Hostel Almansa

There were people smoking in the room and making a mess in the bathroom at all hours. The owner is lovely, but I had a bad experience with the receptionist. She wouldn’t let me leave my bag with her while I went up three levels to get my other bags unless I paid 2 euros. I struggled down the stairs carrying everything. Although checkout was at 11am, she wouldn’t let me stay in the room after bringing down my first bag, so I had to take a Zoom call in the hallway. She complained that I was keeping her from doing her job, then used Google Translate to tell me in Spanish to shut up.

The room was nice and had two beds. The shared bathrooms were a mixed bag, one was spotless and another very dirty. For the price, though, it was great. The location is handy if you’re coming from the airport, but it’s a good 40-50 walk to the center. There are local restaurants and bars nearby, where prices are lower than around the center.

I know it’s a 35€ hotel and comfort will be limited, but that doesn’t mean it should be dirty or the staff should act unprofessionally. The room smelled awful of cigarettes, and the shared bathroom was dirty and had a terrible smell. The night receptionist had her feet on the table, and the morning receptionist was very rude.

The hostel’s location is perfect, and even one night was enough to notice how fun and kind the people working there are. Special thanks to Luz and Ines, who were so patient with me in the morning.