Hostal La Mexicana

The cleaning staff provided good service, but that couldn’t make up for musty bedrooms, bathtubs that leaked, or facilities that felt dated and worn. The location is good, but it doesn’t justify how terribly unprofessional the reception and “management” representatives were.

The room was basic but clean, and we thought the hostel was good value for our night in Santander. We were given two rooms for four people, connected by a door, with a bathroom in just one of them. Once that door was closed, we couldn’t open it again. They should have told us to leave it open. The location was perfect for walking around the city center, and reception was open 24 hours.

The location and staff were the only good parts. The room had no soap, shampoo, or other basics, and there were no English-language TV channels. Breakfast was just plain bread and tea, and the fruit looked visibly rotten. I took pictures. Mosquitoes filled the room, and I couldn’t sleep because it was extremely noisy, with traffic and conversations from nearby rooms coming through. At about €120 a night, it was wildly overpriced and absolutely not worth it. The “vintage” look felt false. One of my worst hotel experiences.

The staff kindly let me cancel my remaining night without a charge, so I cut my visit short and stayed just one night. The room floors were dusty and dirty, and everything felt run down. I wore shoes the whole time. It wasn’t for me.