Hostal Velarde

Good value for the money, with clean rooms, helpful staff, and the basic amenities you need.

We were on the top floor and slept really well: the bed was made up perfectly, the mattress suited us, and the thick pillow was just right. The room, bathroom, and floors were spotless, and the hostel itself is spacious and right in the center. We stayed this past weekend and were pleasantly surprised. We’ll definitely come back next time we’re in town.

The entrance is the one drawback, but once you’re inside, it’s well worth it. Everything was spotless, with a nice smell throughout, and the location makes it easy to get around on foot.

The place is in a great location, and at that price you can’t expect much more. We stayed in 2017 and remembered it being better. Here are a few things that could be improved. There was loud talking until 5 or 6 am, which we thought was coming from reception. I appreciate that staff are on duty, but please keep your voices down so guests can sleep. The room also smelled a little of tobacco when we walked in, even though smoking is prohibited by law in this kind of establishment. The bathroom boiler was leaking constantly and left about a third of the floor flooded. That should be fixed for guests’ safety, given the risk of slips or electrocution. In the middle of winter, thicker bedding would also help so people don’t have to use the air conditioning for heat. The mattresses could do with replacing too, since we woke up with sore backs and lower backs. It also didn’t feel professional or secure to have to go into the hostel and find and collect our own room key because nobody was at reception. These are just suggestions, but addressing them would raise the hostel’s standard considerably.