Hostal Santillan

I've never been in this place. I canceled my reservation in advance but they charged a one-day fee on my credit card. They're nothing but thieves. Avoid this hotel, and if you cancel your reservation don't forget to ask for your cancellation number; it's necessary to have it to get your money back.

I have been paying 25 euro and we've got the best room in the hostal. The room is brilliant! The toilet and bathroom facilities are private but the condition is great! It is quite hot in madrid (like 40 degrees), but the hostal is on the 7th and 8th floor of the building, and they have got a fan and a large window. You can sleep well at night. I was staying in the 7th floor, so its not noisy and it is in good location. There is a cleaning lady to do the towels and clean up everyday! The room is large and beautifully decorated and there is a TV too!! Perhpas I am the more practical type. Facilities instead of atmosphere is my main concern. In looking just the facilites, it is excellent! Perhaps I am Asian, and could fit in the size easily and comfortably. But it is the largest bed I have seen througout my stay in Europe. I believe most are worse than that.

For only 20 EUR I got a Palace-room of nearly 86.4 sqare-centimeters. Well, honestly, it is a miracle that besides the short bed (if you are taller than 183 cm you have a problem) a closet and a washstand would fit in the room. The room was situated right next to the room of the hostal's owner who sometimes had no reservations of doing the dishes or other noisy activities at midnight. It was very hot - typically for rooms right underneath the attic during summer. This place is, as said, very noisy. Ok, if you are highly sensitive to noises you should not go to a town like Madrid at all and stay there in the center of the city... or use earplugs to go asleep. ;o) The two young guys of the staff were very friendly and even spoke good English. That middleaged lady did not really give me the idea of being absolutely warmhearted and welcoming. So I can not really share the hostal's idea of offering a familiar feel-at-home-atmosphere. They are trying though, but for me it did not work. But it is ok to stay there for a few nights. At last it is a hostal not a hotel. And it was worth the price.