We were in a pickle. Having taken the overnight train from Paris we were due to travel straight from Barcelona to Alicante to stay with family before returning for a week in Barcelona. Everything was booked and organised except the Barcelona to Alicante leg of the trip......And guess what? All the trains to Alicante that day were full. Yes apparently trains in Spain get full and if you don't have a reservation you ain't going anywhere. We were exhausted and irritated. After getting a list of cheap hotels/pensions from Tourist Info we set out with heavy hearts. After a couple of unsuccessful enquiries we came upon Hostal Sofia. You have to speak into the intercom to get in and my Spanish is not good - but the nice lady at the other end seemed to understand what I was talking about and thankfully they had a room. The room was fairly spacious and very clean. All the staff we encountered were pleasant and helpful. We paid a little extra for an ensuite but it was still great value for money. The hostal is very close to the Sants railway station where we finally got a train the next morning. All in all this place was a great place to crash for the night and we awoke feeling much refreshed the next morning. There is just one thing I must mention - it didn't bother us but might be a problem for some people. The underground train system seemed to pass literally underneath the hotel and did create a bit of noise and vibration. This might prove a problem for light sleepers - but we soon got used to it.

Hi all... A friend made bookings for me for this hotel/hostal. Summer being typically busy for Barcelona and given a budget, I was left with not much choice. Initially I was rather apprehensive because I have heard horror stories about bedbugs and other creepy crawlies lurking in Pensions/Hostals. But boy was I surprised! The rooms are decent sized and even had windows! I stayed in an ensuite double room ( had a queen bed and an extra single bed so it will accommodate probably 3 persons) which was clean, spacious, decent hot water shower with adequate water pressure and even air-conditioning!! wow... Definitely no complaints for the price I paid ( inclusive of tax!) Not 5 star furnishings but overall clean rooms and honest folks who run the place. It was also a stone's throw from the main metro station (Estrcio Sants) and the airport is only 5 stations away! In addition, the Barcelona Tourist Bus ( Provides bus tours of the city) stops in the vicinity as well. You cannot get a better place for the same convenient location.

I was stuck in Barcelona overnight and I needed to find something fast and near the train station. This place is a gem. Very clean and good size rooms. I stayed in a single on the second flr of the Pension. It was equipped with a sink and a fan (a necessity in the summer nights). It also had a window. The bathroom across the hall was also clean and well kept. Not much going on in the neighborhood. However you are walking distance from Park Miro (not to be confused w/ Fundacion Miro) which has an amazing piece by the artist. In all, good safe place to stay if you need to be near the train station.

(Word of advice: if you are going to be using the long distance trains during your trip...make reservations to avoid being stranded)