Has anybody any information on the Hostal Cantabrico, calle cruz, puerta del sol???

Hi becks, jer here.

Seen form the outside, it looks normal I guess but I have never stayed there nor ahd any visitors comment on it before.

I did however find this not so pleasant review online at www.alaba.com/hostels/madrid.asp (number 7 on the list).

Hope it helps. Maybe some other members will have better firsthand advice on the place.

Saludos,
jer...

Jer

I read that review but a friend of mine has gone to the hostal and viewed on a personal basis, she said it was very nice of all teh hostals she saw, I have to trust that, maybe the people that wrote that review were expecting 4 star!!! what was it like from outside, anything of interest nearby?

Yeah becks, I guess you have to take that review with a grain of salt, these opinions are just that, opinions. If you have a better account from a friend you should probably trust that more.

Also, I think that those who posted that review were there before the remodeling. Apparently the hostel has been recently painted and fixed up. I found it with a fresh coat of nice yellow paint in THIS PHOTO (taken on Sunday October 28, 2001 especially for you ).

It looks very nice from the outside and as for the area, it is not the greatest street in the city but is very alive (if you get a room facing the street on a low floor, don't plan on gettting much sleep (cool!) for it is one of the loudest street in the city, especially on weekends.

Aside from PUERTA DEL SOL right around the corner, the area has loads of cool places. It is a rather commercial street with loads of restaurnats, bars, etc... In particular, on the same street you have:

1) the famous "LAS BRAVAS". see the extensive thread on "Bravas" at www.multimadrid.com/cgi-bin/jersbbucgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=000011

2) "PARILLA MATADOR" for Spanish yummies.

3) "DONER KEPAB" if you like Turkish fast food (usually god for satisfying those after clubbing munchies

and many more...

Also, for dancing, highly recommended is "SURISTAN", right next door at Calle Cruz #7.

I could go on all day but I don't want to ruin your trip for you, have to leave some things for you to discover on your own

Saludos,
jer...

Jer

Wow - thanks very much!! I have searched high and low on the internet for a picture of the Hostal, and it was fabulous to see it!!! definitely will be making a visit to Parilla Matador! I am even more excited now about going, alos I think that the review that I got from net was done last Feb, all I can do is wait and see. and like you said there is lots of more discoveries to be made, I'll be back on this thread to let you all know how I got on

Hi becks, my pleasure, I do what I can

You are sooo right, I did a www.Google.com search on "hostal cantabrico Madrid" and with all the hotel/hostel online reservations systems where it appears, none of them have a photo of it. Glad I could come to the rescue with my trusty digital camera Don't worry, you will be getting my bill soon in the mail

Actually, I am rarely seen around the city without my camera. Hey, I should hold a multimadrid contest for those coming to Madrid, "catch Jeremy in the street without his camera and win a cupie doll" (or something along those lines )

Have an AMAZING trip and don't be a stranger, we certainly expect you to report back.

Saludos,
jer...

Hola becks, this is probably late since I was not sure of your exact arrival date in Madrid but if so, it will help future Cantabrico guests.

Today I was in the area of Calle Cruz dropping one of my famouse cellphone rentals off at the Hotel Palace (loads of info online on that one but it is a bit nicer and more expensie than the Cantabrico) and I stopped into the Hostal Cantabrico. I did not have my camera with me but here goes:

I was greeted by an elderly white haired Spanish gentleman who was, while not overly nice or happy, very courteous to me. Wne I told him a friend was to come to Madrid next month and I wanted to see a single room with a private bath, he quickly handed me the key to room 324.

My ride up on the elevator (which was older than the gentleman at the front desk without a doubt), while not quite making me fear for my life, was a bit shaky but, against my best observations, the inspection sticker was up to date

The hallways of the hostel are very clean and not dark nor too brightly lit. As I keyed into the room I was pleasantly surprised at the generous size of it, being a single room and all.

The room was a 3rd floor interior room facing an outdoor stairwell in the inner patio of the hostel. Very clean and with a twin bed that would be big enough for a close couple . Behind the door to the room there was an enormous closet equiped with a few hangars, big enough for even the nuttiest clothes horse.

