Madrid:Hostales with students?

Posted by: senorg

Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/16/03 12:58 PM

I am planning a trip with students (about 10-15) to Madrid and was wondering if Hostales are a good way to go. When we have gone in the past we have been put up in big hotels away from the center. I would like to stay in the Puerta del Sol area and in an affordable Hostal. I appreciate any and all information that I can get. Gracias.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/16/03 01:18 PM

Hello seorg! Welcome to our message board. smile

How many would be in each room? I'd guess 2-persons per room, right? That's about 7 rooms. Some rooms might even take 3-4 persons.

You'd DEFINITELY want to make these reservations as soon as possible, far in advance to be assured that you can get ALL 7 rooms for the dates you'll be staying. Nothing worse than having ALL the rooms for, say, 5 days and only SOME of the rooms for 3 or 4 days because of other previously made reservations by other patrons.

You might consider Hostal La Perla Asturiana (alongside Plaza Mayor), Hostal Martin or Cervelo (same building on Calle de Atocha - not far from Plaza Mayor). These two are a bit larger and you'd have a better chance to fit them all in for your hoped-for dates.

Of course, Hostal Chelo , just north of Gran Vía, has one room with 4 beds and at least one other with 3 beds and most of the rest will have 2 beds. Hostal Chelo is definitely one of the cheaper "hostales" in Madrid which has a website. The photos of the place on their site really DO do it justice too. (especially since I took most of them myself! rolleyes hehehe..) I've spent one night there myself and can easily recommend it.

Anyone else have ideas on which places could keep 10-15 youths?

Your students won't likely be used to these types of lodgings. Many will whine that there isn't a TV or the room or bathroom is too small or that there isn't a candy or soda machine in the lobby. We Americans are SO spoiled. rolleyes Oh, and the waiters in Spain are rude too! wink (hehehe... just kidding)

Good luck and have fun. Oh, and keep a CLOSE eye on those kids. I'm sure they'll want to sneak out after your imposed curfew to have a few "tapas" ( wink! wink! wink ) with the locals and come back ready to pass out from all the food. I'd hate to read that one of them fell off the balcony. eek

Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: Martín de Madrid

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/17/03 04:38 PM

Definitely book way in advance. I am familiar with only one Hostal, it is my favorite, and the Dueñas are like family, no, they ARE family! Hostal Mondragón on Calle San Jeronimo, piso 4º. I don't have their number. Double check if you are going to be here before, say, May, if the hostal has heat! Also if the bath is shared, or whether the rooms or some of them have private baths. Also if you have to pay for hot water (rare, I think), and what time they turn on and off the hot water, and hours for showers (nothing like getting back all smokey from tabacco or whatever and not being able to take a shower! Some places will not want a bunch of kids (depending on their age), others will like it.

Most of them are FULL in the summer, some, like Mondragon can be full all the time, so you MUST check it out as far in advance as you can, and reaffirm the reservations before you leave, like two weeks before, and a few days too! Expect to pay about 12 to 15 USD for a single, a bit less for a double, depending on exchange rates (probably half again as high now with the dollar being so low, so 18 to 23 would be more like it), and depending on the place.

Hostal Mondragon is a one star establishment, so it will represent the lower range. Do not be afraid to stay in one of these places, generally they are clean to a fault, often the family lives there too, so they run it like their house, and expect the guests to respect that fact. You will learn more about the real Spain and Spainards staying in a "lowly" hostal of one or two stars than you ever will staying in a big hotel.

If you absolutely need a private bath, ask if they have a room with one, they usually will. Open your balcony doors, put a chair with the back facing out over which you drape the woven wooden curtain to let in some air, in the summer get a room on the shady side if possible, otherwise you will BAKE. Vice versa in the winter.

Interact with other guests, and the family which owns the hostal, make life-long friends. Spainards are very sociable, sometimes a bit too sociable! Besides, you are here to absorb Spain, not block it out. Adjust to the local schedule. Things close down at about 1:30pm and reopen around 4:30 or 5pm, so don't expect to run out at 3pm to the drugstore (except at Cortes Ingles) to get a toothbrush! Stores open around 10am and close around 8pm (except for the siesta, mentioned before), then everyone goes home, relaxes, get dressed and hits the clubs around 10 or 11, has dinner late, like 11pm or midnite and parties until at least 3 or 4 or 5 or 6, or later! Then they get up at 8:30 or 9 and do it all over again. That is on a WEEKDAY!

You will be awakened in the summer in downtown Madrid by groups of men and women singing in the streets, back and forth, answering one another, LOUDLY. Smile, enjoy it in your sleepy way, and realize that, "¡Verdad, estamos en Madrid por fin, que fantastico, que fortuno!" and fall back to sleep until the late morning to get up and do it all again.

Felicidades,
Martín de Madrid
Posted by: ToniG

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/19/03 02:33 AM

You may want to consider www.losamigoshostel.com It is a more traditional (youth) hostel and has recently expanded. My daughter stayed there and loved the experience. Another plus is that it is quite cheap ($15/night) and in a fairly nice area near the Palace and theatre, not far from Sol.
Posted by: skywalker

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/21/03 01:00 PM

Hello Friend:
Try www.losamigoshostel.com
This is a very good hostel. They have rooms with 6 beds, there are very confortable.People there a very nice and friendly.Also you have a kitchen with free use¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
See you.
Cheers
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 01/21/03 01:12 PM

skywalker, I know you were spending December in Madrid. Are you still there or back home in Argentina already? Are you staying at Los Amigos now?
Posted by: Gloria_dup1

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 02/08/03 04:52 PM

I haven't been on for a while so I hope this post is in time. I am taking 26 students to Madrid in early March. We are staying at the Hostal Persal which I absolutely love! Included in the price of the room they have a wonderful breakfast buffet with cereal, juice, croissant, etc. You can't beat the price if you are planning your own trip. The staff is very kind and helpful! We were greeted with smiles everyday. My son, then three was with us the last time and I felt like we were staying with relatives the way everyone treated him. We have stayed there several times over the last few years and I have nothing but praise for the service. The staff The location couldn't be better in Plaza del Angel, right next to Plaza Santa Ana and just three long blocks from Puerta del Sol. The rooms are very tiny but each with its own bathroom. They have single, doubles and triples. We made our reservations in October or November. I contacted them via e-mail and received prompt replies. I hope this helps

Gloria
Posted by: skywalker

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 02/11/03 08:58 PM

To Madridman:
Why are you asking me if I´m in Argentina or Spain. I´m in Granada now. What is the diference.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Madrid:Hostales with students? - 02/11/03 10:18 PM

skywalker wrote:
Quote:
To Madridman:
Why are you asking me if I´m in Argentina or Spain. I´m in Granada now. What is the diference.
Just curious. Your profile says you're in Argentina yet your IP address said/says you posted from Spain.

Whenever new members post glowing reviews about a place I always check their IP addresses to be sure the poster isn't posting from Spain and/or working for/with the establishment reviewed. It's just a security check, that's all. Can't be too careful! Thanks for your information! smile

Saludos, MadridMan