Hostal Balkonis
Carrer del Comte d′Urgell, 18, 08011 Barcelona Spain
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About
4.5
#15 of 79 small hotels in BarcelonaLocation
Cleanliness
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Value
Everyone needs a place to lay their weary head. For travellers visiting Barcelona, Hostal Balkonis is an excellent choice for rest and rejuvenation. Well-known for its budget friendly environment and proximity to great restaurants and attractions, Hostal Balkonis makes it easy to enjoy the best of Barcelona.
Rooms at Hostal Balkonis offer a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a desk providing exceptional comfort and convenience, and guests can go online with free wifi.
24 hour front desk, a concierge, and express check-in and check-out are some of the conveniences offered at this small hotel. If you are driving to Hostal Balkonis, there is paid public parking available nearby.
While staying at Hostal Balkonis, visitors can check out Passeig de Gracia (1.4 km) and Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala (1.4 km), some of Barcelona's top attractions.
While you’re here, be sure to check out some of the cafes, including Brunch & Cake, Cafe de la Pedrera, and Can Dendê, all of which are a short distance from Hostal Balkonis.
There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular monuments and statues such as Casa Batllo, Casa Milà - La Pedrera, and Cascada Monumental.
Hostal Balkonis is sure to make your visit to Barcelona one worth remembering.
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Property amenities
Paid public parking nearby
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Baggage storage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
24-hour front desk
Express check-in / check-out
Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Flatscreen TV
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Residential Neighbourhood
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, Hebrew and 2 more
Hotel links
Location
Carrer del Comte d′Urgell, 18, 08011 Barcelona Spain
Name/address in local language
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 100 out of 100
100
Barcelona-El Prat Airport
11.3 km•
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Costa Brava Airport
77.3 km•
See all flights
Sant Antoni
2 min•Barcelona Metro
Rental Cars
408 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
333Reviews11Q+A21Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
The location is great: close to the aerobus stop, metro stop and walking distance from Las Ramblas. The room was pretty big, clean and the bed comfortable. The staff is very friendly and useful and the value for money really acceptable. The only weak point was that the room was relatively cold. But I would totally recommend it to anybody!
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Date of stay: December 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is literally the best hostel in Europe. Everything is perfect. We got so much for such a small amount of money. It was a perfect stay. The staff is very friendly and they're always ready to help us. Rooms were VERY clean and not very small. The location is perfect: you can easily get to the city centre. Internet access was very good. And if you need a cheap shuttle to get to the airport there's a bus stop just around the corner.
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Date of stay: August 2014Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Me and my family booked an 8 day trip to Barcelona staying in this wonderful hotel. The rooms were clean cool and cleaned daily. Beds were made and towels changed regularly. We were very pleased with the cleanliness of the whole hotel. But I have to say a special mention to the staff who were the most helpful I have come across. Yomtan and the whole team down to the room cleaners went out of there way to explain places to visit and events that were of interest. We were made to feel very welcome and they made our trip more special by their kind and attentive ways. Nothing was to much trouble even ordering a pizza on a rainy evening made us feel special. Easy access from airport get the Areobus and get off at Urgell .35 mins .Cost 6 euros each .Very cheap!!I would highly recommend this hotel due to is location to all amenities being easy access to all tourist sites too. Thank you Balkonis for a wonderful trip 5 star rating from the McDermott Family
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Date of stay: July 2014Trip type: Travelled with family
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Personal choice really.. but we had a front room with a balcony.. Traffic a bit noisey but did...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We did book a room for 2 people. The hostal is not in bad location but is impossible to sleep with the people making parties in the rooms and at 8am they start with builders works that they have not advised us. Probably we wouldent book this room if they told us about all of the problems above. We wanted to extend our stay but obviously we are moving to an other hostel.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ori Behrend, Dueño at Hostal Balkonis
Responded May 20, 2021
Dear Client, you have staid for two nights and there was no party and you never complaint about it. Regarding the builders work, as we informed you when you called is that unfortunately we have not known that they work in a flat that is also in another building and NOT OUR so we can´t controll it. Also, for your information, in Barcelona it is legal to start working and doing noise at 8 AM so we cannot control what people do in another buildings near us. If you cannot understand this and you think that we can be responsible for something that it is not our, we really suggest you to book a hotel maybe that fits your standards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
When we arrived, the floor had not been cleaned. The place does not look like the pictures on their website. The kitchen was poorly equiped: 1 spoon for up to 3 visitors, no wine glasses, very little equiped, under minimum necessary dishes. The kitchen stove was not fully working, the oven was dirty, like other dishes. Light bulbs were burned out. No bed cover, not one decoration element on the walls.
