San Martin is within 3 minutes walk from Callao metro station. Very central and convenient. However, the room we had was not good. There is a shower cubicle inside the room with see-through panels! My friend and I felt really awkward. We had disrupted sleep because we could hear loud water running noises from next door. Very thin walls. If you are only staying a night or 2, it's probably ok for its location. But I wouldn't stay there again if I ever go to Madrid for another weekend break.

My boyfriend and I stayed in this hostel for 5 nights and were extremely pleased with the location and service provided.

Hostal San Martín takes up an entire floor of an apartment block on a street just off Madrid's bustling Gran Vía. Despite its proximity to such a noisy street, however, the actual road on which it is situated (Calle de la Concepción Arenal) was much quieter. The nearest metro station is Callao, just across the street, so it is very easy to reach if you choose to take the underground from the airport. Aside from the many shops on the Gran Vía (it felt a little bit like Oxford Street), some really wonderful, good value restaurants and boutiques can be found (I recommend 'El Salero'), especially if you explore the smaller streets that surround the Callao metro station. A tourist information point and the large department store that sells pretty much everything - 'El Corte Inglés' - are also near the metro station.

The lobby has a decent lift which can take you (and your suitcases) up to the 4th floor. Upon our arrival, there was someone there to greet us, as the place has 24 hour reception. All staff we met were extremely friendly, but had limited English. Both my boyfriend and I speak good Spanish, and we found that once the staff realised this they became less reserved and more friendly. I think this was simply a case of their feeling they could relax if they weren't under pressure to speak English. The place does market itself as a hostel, after all, so don't expect a concierge who can speak several languages. But a smattering of Spanish, a smile and a good effort to make oneself understood should be enough.

Our room was fantastic. It was fairly small but there was a comfortable, good sized double bed, night stands and bedside reading lamps, a desk and chair, an ample wardrobe with a safe, shutters,an extremely useful fan, and a television. We had a full ensuite, which was an extremely pleasant surprise, and they provided both bars of soap and liquid handwash. Towels were changed for us each day and the room and bathroom were also cleaned daily. The decor is a little dated, but not unpleasant to look at.

We had a peak into other rooms and it would seem that this high level of cleanliness and furnishing applies to all of them. The majority are not ensuite, but it appeared that every room at least had a sink, and the communal bathrooms and loos were very clean and had baths, showers and bidets.

Other services provided were a communal fridge to store any food we had, and free Wifi service. No cooking facilities or meals are provided by the hostel, but just across the street is a wonderful café called 'Aguila' whose staff were charming and where we could get a coffee and pastry for 2 Euros every morning before going off to explore. We were also given a full set of keys - one for the entrance door to the apartment building, one for the main door to the hostel, and one for our room. This meant we could come and go whenever we liked.

Considering this place was great value without booking through some kind of company like Easyjet or Hostelbookers, I'd consider it a great find. The level of cleanliness, efficient service and facilities really spoiled us for the rest of our trip, and I'd say that any travellers on a budget should give this place a go.

Walkable from Callao Metro station. Maybe a little hard to find, in a small side street opposite a cafe and Chinese Restaurant.
You can take the tour bus on the Main street. (in front of Burger King)
Shopping, museums and restaurants all walkable.
Most staff do not speak English but are really nice and friendly, willing to help where possible.
Small but clean rooms. We had a fairly noisy room with a lot of noise from outside plus that from other guests. Other rooms are probably quieter. Do not expect an early night anywhere in Madrid.
Really good value for money, but remember its a Hostal not a hotel so know what to expect.

This was the best value hostal that I found in Madrid. The rooms are basic and clean with nice wood floors and they were cleaned daily. The building has an elevator, and the location is very good near Gran Via and the Callao metro station. I was pleased that the hallways and common areas were kept well-lit which is not always the case with hostals in Madird. One negative was that for two days a staff member brought children that ran and screamed through the halls. You will are likely to see prostitutes on the street in front.