Hostal Oliva

I really enjoyed my stay at Hostel Olivia — it has such charm and character. You can tell it must have been a pensione back in the 1980s — the architecture, tile floors, and old-world feel give it a nostalgic touch. The location couldn’t be better, right in the heart of Barcelona, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It’s simple, clean, and full of personality — a lovely spot for travelers who appreciate authenticity over luxury.

I would recommend you don’t stay here if you’re looking for true and honest service. I unfortunately had a horrible experience. I was there in the summer and paid good money for a room that was advertised with air conditioning. Upon my arrival, I was told that the a/c was not working. Well, it turns out that it was NEVER meant to function. I stayed there for a week and there was absolutely no communication offered to give me a discount, give me a different room with services I paid for or have a technician repair it immediately. Then I was charged an extra conversion fee on my credit card upon paying them because they were unable to communicate which option is best for the consumer. The shower design is thee worst I’ve ever experienced, it’s about 12-14 feet in height and with a shower head that was never going to reach your body. You have to leave the room key with them when you leave the hotel and wake them up to allow entry upon returning. By far, the most uncomfortable option since it’s intrusive on your privacy. Use your money elsewhere if you can. The only thing positive for this place is the location being central to public transit.

Stayed twice. Do not recommend. First time with an ok room (old but still good price value). Had bits on my arm, probably bed bugs. Second time it was a horrible night. Room (maximum 9 sqm) was not clean with black hair on the floor and dust. The window to the inner area couldn’t legt open as there are vents that stink. You hear all the noise from the reception and the water flow from other rooms. When I asked about another room, the host was quite rude “you booked the lowest category, that is what you get”. The next day she asked if I am ok, but that’s too late.

Hostel Olivia was such a nice stay! The location is perfect – only about 5–8 minutes to La Rambla, with shopping (Zara, H&M, Uniqlo), supermarkets (Aldi, Lidl, Supermercat), and plenty of restaurants all around. Couldn’t be better. The hostel is run by two ladies; one doesn’t speak English, but the other does – and she was honestly the sweetest person, always smiling and super friendly. Rooms were very clean and well-kept, with TVs available, and housekeeping was excellent – they never disturbed and always waited until you left before cleaning. Oh and the elevator is something really special you have to witness for your own - one of kind, very precious and cute. The only tiny “downside” is that you can’t take the keys with you, so you have to ring the bell each time you return. Not a real problem, but when I came back late at 5 a.m., I felt like I was disturbing them. But that's just me, this isn't a downside. Overall, I’d still give it a full 5/5. Great value, very friendly, and I’d definitely come back if I stay in Barcelona again.

Fantastic location, private room had an amazing view with windows. Private room was a little dated but very charming. Friendly staff, definitely recommend

Lovely hostel with a variety of room configurations. We had a double with en suite bathroom. Room was modern, well maintained and the staff were so helpful. The location is PERFECT for shopping, people watching, and was central to transportation. Would definitely stay there again.

We really enjoyed our stay here. From the start, the wooden lift is full of character and the entryway is brightly lit. Staff was very friendly and our room had a tall window opening out over the street. The beds are comfortable, everything is clean, and the small bathroom is modern and well stocked. The neighbourhood is fairly commercial, but there are Gaudi buildings nearby and the metro is right outside your door. The only warning I'd give is that the building is not (to my knowledge) great for those with accessibility issues. There are some mandatory steps at the front entrance and the elevators are quite small. Still, it will suit others well and we'd definitely consider returning here!

I had a great stay here! I stayed in a room with one bed, a small desk, and my own bathroom, which I loved. The room had its own heat pump you could control. It was INCREDIBLY clean (I walked in the common area with no shoes) and fairly quiet, though I'm a deep sleeper so not much bothers me. Location was great, right next to a major train station. The staff was very friendly. No kitchen/common area but that wasn't an issue for me. The one odd thing is that you can't take your room key with you so you need to ring the doorbell to be let into the building every time, but I was able to come in early (~8am) after my morning run with no issue, and the owner told me she waits for the last guest to come home so I assume coming back late isn't a problem either. I will be staying here next time I come to Barcelona!

Couldn't ask for a better location. The building is gorgeous. The old fashioned elevator is a great novelty. The staff is sweet. It's a little strange, as far as hotels go, because you're not allowed to take your key with you out when you go out. You have to leave it at the front the desk and buzz in at reception whenever you want to be let in. It's kinda weird, but it never really hindered us in any way as there is always someone to buzz you in, 24 hours a day. At the time of our visit, Hostal Oliva appeared to be go through renovations. Walking down the hall you could could see that one room was currently being worked on. It was also apparent that some of the other rooms were newly upgraded. The room they put us in, however, had yet to reap the benefits of any renovation. (Actually, I take that back -- the bathroom seemed new -- had a nice shower and toilet.) But the room itself had stained wallpaper that was peeling off the walls, dreary comforters and old furniture. It wasn't the nicest room, but we weren't in Barcelona to sit in a hotel room. It did the trick anyway. I think we just got bad luck of the draw in getting one of the older, outdated rooms. I suppose we could have asked to be moved, but we didn't bother. Another thing to note is that when reserving the room, they required a deposit of the first night. Which is all fine.....BUT they don't take credit cards and needed the deposit to be sent in the form of check or money order which, to be honest, was a bit of a hassle from the US. Then, once there, they still don't take credit cards so be prepared to pay in full, in cash. The only only complaint is that it seemed a bit pricey for what we got. I guess you're paying for the location and, in our case a private room with private bathroom (as opposed to the more typical hostel set-up of a shared room with shared toilet down the hall.....which is an option they also have.) Overall, I'd recommend Hostal Oliva depending on the person -- it'd be a good fit for some, and a terrible fit for others. Again, the best thing it has going for it is the location.

For the price, this place is great! The location is honestly fantastic. It's on a wonderful, busy, beautiful street very close to Plaça de Catalunya. The hotel a no-frills kind of place, which was great for us since we weren't planning on spending a ton of time in the hotel anyway. The host was this cute older woman who spoke little English, but made sure I left with a couple new words in Spanish! The room had a queen size bed, small table, closet, stand-up shower, toilet, and hair dryer. The bathroom included shower gel and shampoo/conditioner. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the bed was very hard and the way our window faced, we didn't get a ton of air from the outside, which made the room a bit stuffy. Like others have said, this hotel isn't for everyone - it's definitely 'no frills' - but it totally worked for what we needed.