The only plus was location. Avoid at all price!
The only plus was location. Avoid at all price!
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Date of stay: April 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff were lovely and the room was clean, however there was no bin or AC in the room. The door did not have a lock inside and the door to the hostel floor was broken and could not shut. Hostel was in a convenient location, near metro's and the port, but the other guests were particularly loud. Very expensive for what they are offering
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just like many ordinary people, I do not write reviews often. I travel a lot but most of the time I have a pleasant experience without nothing special to write about. I take time to write reviews only when I have a very positive or negative experience. And I would say that Hostal Balkonis was the worst accommodation I have ever stayed.
1) False advertising
Do not book the triple room. You will get a totally different room from the pictures on their website. The room is much, much smaller and uncomfortable. Since there is zero privacy between the single bed and double bed, you will have an awkward time even with your closest family member you share the room with. Their rooms look cheap for Barcelona but are way overpriced for what you get.
There is no space for a single bed or anything beside the door unlike you see in the picture. When you open the door, there is a double bed right in front of you. You will have your single bed right beside the double bed, where you see only a chair in the pictures. There is no chair in the room; The only furniture you will have is a small bedside table and a tiny, almost broken closet. There is not even a space to open your suitcase. It is smaller than the smallest business hotel room in Japan. The bathroom is also cramped.
I understand that hotel rooms with the same name could be slightly different, especially if the hotel is in an old building. But our room size was beyond the understandable irregularity. I do not usually complain because I want to use my limited time to enjoy the vacation, but this time I decided to talk to the reception desk because I was traveling with my elderly parents.
2) Rude, rude, rude employees
I cannot still believe how rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional the employees were. All of them (Demian, Juan, and especially, MARIANNA) were ridiculously aggressive. They do not want to listen to any kind of complaints. My elderly parents were always watching me talking with them and were shocked about how I was treated. They were worried that the employees were racists; their attitude was that ridiculous.
Change of the room or any kind of compensation would have been great, but if there was nothing they could do, I would have appreciated at least a sincere apology or a sympathetic gesture. When I gave up talking with them, I felt that they were just doing what the owner told them to do and even felt sorry for them for having to be such a horrible human being towards the other humans to earn a living.
I do remember what they said word by word and want to write down everything if I could, but I don't have time for that; I would just summarize the conversation.
Demian, whom I talked to first, did not want to listen and was extremely defensive. He insisted because we have the same number of beds (one single and one double) we have the correct room. He just read out repeatedly that our room was non-refundable (even though I did not ask for a refund). At least he finally admitted that he was employed only for 6 months and did not know how to deal with the issue.
When we returned to the hotel after dinner, nobody opened the hotel door for us (you are not given a key; you have to ring the bell) and we had to wait quite long in front of the hotel. I understand that the receptionist could have something to do urgently, but it was not a good experience because my parents were shivering in dark, it was our first night in Barcelona and it was a late night, not many people around there, and you never know how long you had to wait in that kind of situation.
