Cat’s Hostel
Cat’s Hostel is one of the liveliest in Madrid and somewhere you are almost guaranteed to mingle and make friends with fellow travellers. It is set in a 17th century palace in the heart of Madrid, with rooms around a central courtyard. There is a cave bar and regular social activities, such as the weekend paella party (a free plate of paella for every drink ordered) and tapas and walking tours around Madrid. Rooms range from four to 14 beds with a secure locker for each guest.
Cat’s Hostel|©ebifry/Flickr
Sungate One
Just off the central Puerta del Sol, Sungate One is a welcoming hostel with some brilliant extras that make it stand out among budget options in Madrid. Guests are invited to a free dinner every evening, while freshly made churros and chocolate are on offer every morning for breakfast. There is a chill out area where you can meet fellow travellers and bar crawls led by hostel staff head out from 11.30pm every night.
La Posada de Huertas
Located on Calle de las Huertas, one of the most lively streets in central Madrid, La Posada de Huertas is a great base from which to explore the city. Rooms, which range from 2 to 12 bed, are on the basic side, but that is reflected in the low price. They are safe and secure with lockers to store your valuables. It is a very international hostel, with regular activities and social events like its popular sangria and paella parties – the perfect place to meet other travellers.
Room007 Chueca
This trendy boutique hostel is located in Madrid’s LGBT district, Chueca. It has a good range of single and double rooms if you don’t fancy a dorm, or female-only and mixed dorms of between four and 11 beds if you don’t mind sharing. All beds come with a personal locker to store all your valuables. The Room007 chain (there are two others in Madrid) prides itself on being eco friendly. There is an open-air terrace on the top floor, a great place to relax in the sun and meet some other travellers.
Travelling solo|©StockSnap/Pixabay
TOC Hostel
Just off the central Puerta del Sol, this trendy hostel is a great base for exploring all of Madrid’s main sites. There is a laid-back lounge area with its own bar where many of the guests hang out and good security, including a 24-hour reception and lockers. Rooms range from private to dorms of four, six and eight beds.
Mad4You Hostel
Located in Malasaña, one of the most popular areas for nightlife, vintage shopping and cool restaurants in Madrid, Mad4You is a great base in the city. It has a bar, large outdoor terrace area and common room, where you can mingle with fellow travellers over a drink or a board game. There is a free buffet breakfast, private lockers and a 24-hour reception. There is a good range of rooms, from private singles and doubles to female-only and mixed dorms of four, six and eight beds.
Hostel sign|©sabrinayrafa/Pixabay
OK Hostel
OK Hostel is located in the beautiful and historic neighbourhood of La Latina, the epicentre of Madrid’s tapas bar scene. It has a good range of social activities for guests, including walking tours, bar crawls and regular social dinners – a great chance to meet some fellow guests. Rooms range from private doubles to female-only and mixed dorms of six and four beds.