Boga Hostel

The accommodation was clean and pleasant, and I had no problems despite being worried by the Google reviews beforehand. Its location is fantastic, close to both Callao and Gran Via. My one concern was that the showers are locked at 11:30 PM. The walls are very thin, so showering could disturb quiet hours, but better soundproofing around the bathrooms might solve that. Given the price, I understand and respect the decision.

At 15€ a night, this hostel in central Madrid was very cheap. The shared space is cute, the bunk beds are comfortable, and the cleanliness is decent. There’s a fully equipped kitchen with a roomy fridge, sink and microwave. You enter with a code, and the hostel occupies its own building.

Honestly, I’d give this place zero stars. The staff were extremely, extremely rude. There was no sign or any indication of where the entrance was, which turned out to be down a poorly lit side alley. I only realized I had the right building because I asked someone leaving. There are two hostels in the building, with Boga on the third floor, but no signs inside either, so it was hard to know where to go. I connected to the building’s WiFi and then got a message saying the hostel had cancelled my reservation without warning. Everything is handled over WhatsApp because there’s no reception, and they didn’t care that I had poor cell service. When I tried to sort it out there, their answer was that I should pay double the agreed amount. They said they’d sent me messages I never received, so I didn’t know there was a booking problem until I arrived. I sent screenshots and screen recordings showing I hadn’t received them, but they just said their system showed them as sent. That was no help at all. The images show only part of the conversation, sorry they’re in Spanish. I felt like they were trying to take advantage of me as a young traveler. The HostelWorld photos are misleading too. From the common areas I saw, the place really wasn’t that nice.

Avoid this place at all costs. They don’t answer calls or emails, and they don’t tell guests how to find or enter the hostel. The hospitality is atrocious.