The bathroom was normal in size for a hostal and their was a full bathtub and shower head which I of course tested out as I did the sink as well. There was hot water on demand which was very cool

I exited the room and walked down the very well sunlit stairs in front of the "elevator", returned the key, gave the elderly manager a brief but to the point chat about the lack of info on the hostal online and swiftly exited the building.

So, from what I saw I would give it a (8/10 on the hostal scale). Only one thing, I did not spend the night there so I do not know how noisy it is at night.

I trust that you (becks) will give us your take on your stay at the Cantabrico and fill in any gaps I may have left.

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. Man, I am going to have to start charging for this stuff

I have decided that I will be back in Madrid either the end of Feb or first week of March (that BA airfare of $456 rt from Seattle made up my mind!). How was the Cantabrico? It sure seems cheap enough. And Jer, the hostal you mentioned is the Hotel Palace? I couldn't find it online, maybe it is called something else? If you have a suggestion for a hostal that is neat and in a quiet area please be forthcoming, I would pay a couple extra bucks for quiet!

OK...it just dawned on me....you were talking about the Palace Hotel! Duh! No wonder I had such a hard time finding the quaint little hostal I thought you were referring to!!!! Some of us are just too literal!!

Hi All
Well after the many questions about the Hostal I am finally able to tell you all the answers!

The hostal is in the centre of Sol, on Calle Cruz, it is a very clean hostal, they clean the room and change the beds every day, the price is 4,000pts per night and you get your breakfast in the morning which is served between 8.30-11. It is very small!! one piece of bread with butter and strawberry jam and a cup of coffee, so if you miss it dont worry you don�t miss much!!
The hostal is open 24hrs, when you arrive back to your hostal, you just ask the person at the reception for the key to your room, however one person isn�t very friendly!
My room is a double bed, I have a bath and shower and toilet, its very compact, I am not exactly the heaviest-tallest person, but I would imagine for a 6ft man it would prove difficult. The only down side is that when my friend made the reservation, she asked for a room at the back, but on a Thurs through to Sunday night the music of a local disco/bar is very bad!! Maybe in another part of the building it might be ok.
I will be going back to Madrid in April, still undecided if I will I go back there again, mainly the reason is the noise at the weekends

Jer - so how much do I owe you....

Becks

Thanks for the update on the Cantabrico becks.

Funny but this thread has probably the most complete info (reviews, photos, etc...) on the hostel on the whole www since there is so little out there on it.

It is great to see what we can do if we pull together

Saludos,
jer...

Ok, have narrowed the search to 4 hostals. Cantabrico is possible. Does anyone have any input about Hostal Buenos Aires, Hostal Madrid and Hostal Opera? I am leaning toward the Hostal Opera, as it sounds quieter. But if the others have amenities I am not aware of I would appreciate knowing about them.

Hey ToniG, I can't seem to find anything on the Hostal Opera in Madrid online . Are you sure that is the official name of it? There is a Hotel Opera ( www.hotelopera.com ), are you sure you are not confusing the Hotel for a Hostal?

I do know of a really nice Hostal on calle Arenal inthe Plaza de Isabel II (Opera) but can not remember the name of it. What is the address of what you understand to be the "Hostal Opera"?

Saludos,

jer...

Oh yeah... found this review of the Hostal Persal online and thought you all might get something out of it...

quote:

"Although it's the only place I've ever stayed in Madrid, I absolutely love it here! It's two blocks from Puerta Del Sol, in Plaza del Angel... as Hostals go, it's in great shape (they renovated a couple years ago). The rooms are sparse as is to be expected, but comfortable. Hot water is always available, and there are TVs and phones in every room. They serve breakfast which is basically coffee, juice, cereal and bread, but it's all you really need. The staff is wonderful!!! they're so helpful and most of them do speak English. While the prices (since the renovation) are slightly higher than other Hostals, if you're not on a strict budget, it's totally worth it... especially considering the location!"

... Saludos,
jer...

The hostal is in the Opera area...Las Fuentes, is the name (I hope). Thanks for the info on Hostal Madrid. My friend and I aren't sure exactly WHERE we want to be in the city. But it looks like there are tons of hostals in the Old Madrid. I will let you know which we choose soon. By the way, is there something going on in Madrid the week of March 11? I checked out a couple hotel availablities and they had no vacancies. Something we should know about?