Finally, the door was opened and I met Juan, the night chief. At first, Juan looked confused and was difficult to talk with. He did not say sorry for making us wait in front of the door. Instead, he was mad at us! For some reason, he thought we were upset about their elevator issue and talked angrily about the elevator forever. He angrily told me that the elevator wasn't moving only for a few minutes. It took time to explain to him that we were okay with the elevator because we could walk up the stairs. When I asked for an apology, He reluctantly apologized saying that "I apologize if that makes you happy." He was still mad at me for no reason and told me that because I was talking to him, he could not help the other guests (which I did not know about). I reminded him that I am also his guest and gave him time to help the other guests and calm down. After calming down, he became easier to talk with and at least seemed to be trying to help. He let me sit inside the office with him (it was his invitation) and we checked their booking calendar together. I saw that the first night was fully booked. I could also see that they have 4 triple rooms and we were assigned the 4th room (we made a reservation a couple months in advance). The most reasonable option for us to change the room for the second and third night was a bigger apartment. Juan wasn't sure what his boss would say about the upgrade but promised that he would talk to the boss to find a solution and would let me know what they could do next morning. It was past midnight at that time.
Next morning, I met Marianna. I told her what I talked with Juan. She ignored everything and insisted they are fully booked for all nights and they could do nothing for us. I told her that I saw the booking calendar with availability just a few hours ago. I asked her to show me the calendar again and she refused (Rather than the refusal itself, I was shocked by the way she spoke to me. How rude!). She insisted that I should check their website to see the availability. Because their website only shows rooms that are available three nights in a row in the high season, it would have been meaningless to us. I asked her to let me talk with the boss and she rudely refused again. She interrupted every single phrase I said and harshly repeated whatever bullsh*t she could say to stop the conversation. I gave up talking with her. I saw that right after the conversation, she called someone (should have been the boss) to report what she did. At that moment, I thought that she was just another poor employee and decided to forgive her.
However, I do not want anyone, especially those traveling with their family, have the same horrible experience in this hotel. Even though they were unfair, I want to be fair; the location was not the best but good, and our room was cleaned every day. But you won't get your money's worth here. There are better deals if you look for. (I wish I had researched more; I am going to Barcelona again soon and I could find better options) And, most importantly, you don't want to be treated like garbage when you travel. This hotel may be one of the cheapest options, but there is a reason for the cheap price. I think they do not value their customers at all because there are always people coming for the cheap price.
1) False advertising
Do not book the triple room. You will get a totally different room from the pictures on their website. The room is much, much smaller and uncomfortable. Since there is zero privacy between the single bed and double bed, you will have an awkward time even with your closest family member you share the room with. Their rooms look cheap for Barcelona but are way overpriced for what you get.
There is no space for a single bed or anything beside the door unlike you see in the picture. When you open the door, there is a double bed right in front of you. You will have your single bed right beside the double bed, where you see only a chair in the pictures. There is no chair in the room; The only furniture you will have is a small bedside table and a tiny, almost broken closet. There is not even a space to open your suitcase. It is smaller than the smallest business hotel room in Japan. The bathroom is also cramped.
I understand that hotel rooms with the same name could be slightly different, especially if the hotel is in an old building. But our room size was beyond the understandable irregularity. I do not usually complain because I want to use my limited time to enjoy the vacation, but this time I decided to talk to the reception desk because I was traveling with my elderly parents.
2) Rude, rude, rude employees
I cannot still believe how rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional the employees were. All of them (Demian, Juan, and especially, MARIANNA) were ridiculously aggressive. They do not want to listen to any kind of complaints. My elderly parents were always watching me talking with them and were shocked about how I was treated. They were worried that the employees were racists; their attitude was that ridiculous.
Change of the room or any kind of compensation would have been great, but if there was nothing they could do, I would have appreciated at least a sincere apology or a sympathetic gesture. When I gave up talking with them, I felt that they were just doing what the owner told them to do and even felt sorry for them for having to be such a horrible human being towards the other humans to earn a living.
I do remember what they said word by word and want to write down everything if I could, but I don't have time for that; I would just summarize the conversation.
Demian, whom I talked to first, did not want to listen and was extremely defensive. He insisted because we have the same number of beds (one single and one double) we have the correct room. He just read out repeatedly that our room was non-refundable (even though I did not ask for a refund). At least he finally admitted that he was employed only for 6 months and did not know how to deal with the issue.
