Hostal Bernabeu

The self-check-in was quick and easy. When you arrive, look to the left, since there are two entrances marked number 7. The rooms are narrow and small, with a bed and clothes rack, but no chairs, desk, wall pictures, or air conditioning. There’s no mirror apart from the one in the bathroom. The doors are thin, so you can hear other guests. Supermarkets are nearby, as are a bus station and metro station within a short walk.

For a single person staying one night, the room was clean and had everything I needed. I also had no trouble getting in touch over WhatsApp, even though calling them directly may be difficult. Definitely five-star value for money.

The location was great, but room 1 is right by the main entrance, and the noise kept waking us. On the first night, people slammed the door coming and going and talked in the corridor; on the second morning, the door banged again and someone was making a lot of noise outside. The shower could use clearer instructions about which way is hot or cold. We had to guess to get the water temperature right, and the rooms need better soundproofing.

The hairdryer gave out after a few seconds, and all they could do was find one in another room, which didn’t help when I needed to get ready to go out. The room was also unbearably hot despite the cool weather because the air conditioning wasn’t working. We were told a technician would come the next morning, but nobody arrived. That night they asked us to move, so we had to shift all our things, and the new room had single beds instead of the double we’d booked. There were sticky stains all around the entrance to our room when we arrived. We couldn’t check in until 3 pm, so they’d had plenty of time to clean. A disaster.