Hostal Corazon de Madrid

Getting into the building was a hassle. You have to ring reception to be let into the stairwell, and we rang and called for half an hour. Eventually we found out the receptionist had randomly gone out into the street, leaving us unable to enter. Once inside, the receptionists were neither helpful nor kind, and nobody could or would speak English, which I find absurd for accommodation staff. The location in town was perfect, but we weren't satisfied with the place. Our room was extremely cold at night, and I don't think it had heating, even though daytime temperatures barely reached 10 degrees while we were there.

You can walk to Gran Via, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, and pretty much everywhere else from this perfectly located hotel. The rooms are okay, nothing more. Our bed linens were old and uncomfortable, though the shower had decent hot water. There was only liquid hand soap, with no shampoo or hair dryer. The broken window shutters in our room meant we couldn't open the windows or see outside. It's a reasonable choice for one or two nights. Leaving luggage after checkout costs €5.

It's very cheap for Madrid and right in the center, in an area with lots of gay bars and shops. The hostel is in an old building with wooden stairs and no lift, so you'll need to carry your own bag upstairs. My room had a new bathroom and the beds were okay. The receptionists were nice, and they let me leave my bags there before check-in and after checkout. There's a bar, Why not, directly below, playing pop music very loudly every night from about 23:00 to 03:00. I wouldn't recommend it if you're a light sleeper.

The Wi-Fi didn't work in the room, and the main door to the hostal wasn't locked. On weekend evenings it was very noisy. Our room was in poor condition, with a broken patio door and a broken metal patio shutter that made the evening noise ten times worse. The location was good, but it was still a horrible experience. Think twice before booking.