Altair by People Rentals

Please don’t book this place. They were super rude when I tried to contact them and showed no concern for our wellbeing. Our room hadn’t been cleaned when we arrived, as the pictures show. They sent someone to clean it, but we had arrived in the evening and had to wait an hour before we could move in. They still refused any compensation. The host said I hadn’t replied to his emails, which were automatic booking messages asking if I wanted airport transport. I didn’t need it, so I didn’t answer. That had nothing to do with the problem we were dealing with, and the way they blamed us felt unprofessional. Instead of caring for paying guests, they made accusations and tried to make me feel bad. They say in review replies that they’ll consider feedback, but they don’t care. They charged the full price and didn’t hold up their end, with no compensation. The beds were very loud even when we barely moved, and the mattresses were uncomfortable. Noise inside and outside the hostel woke us a few times when people came back. For Wi-Fi, they make you register on platforms and hand over your personal data. Don’t make the mistake of booking here. Thank you for nothing, Urin Hostel Bilbao. You should have been nicer, and this is the review you deserve.

The hostel was pleasant, with clean rooms and curtains around each bed for a bit of privacy. We liked the code-based entry, so there were no keys to manage, and the showers, toilets and shared space were all clean. There was a vending machine, a fridge and a few other useful things in the common area. Depending on your room, you might get a nice view over Bilbao or just see other buildings. One thing that could have gone better: there were three of us, but we were assigned to two rooms. We asked if we could all stay together and were told it wasn't possible, so we split up two and one. The room with two of us had an unused spare bed the whole time. We suspect it couldn't be assigned because it had no locker or set of sheets. It would've been nice to share a room, and even a clear explanation of what would happen if we used the spare bed would have helped. The hostel sits quite high up the hill. You can use escalators to get there, though some stop running at 2 AM.

The central location was a plus, but the shared rooms were mixed, with no separate rooms for women and men. The staff didn't say who else would be staying in the room, and there was no option to switch if you wanted to share with women. The check-in form also caused trouble: signing in with a Google account sent me to Gmail, and I spent 20 minutes trying to get the right link. There wasn't a bin or any clothes hooks in the room, and the shared kitchen had no kettle, so water had to be heated in the microwave.

We were there for two nights with friends, and the hostel suited us well. The location is on a hillside, though escalators and lifts make the climb easier. It isn't far from the center or the old town. Everything was very clean, from the rooms and bedding to the bathrooms, showers and toilets. Sheets, pillows and towels were provided, and the beds were comfortable, with curtains, an outlet and two USB ports by your head. You also get a coded locker. The extra drawer under the bed didn't close. Bathrooms had hairdryers, hooks, toilet paper and soap, while the three showers each had soap and shampoo. We didn't use the little kitchen, so I can't really comment on it. There was a small fridge and two vending machines for coffee, chocolate and snacks. There isn't hostel staff on site, and the room and locker codes come through chat with the hosts. It might feel lonely if you're staying alone for a longer time, but for a couple of nights with friends it worked perfectly.