Student Experience Madrid Pozuelo

I lived here for 10 months, and while the meal plan was convenient and the food was fine, the appeal wore off over time. It's easy to make friends quickly, but 23 m2 isn't enough space for a comfortable, sane living environment. Coffee and a croissant for breakfast every day isn't healthy, and having the bedroom cleaned only twice a month doesn't feel clean at all. Getting anywhere near Madrid takes 50-60min and gets exhausting. For a short stay, this is manageable, but if you're staying in Madrid longer, I'd look for a flat.

The design was very thoughtfully done, and I was impressed by it. The rooftop has padel courts, a full gym, and room for yoga, while the pool is great for a relaxed weekend stay. It's clean, high quality, and the rooms have air conditioning. The staff were lovely and helpful. It feels like an oasis, even though it's just 30minutes by taxi from central Madrid. Highly recommend for either a short or long stay.

The cleaning is poor too. They don't vacuum well, so a lot is left on the floor, and once the bathroom wasn't cleaned at all. Cleaning only happens every two weeks, so you can imagine what the bathroom looked like after 4 weeks without a clean. I've been reporting the broken AC for 4 weeks. I went to the front desk and also filed a repair request on the website, as I was told to. They always say they'll check, and online it says the issue is fixed, but it definitely isn't. It's 29 degrees in the room with no fresh air. I got sick, with stomach cramps and the worst migraine I've ever had. Thanks for not helping. The security guy was the only one who really tried. Everyone else seems not to care.

I stayed for 5 months and am glad I moved out. Don't get drawn in by the pool or gym: the pool isn't open for long during the year, and the gym is always full of annoying guys playing loud music, with a wait for training gear. The contract is strict and hard to get out of, so think twice before signing. If you can, choose a cluster residence or shared flat. The utilities are nice, but the pool needs cleaning and the gym has no air conditioning, making it a nightmare in hotter months. There are only 6 washing machines and 4 dryers for 600 rooms, so they're never free. People take your clothes out and leave them on a dirty floor, and each use costs 3 euros. Without a meal plan, it's hard to meet people, and the food isn't very good quality. The events are very mid, and few people attend. Nearby buses are often late or don't come. Once I waited 40 minutes at the stop, then took an uber to the nearest metro, which was about 7/8 euros. Dust builds up in the corners, so you'll need a broom. If you don't have a meal plan, there isn't really a shared kitchen. There's an Instagram-aesthetic kitchen you can reserve for 50€, refundable as a deposit, but you have to pay it each time you want to use it. If you want to cook in your room, you need to pay for kitchen equipment. They also come up with the stupidest excuses not to return your deposit. They blamed me for the swollen toilet door frame, even though making it out of wood means it will swell when you shower and the toilet gets steamy.