Rosalita Hostel

Good value for the money.

The location is a real plus, right in central Lourdes and close to both the Sanctuary and the city center. Reception is open 24/7, and the hostel is part of the hotel. I had a clean four-bed room for women, with an ensuite bathroom, a curtained bed for privacy, and a lockable chest of drawers for personal items. Breakfast and parking cost extra, though the parking is cheaper than public parking.

The location is perfect, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. They make you feel that choosing a room without a 3-star rating means you don't deserve basic respect or service. When I asked for a bath mat, I was told I had to clean it myself. Do I really have to beg for a mop? In really hot weather, avoid the rooms. Your choice is to sleep by the window with it open, assuming the "guardians of the closed window" aren't around.

Too many problems piled up and ruined my stay, even though I could see the place was still being fine-tuned and the staff were attentive, which I appreciated. The hostel had just opened in one wing of Sainte Rose Hotel, and rooms weren't ready to rent. After an 11-hour drive, with my nights already paid for, I didn't expect to find so much unfinished. There was peeling wallpaper, a poorly assembled bed, no mirror, broken hooks, and little space for belongings in the dorms. The new beds take up a lot of room, some lockers won't open all the way, and with no air conditioning I doubt there is enough room to breathe in summer. They should check everything properly before renting rooms, even if they have to cancel a booking or at least tell the guest. The receptionist who took me to my room was seeing it for the first time too. The ceiling light didn't work, and maintenance staff came into my dorm at 9:00 a.m. without knowing I was there. They returned in the afternoon without my knowledge and left the bathtub unusable. I found out only when I got home. Reception offered to move me or let me use a bathroom in another dorm. There were also communication issues among staff and with guests. They offered breakfast, which usually costs €14, but some employees didn't know where "the podium" near the bar was, or which buffet I was meant to use. We wasted time waiting, and it took away from the stay.