Hostel Crespo

I had to spend the night at another hostel because the door code they emailed me wouldn't open the door. I called the number posted on the wall and got no answer. The following day I kept calling, but still got no response or help. Don't book this hostel. A cheap stay can end up costing more, and that's exactly what happened to me.

I booked well in advance through Booking.com under the "pay at the guesthouse" terms. Five days before my trip, I was told they'd tried to charge me and the payment had been declined. My bank said there'd been no attempt to collect it, though they mentioned Mastercard can be troublesome at some places in Portugal. I emailed Crespo to ask what was going on and offered another way to pay. None of my messages got a reply. Instead, I was simply told the booking had been cancelled. The communication and customer service were awful.

We couldn't stay because the room we were given didn't match the booking site. We'd reserved a king-size bed, but after self check-in found a room with three single beds. Nobody had warned us beforehand that our room wasn't available. When we contacted the property, they confirmed it was unavailable and offered nothing. The room was dusty and the whole building smelled. Later, they ignored my messages asking about compensation. It also said we'd pay at the property, yet my card was charged several days before arrival. I wouldn't recommend this place. Better hotels are available in town for a little more.

The room smelled damp and felt humid, and it was cold in February. I was glad there was a heater. We also found out the bedroom key might work on the bathroom and possibly other rooms, which is worrying for safety. There's no front desk either. It was okay, but not the best.