Accommodation, Barcelona, Reviews, Spain

Yeah Barcelona hostel – a vibrant place to stay

RiA
18 August, 2018
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Just a 10-minute walk from the famous Sagrada Familila Cathedral, Yeah Barcelona hostel is a vibrant place to stay in the Spanish city.

Hostel hopes

I’d searched a few places but decided to try a hostel again. This time, I’d be staying in a shared dorm room for the first time! I was only staying two nights – Could I manage sharing with three people I’d never met before? I’d heard a few things about hostels in the past; noisy and untidy roommates; less than clean facilities; lack of safe storage and a host of other things. On the flip side, I’d also heard some really cool things about staying in hostels too. It’s easier to meet new people; there are more pre-arranged group tours and activities; special discounts and rates, and of course, they’re a lot cheaper to than a hotel. While I was hoping for the latter, I was still prepared for the worse. I was pleasantly surprised.

Yeah Barcelona

As you enter Yeah Barcelona, you’re greeted with a bright, colourful and trendy reception area. You immediately understand why it gets really good reviews on the likes of TripAdvisor and Booking.com.

First impressions alone had me feeling positive, but you know the saying about judging a book by its cover. I didn’t get too excited. When I arrived, I was greeted with a smile from the person on reception, who I later found out was called Joe. He was friendly and gave a good overview of the things I needed to be aware of and where everything was.

The dorm room

The room décor was simple and had a fresh vibe to it like the reception It was bright and airy with two big bunk beds to one side and a table and chair along the other. The window at the opposite side in front of me was wide and filled the room with natural light.

The bunk beds were a light-coloured wood and there were drawers directly underneath with a corresponding number that matched each of the beds. There was an en-suite toilet and separate shower, both tiled light grey and white. Everything was extremely immaculate and a lot cleaner and tidier than I expected. The room I’d chosen was a 4-bed female dorm. All the beds were neatly made and there was no sign of anything or anyone – I was definitely the first one in! Either that or my room mates are extremely tidy! The storage drawers were really spacious. I was able to fit my hand luggage suitcase inside, and there was more than enough space for my small ruck sack as well. In fact, I could fit plenty of other things in there if I’d wanted.

At the head of each bed was a compartment with a sliding door. It had a light, plug socket and two USB ports which is great since we typically have more than one electrical device to charge these days. It’s large enough to hold your gadgets, a few toiletries and small personal things too.

Tip – remember to bring a good size padlock for your bed drawer, and a smaller one for your bed cupboard.

Facilities, services and amenities

There are computers in reception, a nice lounge area upstairs – which also includes a bed (yes, a bed) – and a fully stocked bar area downstairs, there are many places to chill out at Yeah Barcelona.

WiFi is free in all areas, they have cable TV, a PlayStation, 24-hour reception, laundry facilities, and also offer free walking tours.

Yeah Barcelona also serves food daily. They do breakfast (this isn’t included and is an extra charge) and there’s a coffee and tea making area. You can also have dinners and join a group dinner in the evenings which includes a starter, main and dessert. When I was there, David (the chef) made everyone Lebanese rice with Chicken. It was so tasty!

The hostel does a special offer on evening meals. You pay a very reasonable price for dinner which comes with either a glass of free sangria or beer until 11pm. Add a little extra to the price of dinner and you can also go on the night tour they organise. If you choose dinner plus the tour, you get two free shots (one in each bar they take you to) and entry into a nightclub.

If you like to travel light, you can rent a towel – the cost will be refunded. You also need to pay a refundable deposit for your room key. They are electronic wristbands which are cool.

Loation

If you don’t need to stay in or very near to Las Ramblas, then you’d be happy with where Yeah Barcelona is situated. Not too far away (about a 10-minute walk) you have one of the city’s most well-known architectural wonders on your doorstep. Sagrada Familila. Still being worked on, it’s an amazing and absolutely fascinating structure to look at. You must go and see it.

If you’re into walking, you easily get to the likes of Arc de Triomf, which is about 20-25 minutes away. From the Arc, you can also get to Parc de la Ciutadella, a short walk away. Yeah Barcelona is very accessible. It’s surrounded by metro stations – Diagonal (Line 3 and 5) and Verdaguer (Line 4 and 5) which is the closet. You can also get off at Girona metro stop (Line 4). If you’re looking for places nearby to eat and drink, there’s Aigua del carmen – a cocteleria Bar on Carrer de Còrsega.

A few doors down from the hostel you’ll find Ramen-ya Hiro, serving Japanese ramen. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to eat there. I attempted to once, but the queue went back all the way to the entrance of the hostel! I take that as a place you should try to check out if you can.

Final thoughts

Yeah Barcelona would be top of my list as a place to stay – no hesitation. The hostel is a great option for a weekend break. The staff I met – Joe and Aru – were also really helpful which made the experience even better.

Have you been to a Barcelona? If so, where did you stay? I’d love to hear other recommendations!