Hostal Rocio

The manager stayed up for us until 00:15 when we were delayed after a long trip, and it’s a good hotel. The only downside was a strange, strong smell in the apartment. We had to leave the window open all night.

I really needed a rest, and the room and bathroom were both very nice and clean. The hostal felt more like a hotel. Keep in mind it’s about a 45-minute train ride from Sevilla, costing a little over 3 Euros each way, then another 20-minute walk to the tourist attractions.

I’m giving it two stars instead of one because the bed was comfortable, the attitude was more or less friendly, and the corridors looked good. The problems were too many, though, and I ended up moving to another nearby hostel the next day. The price there was only a little higher, but the difference was huge. There were cockroaches in the room, even in winter, and there was smelly mushroom or mold on the wall (photos attached). The cleaning service took my towel and didn’t leave a replacement. The electricity kept disappearing, the air conditioning was directly above the bed, and the room had no Wi-Fi data despite being told it would. I couldn’t find or call anyone at reception until the next day. Reception was supposedly open 24 hours, but in practice that depended on which hour you needed them. Staff didn’t wear masks and there were no Covid protection measures. They didn’t respond to my SMS or emails during the stay, and there was no English. That can be normal in this region, though other places have made more effort to communicate. After I moved, my friends who were also staying at Rocío told me they’d independently decided to leave too because of the cockroaches.

The room for three was a bit cramped, but it’s a small town. I paid 48€ for one night. The owner was friendly and helpful, and I don’t think you’ll find a better option in downtown Sanlúcar.