-in-law again, and we decided to go with Sots 3. The idea of a very dark apartment for one week is not too appealing to us, esp given that we are hoping to escape the dark, grey New England November!

I hope the weather will be nice and warm enough that we can even enjoy the balcony in the Sots 3.

CAPH52, I asked Habitat Apts regarding wifi in the Sots 3 apartment, and they told me it's not available in that apartment. But I know you said your son was able to get wi fi. Do you remember when you booked the apt, was wifi listed as an amenity? I'm curious if
1) They did offer wifi a few months ago but no longer; or
2) They never offered wifi there, but your son connected to some other free wifi service while in the apartment?

Thank you again for all your input. I'm sure we could have a bigger range of apartment choices if we weren't doing this in such a last-minute nature; or if we were willing to pay more.

Very interesting, yk. All I can find is a copy of our confirmation, which doesn't list the amenities. I can't remember whether wifi was listed, can't remember whether we expected to have it or hoped to. But I know that we did have it 'cause we used it several times for directions to various places. It's very possible that we were using someone else's without realizing it. We noticed that, in the building directly across from us, at the same level as us seemed to be all offices. Maybe we were picking up theirs?

I really wish I could give you better answers. I'll talk to my son in a little while. If he remembers the situation any more clearly than I do, I'll let you know.

My son thinks we may have been picking up some random wifi. He doesn't remember much about it, but knows we had internet. And, FWIW, neither of us remembers his ever trying to get on and not being able to. Which I'm inclined to think we would remember because we remember it happening several times in Edinburgh (where I think we were also picking up random wifi).

Not sure how much that helps...

CAPH52, thanks again for your help and for checking with your son. I am trying to decide if I want to drag my netbook along or not. It's not big, but still a hassle to bring it if we won't get any internet service at all. I'll mull over this...