When we returned to the hotel after dinner, nobody opened the hotel door for us (you are not given a key; you have to ring the bell) and we had to wait quite long in front of the hotel. I understand that the receptionist could have something to do urgently, but it was not a good experience because my parents were shivering in dark, it was our first night in Barcelona and it was a late night, not many people around there, and you never know how long you had to wait in that kind of situation.
Finally, the door was opened and I met Juan, the night chief. At first, Juan looked confused and was difficult to talk with. He did not say sorry for making us wait in front of the door. Instead, he was mad at us! For some reason, he thought we were upset about their elevator issue and talked angrily about the elevator forever. He angrily told me that the elevator wasn't moving only for a few minutes. It took time to explain to him that we were okay with the elevator because we could walk up the stairs. When I asked for an apology, He reluctantly apologized saying that "I apologize if that makes you happy." He was still mad at me for no reason and told me that because I was talking to him, he could not help the other guests (which I did not know about). I reminded him that I am also his guest and gave him time to help the other guests and calm down. After calming down, he became easier to talk with and at least seemed to be trying to help. He let me sit inside the office with him (it was his invitation) and we checked their booking calendar together. I saw that the first night was fully booked. I could also see that they have 4 triple rooms and we were assigned the 4th room (we made a reservation a couple months in advance). The most reasonable option for us to change the room for the second and third night was a bigger apartment. Juan wasn't sure what his boss would say about the upgrade but promised that he would talk to the boss to find a solution and would let me know what they could do next morning. It was past midnight at that time.
Next morning, I met Marianna. I told her what I talked with Juan. She ignored everything and insisted they are fully booked for all nights and they could do nothing for us. I told her that I saw the booking calendar with availability just a few hours ago. I asked her to show me the calendar again and she refused (Rather than the refusal itself, I was shocked by the way she spoke to me. How rude!). She insisted that I should check their website to see the availability. Because their website only shows rooms that are available three nights in a row in the high season, it would have been meaningless to us. I asked her to let me talk with the boss and she rudely refused again. She interrupted every single phrase I said and harshly repeated whatever bullsh*t she could say to stop the conversation. I gave up talking with her. I saw that right after the conversation, she called someone (should have been the boss) to report what she did. At that moment, I thought that she was just another poor employee and decided to forgive her.
However, I do not want anyone, especially those traveling with their family, have the same horrible experience in this hotel. Even though they were unfair, I want to be fair; the location was not the best but good, and our room was cleaned every day. But you won't get your money's worth here. There are better deals if you look for. (I wish I had researched more; I am going to Barcelona again soon and I could find better options) And, most importantly, you don't want to be treated like garbage when you travel. This hotel may be one of the cheapest options, but there is a reason for the cheap price. I think they do not value their customers at all because there are always people coming for the cheap price.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Do not book triple rooms. Totally different and way smaller than the pictures.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had never stayed in a Hostal before so did not know what to expect and we were somewhat apprehensive as the Balkonis was much cheaper than any of the central Barcelona hotels. We really need not have worried.
The accommodation is exceptionally clean, well maintained and comfortable. We had a 3 person room for 2 of us as this was the last room available when we booked. The room was on the small side and would have been very cramped for 3 but was more than adequate for two people. The bathroom was excellent with new looking fittings and a superb shower with plentiful hot water. Sheets and towels were changed daily and shower gel and shampoo were provided.
What makes this accommodation so much better than average is the wonderful staff. Every single person on reception was extremely friendly, helpful and spoke very good English. They were all happy to make recommendations for places to visit and those to avoid, give advice on transportation, make bookings etc.
We would definitely stay again if we return to Barcelona.
The accommodation is exceptionally clean, well maintained and comfortable. We had a 3 person room for 2 of us as this was the last room available when we booked. The room was on the small side and would have been very cramped for 3 but was more than adequate for two people. The bathroom was excellent with new looking fittings and a superb shower with plentiful hot water. Sheets and towels were changed daily and shower gel and shampoo were provided.
What makes this accommodation so much better than average is the wonderful staff. Every single person on reception was extremely friendly, helpful and spoke very good English. They were all happy to make recommendations for places to visit and those to avoid, give advice on transportation, make bookings etc.
