These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Please note our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some of the most exciting new places to stay in Madrid are actually hostels, which often seem to have a clearer idea of what is important to travellers of all ages these days and what a lot of people can happily do without. All of our recommended hostels have comfortable double rooms with private bathrooms as well as dorms and there is no drop in the standard of accommodation compared to a conventional hotel. Most also have attractive communal spaces where you can work, have a coffee or a beer and meet other guests. Here’s our pick of the best hostels in Madrid.
Generator Madrid
Madrid, Spain
There is a laidback, informal atmosphere at the Generator. The hostel occupies a large triangular site that has been revamped in industrial style, accentuating some of the original features of the building. Some of the accommodation floors used to be a car park, and the concrete pillars painted with a red stripe still exist. The red stripe motif now also features on the curtains and tiles and along the corridors. The attractive lobby and bar areas on the ground floor have tiled and wooden floors, book shelves and lots of leather seating. There is plenty of pleasant space to hang out here, whether doing a bit of work, updating your social media, reading or just having a couple of beers.
Beds from
£
53
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Bastardo Hostel
Madrid, Spain
It’s Instagram and hashtag heaven at the Bastardo, where they like to shake things up and swerve away from the norm. With bold design, a buzz and rooms and dorms to suit all, this is a happy hybrid of hotel and hostel. Cartoon-like portraits and neon signs adorn the floor-to-ceiling windows of the industrial-style lobby, on the ground floor with the restaurant at one end and the bar at the other. A small tiered structure provides seating for concerts and other events. Up on the roof, you can lounge in a deckchair or swing seat. The hostel occupies a pivotal site for delving into the happening barrios of Malasaña, Chueca, Salesas and Chamberí – all good for eating, drinking and just mooching around.
Beds from
£
49
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The Hat
Madrid, Spain
The Hat hikes up the standard of Madrid hostels with the style of a boutique hotel and lots of good ideas for a comfortable, fun stay without paying silly prices. Sights, shops and restaurants are on the doorstep and there is a groovy bar up on the roof. Unsurprisingly, it attracts all ages. The traditional 19th-century building has kept its elegant façade with wrought-iron balconies but inside things are sleek and contemporary with an industrial feel. It is in the heart of Madrid de Los Austrias – the oldest part of the city – just behind the Plaza Mayor and handy for the tapas bars along Cava Baja.
From
£
40
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
TOC Hostel
Madrid, Spain
If you want to stay somewhere comfortable, fun and reasonably priced in the centre of Madrid, this stylish hostel might fit the bill. With double and family rooms as well as dorms, smart contemporary design and a handsome traditional building, the TOC is a refreshingly modern place to stay. It occupies the entirety of an elegant 19th-century building, and the original wooden staircase, ornate ceilings and tiled floors, which add character to the contemporary furniture and clean lines of the interiors. There are 55 bright rooms with a total of 274 beds: 33 dorms which sleep four, six or eight, and 22 rooms which sleep two, three or four. Access is via your thumbprint, and there are lockers to store all your stuff safely.
From
£
78
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Mola! Hostel
Madrid, Spain
The Mola! offers a refreshingly modern hostel experience with accommodation to suit everyone, from dorm beds to apartments. It occupies an elegant building with an ornate caramel and white façade and wrought-iron balconies. Transformed to let plenty of light in, it has a breezy pale blue and white colour scheme with pale wooden floors and pine furniture. Everyone hangs out in the huge industrial-style common room in the basement and there are lots of social activities, so it couldn’t be easier to get chatting to other travellers. Some things are free, including walking tours, salsa sessions and a sangría workshop. For a reasonable price, you can sign up for tapas and bar tours or a flamenco show. Bike and segway hire can be arranged.
From
£
88
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Room007 Chueca
Madrid, Spain
The 007 Chueca hostel occupies a traditional Madrid building, dating back to the turn of the 20th century. Inside, while the original layout and some features remain, there is an industrial loft vibe with white paintwork and furniture in bold colours. Walls are decorated with illustrations and artworks. There are 32 rooms with simple and contemporary design, from doubles to dorms sleeping four, six or 11, with private bathrooms (some female-only). Some are duplex with seating areas. Lots of social activities are on offer – great if you are on your own – including walking tours and bar crawls, which are led by the staff rather than external companies.
From
£
29
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Far Home Atocha
Madrid, Spain
The Far Home Atocha hostel offers pristine, modern facilities and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It’s popular with professionals and students spending longer periods in Madrid as well as short-term travellers, and makes for a comfortable base in the heart of the city with easy access to museums, shops and bars. The hostel itself occupies four floors of an old building, including a common room with bare-brick walls, iron pillars, sofas and brightly-coloured stools, dorms with orange or mauve paintwork, and double rooms have wood-panelled walls stamped with slogans, lending a sort of packing-case look. This is not a party hostel and it is very quiet after midnight. Guests can play board games and various tours and activities are on offer.
From
£
27
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
OK Madrid Hostel
Madrid, Spain
Smart design, a warm vibe and a central Madrid location combine to make the OK one of the best hostels in the city. Travellers meet over dinner and explore the neighbourhood bars together. With double rooms as well as dorms, you can enjoy the social side without sacrificing privacy, and while there is a strong social ethos, the atmosphere is not raucous and there is no pressure to join in. The hostel is on a quiet street in a less touristy, highly traditional part of the centre of Madrid. Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor are five-minutes’ walk away and it is a three-minute walk to Tirso de Molina and La Latina metro stations. Lavapiés, La Latina and Santa Ana are all good nightlife areas within a 10-minute radius on foot.
From
£
68
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Mad4You Hostel
Madrid, Spain
The Mad4You hostel is a haven in the Malasaña neighbourhood, a lively area of the city. With heaps of character, a happy vibe and a location that is central but off the tourist beat, staying here gives you more of an insider, local experience than a conventional hotel. The hostel occupies a 17th-century tenement building that was originally a corrala theatre, set around a courtyard. These structures were the first theatres in Madrid, with the earliest springing up in the late 16th century. There are very few buildings of this type left standing so it is quite a special opportunity to be able to stay in one. There are 21 air-conditioned rooms on three floors with a total of 103 beds.
From
£
48
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Room007 Ventura
Madrid, Spain
Whether you are travelling on your own, with friends or as a family, the Room007 Ventura de la Vega hostel has an option to suit you. The 21 air-conditioned, pristine rooms, with a black-and-white colour scheme and wooden floors, include doubles and dorms with four, six or eight bunks. Some are female-only and all have private bathrooms (with washbasins in the room and a separate shower and toilet). The building is modern with sleek design and an industrial feel. Guests can scrawl their thoughts or express their creativity on blackboards on the walls. Primary colours contrast with white throughout, which matches the fun, lively atmosphere.
From
£
28
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.