Hostal Los Chanos El Ruso

The evening meal was really good, but we had to wait until after 9 pm to eat. Although we were the only diners and the table was already set, we couldn't go into the dining room until our pre-ordered meal was almost ready. The two women who cooked and served dinner were the exception to an otherwise unwelcoming stay, and I wouldn't want to return. The hostel is in a remote spot but easy enough to reach. At first it seemed to have enough facilities to be comfortable. I was in a 20-bed mixed dorm, a long, narrow room with just the entrance door and a small window at one end. At the other end, a separate room held one shower, with access to just one toilet and washbasin. There was no ventilation. The beds and bedding were very comfortable, but the rest of the dorm was hard to live in. Condensation covered the shower and toilet walls, the floors there were even wetter, and the dorm walls were damp too. Water gathered around the edges of the dorm floor, leaving little suitable space for my gear. There were no shelves or lockers, and no individual bed lights, only the main fluorescent lights, which caused some agitation. There was no soap in the dispenser. The toilet had one tiny bin, which wasn't emptied during my three-night stay and ended up overflowing. The common room and bar could have been comfortable, but they were very cold. Only one of the four radiators could be turned on. A large wood stove in the corner had just one or two smouldering logs, which soon went out. We weren't allowed to add wood, even though plenty was next door in the dining room, where there was a good fire but we couldn't sit. We arrived in strong wind, rain and hail, with near-zero visibility and snow still on the ground, so we really needed somewhere warm to take shelter.

We slept well in a warm, quiet room with comfortable beds and lovely linen. It was spacious, clean, had a nice bathroom, and even a little balcony. The building is lovely and old, the reception was friendly, and I enjoyed walking around the village with my dog and down to the Duero. Breakfast was included, but arranging plant milk and gluten-free options was tricky, even though I mentioned them when booking and again on WhatsApp the day we arrived. Luckily, I had bread in the car, so we could have toast. The missing bread turned up as we were finishing, and my plant milk did arrive for coffee. There weren't any pastries or any of the delicious-looking cake for us, and the Maria biscuits weren't gluten free. One very friendly, helpful guy was handling everything, so it was a lot for him. We're awkward to feed, so despite the breakfast trouble, five stars. Many thanks, Janie. Our door could use some oil, too.

Very good value for money for a relaxing stay. The person at reception was exceptionally friendly. Highly recommend this hostel.

The rooms were comfortable and very clean, with plenty of hiking routes and tourist sights nearby. There's also a bar across the road and a handy shop for lunch, dinner, or takeaway. The owner was 100% friendly and humble, and the neighboring shops gave great service and quality as well. Nothing else to add, I'd highly recommend it. ❤️⛰️