Hostal Aribel Longinos

The location is the one real plus, right by the train station. Otherwise, the hostel feels like it has seen better days. Rooms badly need updating and better lighting. One building has a lift, but the other doesn’t, which made hauling luggage a pain. Staff don’t speak English, so communication is difficult if you’re a foreigner. There’s nowhere to make a meal. As far as I know, a hostel should have some kind of kitchen area, but here there’s only a dirty microwave and dirty dishes, with nowhere to wash them. I asked to switch rooms because the first smelled musty, and I was also given dirty towels. The other room had a dirty bathtub that looked like it might have seen its glory days in the 80s. The walls are so thin you can hear all the neighbors. I think the reviews are overrated.

We stayed on the top floor during a hot spell. It was a basic room for two, with a shared bathroom in the hall, and not very comfortable. Still, the price was good for a place to lay our heads for the night. It’s away from the beaten path.

My friends and I stopped in briefly for coffee and lunch, so I can’t comment on the accommodation, just the cafeteria. The bar staff were lovely when we went to order, but while we were still choosing, one waiter angrily told us to sit down and rolled his eyes. Table service would’ve been fine if he’d just explained it more politely, since he represents the place to customers. We sat down with only part of our order placed, and a few moments later he came over and loudly put our coffees down, staring rudely at my friend as he left. He didn’t give us a chance to order the rest of our food and drinks. We were shocked by how rude he was, and another, much nicer waiter took our order for more drinks. That kindness made an otherwise hostile visit okay. I’ve worked in several hospitality places and have never treated customers that way. The young waiter could use more training. From the other reviews, this seems to happen repeatedly, and it sounds like nothing has been done. Shout out to the other nice waiter.

The staff were really friendly, and the room was clean, though 42€ a night felt a bit steep. The bar had nice wine and picoteo, but there weren’t any vegan options, for breakfast or in general.