Margarita
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My 82-Year-old mother was TRAPPED in the ELEVATOR for nearly an HOUR — Deeply Disappointing and Unsafe Experience!
We stayed at Ikonik Angli in Barcelona for a few nights with my 82-year-old mother. Although the hotel is in a quiet, beautiful neighborhood and our room had large windows overlooking greenery, our overall experience was stressful and disappointing — and at times, truly alarming.
On the day we arrived, a heavy rainstorm hit the city. Shockingly, water was pouring through the elevator shafts and flooding in front of the elevator doors like a waterfall. It looked like a shower coming from the ceiling. I was too exhausted after a long flight from the U.S. to film it, but it was incredibly concerning.
The next day, both elevators were completely out of service, forcing my elderly mother to take the stairs — no easy feat. To make matters worse, people were sitting in the stairwells smoking, and we had to carefully maneuver around them. This should not be allowed.
But the most serious incident happened the following evening: MY MOTHER GOT TRAPPED IN THE ELEVATOR FOR NEARLY AN HOUR. The emergency call button didn’t work. Thankfully, she had just enough phone signal to reach the front desk, who contacted the elevator technicians. She was eventually freed, but by then she was sore from standing so long, frightened, and visibly shaken. The hotel’s only response? A complimentary breakfast.
Speaking of breakfast — I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve never encountered a hotel that made such a production out of checking guests in for a buffet. A woman stood guard like a drill sergeant, scrutinizing each person’s name. And frankly, the breakfast was terrible: watery coffee, tasteless powdered eggs, and stale pastries.
On the day we checked out, I called a taxi that arrived a bit earlier than expected. I sent my mother outside while I retrieved our suitcase from the front desk. When I explained the situation — that our taxi had arrived and my elderly mother was waiting outside alone — the receptionist continued checking in another guest and ignored me, even though our suitcase was right beside her. Only after I firmly repeated myself and reminded her that my mother was the same woman who had been trapped in their elevator did she hand it over, clearly annoyed.
Another letdown: the pool is not open year-round. It’s closed until June, which is something to note if you’re visiting outside summer months.
The only real positive was the housekeeping staff. They were consistently friendly, attentive, and kept the room clean and comfortable.
Despite the tranquil setting, the lack of safety protocols, empathy, and reliable service made this stay one we’d rather forget.
