Favorite albergues in madrid?

[Anniesantiago]

Anybody have favorite places to sleep in Madrid?
I'll spend one night there before continuing on down to Sevilla.
Looking for something inexpensive and not perfumed.

 

[ffp13]

I have stayed in a HI hostel (Hostel international ) Madrid - Santa Cruz de Marcenado,
Calle Santa Cruz de Marcenado 28, 28015 Madrid, Tel. +34 91 547 4532, Fax. +34 91 548 1196
marcenado@madrid.org.

It is very clean, not perfumed, breakfast is included. Easy walk to the Metro station, just over 20 euro. You don't need to be a HI member, but it will add about 2 euro to the price.

This can be booked using the HI web site

http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Ma ... 007.en.htm

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Annie,
Maybe ffp's recommendation isn't like this, but my experience with youth hostels in Madrid ended years ago, when I found that the odds of being in party central are extremely high. Madrid is a party city, you probably know that, and when young people go there they like to party. I remember asking one guy in the hostel how in the world he ever got any sleep at all, and he told me -- it's easy, I just make sure I'm the last one to go to bed, no earlier than 7 or 8. In the morning!

For cheap, clean, and nice people, I always recommend the Hostal Bruna. http://www.ctv.es/hostalbruna/indexin.htm Great location very close to the Prado and Thyssen, and also in the Huertas district so there are good restaurants/tapas everywhere. It's a few blocks from a metro, I think it's Anton Martinez, but I think it's very good value. If you book it on infohostal.com you get a cheaper rate, I think.

It's a family run place, I've stayed there a number of times, and if you ask for a "habitacion interior" you won't have any street noise at all. I promised myself I would recommend this place whenever possible, because about 5 years ago, my son was staying there and was pickpocketed the night before his departure to the US. He didn't even realize it till the morning, and by then he was in a time crush. They calmed him down, gave him money to get him to the airport and told him to send the money and his room payment when he got home. I hope that what goes around comes around in this case. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[ffp13]

Party central is an accurate description for youth hostels. I have found that sleeping was easy for most of the night, as the dorm was almost empty ( they were out partying till dawn ) I much prefer the Albergue of snoring like minded pilgrims, but that is hard to find in Madrid.

I will check out the other hostels site, thanks for the link, I need to find another option for my late evening flight arrival, my preferred hostel doesn't do late check in I may check if there is a F1 hotel at Madrid airport?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I booked here: Hostal Buelta Madrid
It was about half the cost of Hostal Bruna.
Here is what the description says:


Located just 300 metres from Madrid’s Atocha Train Station and 500 metres from El Retiro Park, Hostal Buelta Madrid offers heated rooms with free Wi-Fi.

The bright rooms are decorated in light tones, and each one includes a TV and a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. Some of the rooms have a balcony with view of Calle Drumen Street.

Luggage storage and a safe can be provided, and staff can help with tourist information. A laundry service is also available, and there are vending machines in the guest house.

Reina Sofia Museum is a 5-minute walk from Buelta Madrid, while the Prado and Thyssen museums can be reached in 10 minutes’ walk. The lively district of Lavapies is a 10-minute walk away and offers a large range of restaurants and bars.


Anybody have any feedback?
I can still change my reservations.

 

[piogaw]

Hi laurie

The nearest metro stop for hostal bruna is anton martin. The area is described as very bohemian, full of restaurants. Be careful about the pickpockets, especially children, particularly in plaza santa ana. My friend was pickpocketed a few days ago. Fortunately someone saw it and retrieved the wallet before the pickpocket child has a chance to go through its content. Be very aware in spain if someone bumped into you, check your pocket for your money right away.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, piogaw,

I wouldn't call the area where the Bruna is bohemian, but I'm not exactly sure what that would mean. You're right that Anton Martin is the metro stop, and that's not a chic upscale area, but in my experience it's perfectly safe and filled with normal people. I'm sorry your friend was pickpocketed in Plaza Santa Ana, but I would be surprised if that's a higher-than-average pickpocketing location.

Quite frankly, Madrid is filled with pickpockets, they are everywhere the tourists are. I say that not to be alarmist, but I've seen pickpockets near the Prado, near Atocha, in Sol, near Royal Palace, in metros (now that's a place with a high concentration of pickpockets). I was pickpocketed on a bus in Madrid in 1970 and since then I have changed the way I do things.

I think that those of us who have grown up in environments where pickpockets do not abound are just never going to develop that sixth sense of alertness. We may be alert for a while, but we will inevitably lapse, and that's when the pickpockets will strike. I think the only way to relax and enjoy your time in Madrid/Barcelona is to simply make sure that you have money, passport, credit cards all tucked safely away under your clothes. Then you don't need to worry about paying attention all the time. Spaniards are rarely targets, and they don't worry about pickpocketing, they just have automatic habits developed over many years that protect them. We don't have those instincts, and I don't think I ever will develop them. So this is the best alternative.