We would definitely stay again if we return to Barcelona.
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Date of stay: May 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ori B, Reception at Hostal Balkonis
Responded May 15, 2018
Dear ABJ, Thank you for your kind comment. We are very pleased to know that we could assist you during your stay and to know that you had such a wonderful time with us. We'll be very glad to welcome you here anytime in the future. Best wishes from all Balkonis staff, Mariana
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There is only bed and three shelves in the room, no closet or desk. there is just one small window which opens to the tiny apartments inner area(not just like the pictures) kitchen smell or noises came from here. There is air conditioning in the room but you can not control it. You should tell the receptionist then he/she open it. And there is no phone at the room. You should go downstairs at all time. also despite of the kind recepsionist at the otel, i received very rude answer when i write above comment on another reservation website.
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Date of stay: June 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Dont buy the budget room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Firstly - it's a HOStel, not a HOtel - so all of the negative reviews need to chill. You're in Europe, who wants to sit in their room??? Right from the outset, Giorgia was wonderful; warm, welcoming, and very helpful in as far as letting me know places for an early breakfast, a great place that "serves meats", haha (it's Rusa Bursa) and for showing me on a great map that they provide on places to avoid. She was always so kind, and patient when answering any and all of my questions. When I met Yotam, he took the great service even further; he stood at the desk with me for at least 1/2hr, going over the map, highlighting places I HAD to see, scribbling out places to avoid, gave me pointers on where to use the ATM, where to eat breakfast even closer to the hostel, he even went as far as to highlight several routes for me, one for each day I was in Barcelona! Yotam was professional, upbeat, and very personable. Lastly was Karen. She was so easy to talk to and so made what was a positive experience all that much better! I had a single room; a bed, my own bathroom, towels were changed out daily, bed was made every day and the room was perfect for what I needed. The 4 out of five rating is because of the sound of what I have to assume was a Japanese restaurant two floors below; I could hear everything going on in the kitchen - which wasn't a "bad" thing, because on a couple of the nights there was someone singing in the kitchen, and it was actually quite nice :) The hostel is in a great location, darn near everything is within walking distance; and that (for me) was part of the trip - walking and visiting great places just blocks from the hostel!
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Ask if there are any 1st floor rooms available.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes of course you can. The room we booked was a private room with its own private bathroom.
Hello Louisa.
Thank you for your interest in our Hostal.
The Hostal located in Street: Comte d´Urgell 18.
2 street going up from the Hostal, street Gran Via (3 minutes walking), its a main street with bus station and metro station L1 (red line).
1 street under the Hostal, bus station and metro station L2 ( purple line).
If you can tell me where is the conference or the name of the conference i can send you all the details.
Hope to see you with us soon.
Yotam.
Hostal Balkonis Manger.
No tenemos máquina dispensadora de bebidas .
Dear Customer
We have a lift to all our floors, and reception service 24 hours
Best regards
Oscar
"If you want a room with a view, pay more for an outwards facing room. Some rooms face an inner courtyard."Read full review
PRICE RANGE
C$152 - C$250 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
SpainCataloniaProvince of BarcelonaBarcelonaEixample / Sant Antoni
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Hostal Balkonis
Which popular attractions are close to Hostal Balkonis?
Nearby attractions include Virtua Virtual Reality Arcade (0.3 km), Mr White Cocktail Bar (0.4 km), and Bitter Cocktail Bar (0.5 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Hostal Balkonis?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a concierge, and baggage storage.
Which room amenities are available at Hostal Balkonis?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a desk.
Is parking available at Hostal Balkonis?
Yes, paid public parking nearby is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Hostal Balkonis?
Conveniently located restaurants include Quesarium Restaurant & Cocktails, Piñata Cocktail Cantina, and Takearte.
Is Hostal Balkonis located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.9 km away from the centre of Barcelona.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Hostal Balkonis?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Hebrew.
Are there any historical sites close to Hostal Balkonis?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar (1.7 km), Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes (4.4 km), and Ciutat Vella (1.0 km).
Is Hostal Balkonis accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.