Hostal Fernández Atocha

Once I’d found it, I really liked the location, with the metro and city nearby. Google Maps threw me off because the street signs weren’t obvious at eye level, and I first went to the accommodation across the plaza. Their staff figured out my booking was elsewhere, and one of the men kindly walked me to the right door. Maybe I was just tired from travelling and disoriented by Madrid’s oven-like heat! The hostel is on the first floor, and there’s a very steep ramp up to the lift, so I was relieved there was a lift at all. The single room is right by reception, which is convenient but can get noisy. Housekeeping did a great job, the air conditioning was awesome, and the person who checked me in was very nice. He kept apologising for not speaking fluent English, which I thought was sweet, though it didn’t bother me. The hard keys took some getting used to, with three for three different doors. The toilet is a relic and its first flush gave me the biggest fright. It should be replaced with a modern one. And the shower is like a sardine can. It’s raised, with no handrails, so getting down to the floor afterwards felt risky and I had to be extra careful.

We were close to the train station, which made this a great base for a couple of days in Madrid before moving on by train. It was relatively calm at night but lively in the daytime, with nice restaurants, bars, and museums nearby. The kids and I felt welcome and well looked after. Luís received us kindly and kept finding creative solutions when unexpected problems came up. They were also quite flexible about changing rooms. The rooms, toilets, and showers were always clean. Thanks to Luis and the rest of the team. I’d definitely choose this place again for my family and me.

The young man who checked us in was kind and fun, and the location worked well for us, near public transport and about a 20-minute walk from the historic downtown. We needed one clean, cheap night’s stay, and this place was just what we wanted. We had a private bathroom, but it was very small. The shower had just enough room to stand, not bend over. I’d stay again for one night if I needed to, though not for several nights.

The reception staff were very nice, and the location is good. But that bed was the worst, so noisy and creaky that I’ve never slept on one like it. There was a lot of noise through the night and morning from reception, the hallway, and upstairs. We didn’t expect much from a hostel, I guess, but it still wasn’t a pleasant stay.