Sorry for the off-topic rant. And p.s., pilgrims with backpacks are particularly easy targets, which is one reason why I ride the Cercanias instead of the metro in from the airport. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Sorry, I got carried away with pickpockets and forgot to respond to the Buelta question.

Annie, that's a perfectly fine area. Especially with the opening of the Reina Sofia nearby, it has really gotten quite a bit cleaned up. The Hostal seems to be a much larger place than the Bruna, and the comments on tripadvisor are mixed, but you're no shrinking violet, so if you get a dirty room or blood on a towel or whatever, I'm sure you will step right up and ask for a change.

The location of Buelta near Atocha is terrific, both for coming in from the airport on Cercanias and for getting out on the AVE. Let me know how this place is, I think it looks like quite a deal. (I noticed one comment from the manager on tripadvisor in which he indicates that the hostal is going to have a major renovation soon -- so the days of real budget accommodation may be limited).

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[lynnejohn]

I've stayed in Hostal Persal
http://www.hostalpersal.com/
and found it clean and friendly. 40.50 euro.
Very central.

And I've been pickpocketed on the metro. Like Laurie, I have changed how I carry valuables, and how vigilant I am in certain areas and circumstances.

 

[peregrina2000]

I've also stayed in the Hotel Persal, but it's a notch or two above in terms of price. It's right next to the Plaza Santa Ana and Huertas, so it's a good location if you're looking for cafes/tapas/restaurants.

I've also stayed in the Hotel Europa, right near Sol. Tons of Americans, clean, simple, no frills.

Last year, I stayed at the Pratik Metropol, for which I got a ridiculously cheap price on booking.com, so that might be an option if you want to go a little more "upscale" without breaking the bank.

Lots of options!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I agree about pickpockets - they are definitely a problem in every big city.
You have to develop a 6th sense and you (unfortunately) cannot trust everyone.
In fact, last year, I did an entire blog on pickpockets and was SHOCKED when I did the research.
Here is the link:

http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.com/2012/03/pickpockets-and-other-tourist-scams.html

Because of this research, I was on alert last year in Barcelona when a nice man (at 6am in the morning) walked up next to us and told us a bird had messed on my backpack. As he pulled out his hankerchief to "help" me, I yelled "NO!" really loud in his face! At which point, he took off like a speeding bullet.

Joe looked at my pack and it was slimed with what turned out to be women's foundation that the guy had apparently squirted from a tube onto us as we walked. My butt and legs were also covered. Boy was I pissed! Then I looked at Joe's back and HE was also slimed! I was more angry at the mess than I was at the idea we had almost been pickpocketed.

But if I had not done the research, I never would have known about this scam.

I guess people do what they need to, to survive.
But yeah, you have to be vigilant.

I've watched two women work the metro trains, as well as an old man.
I had to tell one Chinese tourist the lady had just nabbed her wallet from her purse.
She had no idea.
This woman pickpocket I've seen on several trips to Spain.
She works the metro in Barcelona - it IS her job!

I also noticed for the first time last year, on the Camino Frances, a group of young women asking pilgrims to sign petitions for needy children. This is a HUGE scam and people need to be careful. While you are signing, they are picking you dry. I'm trying to remember where this was...

Anyway... I will be careful.
And I"m not expecting the Ritz at the price I"m paying, but it's a step up from a hostal and looks to be very convenient. I did look at the comments, which are always mixed. And I figured for the price, it would be fine. But I may look at Hotel Europa. For me, the most important part is the price (51 euros for TWO nights!) and being close to the train, honestly. I can get around to the sights.

I'll let you know.

 

[piogaw]

Hi laurie,

I was away and did not have a chance to respond to your message.

My friend is a local spanish woman who lives in madrid. The incident happened on a saturday evening at around 10:30 pm on a very wet rainy night. We were carrying an umbrella and people were bumping into each other. so we did not paid too much attention to the child behind us. we are not blaming anyone for what has happened to us. I was told that plaza santa ana is a very popular place where the locals go to have their dinner. I was also told by the locals to be very weary of pickpockets in this area. I am not implying that there are no pickpockets in other areas. I have seen pickpockets working on the streets, on the metros, on the buses all over spain. I am very familiar with the situations in spain, having make trips to spain 4-5 times a year or more. I did noticed most of the pickpocket professionals are from south america due to their darker skin colour. Children were used for pickpocketing because they do not go to jail.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Hostal Buelta Madrid......they offer transfer from the airport. Can anyone tell me the cost of taking the Metro so I can compare?

