Is Hostal a hostel?

[DUH CAR]

I see that alot of places are named "Hostal". Does this mean that they are hotels or hostels? I guess my main concern is a private bathroom....

John

[Ben]

They are hostels, but some of them will have bathrooms... you need to know if the room shares a baño compartido (shared bathroom) or a baño en la habitacion (in the room).

[DUH CAR]

They are hostels

So, what is the difference in Spain between a hostel and a hotel? I would have thought that it was the bathrooms that made the difference.

I think of a hostel (never having stayed in one I'll admit) as a place that has small bedrooms, minimal facilities and lots of loud partying. Sorta like a university dorm.... ;D

[Brian]

So, what is the difference in Spain between a hostel and a hotel? I would have thought that it was the bathrooms that made the difference.

I think of a hostel (never having stayed in one I'll admit) as a place that has small bedrooms, minimal facilities and lots of loud partying. Sorta like a university dorm.... ;D

A Hostile?

[Bolboreta]

So, what is the difference in Spain between a hostel and a hotel? I would have thought that it was the bathrooms that made the difference.

I think of a hostel (never having stayed in one I'll admit) as a place that has small bedrooms, minimal facilities and lots of loud partying. Sorta like a university dorm.... ;D
Er... your idea of a "hostel" is a youth hostel ("Albergue de juventud" in Spanish). An "hostal" is simply a "lower cathegory" hostel. It doesn't mean that is necessarily awful... it sort of works like the stars system, you can find 3 star hotels that are better than some with 5.

[richardksa]

I always stay at hostels when I am in Madrid. You need have no worry. Anything from 30 euros and up will have private facilities and a TV. Some even have air-conditioning either as standard or for an extra 5 euros/night. Recomendations from me are the Hostel Continental on the Grand via and La Perla, which is right next close to the Plaza Mayor. The rooms are basic, but clean. It's just there's no restaurant, although occasionally there will be a drinks machine. Madrid seems to have a bar or cafe within every fifty metres, so getting food or drink is not a problem.
Try Madrid_at_less_than_30 or Bookings ES, or just type Madrd Hostels into google. For those on a budget, you have nothing to fear.

[celia s]

I will be staying at Hostel Santa Cruz near Plaza Major.It has a cafe directly below.How convenient!

[richardksa]

Yep, I know that one. It's directly opposite La Perla. Coffee and Croisant for 2 euros for breakfast. Go to a proper hotel and they'll charge you 5.

[ValenciaSon]

So I think the clarity we need here is: what is the difference between a hotel and a hostel?

[richardksa]

A hotel will have somewhere you can eat. A hostel will not, except maybe a vending machine if you are lucky. Facilities in a hostel will be basic, but, as I said before, for anything over 30 euros, they will be there. So look for private toilets and Baths/showers and a TV. The rooms will not be well appointed and the decorating my well be 20 years old. Oh, and it will not be in its own building, but maybe occupy a floor or two of a much larger building. For instance, the hostal continental I wrote about before is on the third floor above a secretarial college and a school for flight attendants. Three floor above that is another hostal, whose name I forget. But there's a lift (elevator), so no problems.

However, next week I will be staying at Hostal Marlasca, which offers in each room: showrer, safety deposit box, TV, telephone, Air-conditioning, hair dryer, toilet, heating and wireless internet. This will cost me 36 euros a night. According to the map it's about 200m from Sol. I will report on it on my return.

Look, in my job, where someone else picks up the tab, I get to stay at the Shereton, Holiday Inn or even the Hilton, so I don't like to rough it even when I have to pay for it myself. I have had no problems staying in Madrid Hostals, save one, but it was being renovated at the time so I won't mention its name as it probably better now.

[ValenciaSon]

[quote=richardksa]A hotel will have somewhere you can eat. A hostel will not, except maybe a vending machine if you are lucky.

By that standard, there are some Holiday Inns I've stayed in which barely qualifies as a hostel.

[outpostbabu]

In my experience, in Spain and elsewhere, a hostal is usually a small, often family-run, hotel. In a youth hostel you will sometimes see shared rooms with 6 or even 12 people. All of the hostals I've stayed in have offered private rooms with or without bath. The shared bath is usually on the same hall. At a hostal, you get a similar experience to a hotel but there may only be 5 or 10 rooms in the place. I don't think that this is the technical difference between a hostel, a hostal, and a hotel, but it bears itself true from the names of all the places I have stayed.

Incidentally, as others have said, all of these places are excellent options for your stay. Quality will vary from place to place as with hotels but I don't think anyone should discount the possibility of staying in these establishments. I have friends who would not dream of staying "in such a place". I, for one, would much rather stay a small locally-owned hostel/hostal than a mega-franchise hotel for all the cultural benefits... Ha! what am I talking about?! It's the price! :)

[richardksa]

Grettings all. Just got back from Madrid.

I can recomend the Hostel Marlasca. It is in Calle Cruz, so you are five mins from Sol and two from the Plaza Santa Anna, which is a reasonable place to find food if you don't feel like venturing far. Also, you are fifteen mins from the Prado and 20 from the Queen Sofia Arts galleries. The hostel was on the second floor, but there is a lift, but it broke down twice!!!!! I stayed at the start and finish of my visit and so stayed in two different rooms. Both were air-conditioned. One had two single beds, the other had a double. Telephone, en-suite facilities that were very clean, towels changed every two days, bed linen every three. It is run by a friendly oriental family who all speak good English. The night porter does not!!! Vending machines in the lobby sell coffee, cold drinks and snacks. 3 nights for E108. Below the hostel, at street level, is an internet café that gives you an hour for one euro. I only spotted that this morning as I left for the Airport, otherwise I would have posted sooner.

PS A lady I met stayed in the Hostel Playa in Calle Victoria and hated it. She said the woman who ran it was the most unfriendly person she had met in Spain.

[Marina]

How was your trip?
Any nice pics to show to us?

[richardksa]

Lots of pics, but I am still in transit. Just a day in the UK before moving on to the middle east, so pics will come by the end of the week when I'm set up in Saudi - depending on satallite up-links etc. Had a wonderful time in Spain and met some really interesting people - and had dinner at the restaurant at the Real Madrid Stadium. I was treated by friends - heavens it's expensive, but the best ever gazpacho I have ever tasted. At over 9 euros a bowl it should be!! Then ate some meat dish of which I cannot remember the name but the testa changed from sweet to sour as you savoured it. Absolutely delicious! More later.

[gary]

So, what is the difference in Spain between a hostel and a hotel? I would have thought that it was the bathrooms that made the difference.

I think of a hostel (never having stayed in one I'll admit) as a place that has small bedrooms, minimal facilities and lots of loud partying. Sorta like a university dorm.... ;D
Not quite ... the hostels I have stayed in in the cities have rooms equivalent to the rooms that the tourists get in 2/3* hotels at the costas. The difference is that there is no bar, no pool, usually only beakfast is offered. I have always had aircon, private bathroom and TV, towels every day....

On one occasions it was true that there was a school language trip in but there was no hazing!!!

[gary]

Lots of pics, but I am still in transit. Just a day in the UK before moving on to the middle east, so pics will come by the end of the week when I'm set up in Saudi - depending on satallite up-links etc. Had a wonderful time in Spain and met some really interesting people - and had dinner at the restaurant at the Real Madrid Stadium. I was treated by friends - heavens it's expensive, but the best ever gazpacho I have ever tasted. At over 9 euros a bowl it should be!! Then ate some meat dish of which I cannot remember the name but the testa changed from sweet to sour as you savoured it. Absolutely delicious! More later.

a starter for around a fiver - you did well!!