Hostal Alaska

The Hostal Alaska is located on a quaint street leading from Sol and dotted with drinking holes (many of them Irish). The hostal has just seven rooms, three exterior and four interior, though enough charm for a talisman.

The Alaska is widely recommended, and for good reason. It's one of the best bargains in town. It's also an inarguably good place to stay for anyone with a penchant for historic preservation.

Our favorite rooms are No. 1 and 7, for their size and structural integrity. We've never seen so much space for so low a nightly rate in Madrid. Room No. 1 usually sleeps two but can fit up to five guests in its sitting area, which is set apart by original wood beams. Rooms are a brightly-painted yellow or white, with new French doors and a balcony. In room No. 7, original wood beams jut across the middle of the room. Against the room are old chests and antiqued-mirror wardrobes. Although it is an interior room, its large windows let in lots of light.

The other rooms are smaller and display no traces of the original structure; however, close attention has clearly been paid to the bathrooms' decorative tile.

Quirky throughout, Alaska's front entrance is decorated with vintage radios and other odds and ends, and holds a full-size refrigerator for common use.