 

[kilgore]

I totally agree with peregrina2000. Anton Martin is not bohemian. It's shabby. And Madrid is full of pickpockets. You shouldn't be paranoid about that but, please, be very careful.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Kiwi,

The metro pricing system in Madrid has changed. It's now done on the basis of the distance of your journey. The pricing information is kind of confusing. http://www.metromadrid.es/en/viaja_en_metro/tarifas/billetes/index.html

But it looks like the metro ticket to the airport is around 5 euros a person.

I never take the metro from the airport in Madrid any more. The Cercanias train line is much more convenient, at least if you're going to a main place like Chamartin, Nuevos Ministerios, Sol, Atocha, etc. The trains leave from T4, though, so if you're not flying Iberia or a One World partner, you will land in T1,2, or 3 and will need to take the (free) shuttle bus to T4 to get the train. Price of ticket also varies by zone, and I think the price from central Madrid to T4 is around 4 euros.

If you are going to be staying in Hostal Buelta, you'll also have the option of taking the bus. I've never taken the airport express bus, but here is a link with information on that option. http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/new-airport-bus-to-atocha-station.9474/#post-57091
If this brochure is still current, http://www.gomadrid.com/transport/Airport-Express.pdf the price is only 2 euros. That would make it a much cheaper option, especially when multiplied out for your numbers.

The metro option to the airport involves a lot of changes, a lot of crowded cars and the possibility of a lot of pickpockets. I've never seen pickpockets on the Cercanias, and the airport express bus would also seem to be much safer from that standpoint.

Melanie (mmm042) highly recommends Aero City shuttle service. She takes it from the airport to the south bus station, which is a very long distance. So maybe you should check them as well.

Are you going to have a few days in Madrid on this next Camino?

 

[LTfit]

Just an update. Per one of the last entries in the forum thread that Laurie mentioned above the airport bus is now 5 euros.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I will be overnighting in Madrid with the boys, then my husband will have a day or so there when he comes up with the girls. I am hoping for a few days at the end too! Just tossing up whether to take the train (in which case Hostal Buelta is beautifully placed) to Pamplona, or the significantly cheaper bus (in which case we might be better staying somewhere else). We arrive mid afternoon and I'm hoping to pop in to the Prado for a couple of hours just before closing for a wee taste.

 

[piogaw]

I will be overnighting in Madrid with the boys, then my husband will have a day or so there when he comes up with the girls. I am hoping for a few days at the end too! Just tossing up whether to take the train (in which case Hostal Buelta is beautifully placed) to Pamplona, or the significantly cheaper bus (in which case we might be better staying somewhere else). We arrive mid afternoon and I'm hoping to pop in to the Prado for a couple of hours just before closing for a wee taste.

Hello kiwi family,

As mentioned by laurie, you can take a cercanias to madrid city centre, rather than the metro. You can buy a ten-ticket bono at a discount price, i believe is €12.55, for the metro and bus. The regular price on separate ticket is €1.50. You can use this card to make 10 trips or you can use it to make 1 trip for 10 people. You can buy this type of ticket at the machine in the station or ask for help from the attendants or security guards stationed by the machine.

In regards to hostal, i wondered whether you will consider a quiet hostel, living mad hostel, less than 5 minutes walk from metro anton martin. They have dormitory rooms with bunk beds (total 6 beds) with shared bathrooms. Cost is i believe €11 per person. This metro station is walking distance to puerto del sol, the main square. The price includes breakfast and you can cook in the kitchen. The price is extremely cleaned. It caters to mostly backpackers. This is in the same area as huertas/plaza santa ana.

Buen camino.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Piogaw - absolutely we would stay there! BUT I booked Hostal Buelta last week. However, if we get to Santiago early we would like to end our trip with a few days in Madrid so I will file away this hostel in my mind for then. Thanks.

 

[piogaw]

Piogaw - absolutely we would stay there! BUT I booked Hostal Buelta last week. However, if we get to Santiago early we would like to end our trip with a few days in Madrid so I will file away this hostel in my mind for then. Thanks.

Sorry, i forget to mention to you that there are several lines on the madrid metro, the 10-ticket bono i mentioned at this price is only valid for 1 line. However you can buy a 10-ticket bono for use on multi-lines which will cost more. I forget as to the price of the bono. However there is a circular line that covers the whole of greater madrid. With your 1 line bono,you can travelled on this circular line for free. However you can not transferred to another line unless you have the multi-line ticket.

Also i want to mention to you that when you finish your camino, if you are taking the train to madrid you can ask whether there is a family discount for you. I know there are family discounts for spanish families-big and small families, but i don't know whether there are family discounts for foreigners. One other way to save money with renfe is, if you are 4 passengers travelling together in 4 seats (2 and 2 facing each other with a table in-between, you will be paying the price for 2 passengers only. Make sure you ask for this when buying your tickets. The seats facing each other are not cramped. It is quite roomy. I have no experience with this arrangement, but i have seem family together. You do not have to be related as long as there are 4 passengers.

I hope this helps. Buen camino.