Cubik Rooms
This property offers a basic, private sleeping experience for budget-conscious travellers in an excellent central location, but guests should be prepared for a self-service model with potential operational hiccups and comfort compromises.
Cubik Rooms in Madrid offers a unique take on budget accommodation, providing individual sleeping boxes that aim to blend hostel affordability with enhanced privacy. Guests sleep in enclosed, wooden 'cubik rooms' rather than traditional bunk beds, a concept that appeals to those seeking a personal space without the cost of a private hotel room. While the central location near major attractions and metro lines is a consistent highlight, the property operates without on-site staff, relying on self-check-in and WhatsApp communication. This can lead to frustrating access issues and a lack of immediate assistance. The pods themselves are often criticised for poor ventilation and heat, particularly during warmer months, and noise from other guests or internal systems can be a problem. Shared bathrooms are generally clean, and a functional kitchen is available for guest use.
Stations & airport.
Distances measured from the hotel. Walking times assume a gentle pace with a backpack.
- Príncipe Pío240 m3 min walk
- Plaza de España499 m6 min walk
- Ascensor505 m6 min walk
Eleven dimensions of capsule life, read from 436 reviews.
Noise & sleep
Noise is a significant issue, stemming from loud in-pod fans, thin cabin walls allowing noise from other guests, and noisy capsule locks. The lack of on-site staff means no one enforces quiet hours.
“Loud fan in the cabin. For its size, it's making extremely lot of noise. If all of them are on, the room is quite noisy. But then again, if you don't switch it on, the cabin gets very warm quickly. Loud people. You can't blame it on the hostel, but some people do not really respect others. And with the walls of the cabins being very thin, this can get unpleasant. And since there's no reception there, there's no-one who can get them in order. Loud capsule lock. Again this is a huge nuisance in the morning as when locking the capsule with the key, the 'click' can actually wake others...”
“There was a lot of noise during the night, the facilities smelt poorly cleaned, the bathroom was dirty, there was dust all around, the air conditioning wasn’t functioning and we were going to combust inside the cube, the ventilation system was very noisy, etc”
“The door into the room squeaked, badly.”
Pod comfort
Guests frequently complain about the pods being uncomfortably hot, especially in summer, with inadequate ventilation from small fans. The design of the pods, including difficult ladder access and harsh lighting, also receives criticism.
“The worst thing was that the ladder to my upper unit was NOT under the door, so I had to Spider Man between the ladder and my door (sure it was an adventure, but it was flouting death every time). Then there was no real door sill, just a plywood edge, painful to kneel or lean against as I tried to acquire the ladder. The temperature regulation is a small fan bringing in air about 6" from the room's ceiling, where it never cools down, so my capsule was *still* hot in the morning. No indirect lighting here, only a single harsh LED if the center of the capsule ceiling. Only one outlet.”
“The cubik room was so hot and uncomfortable, hard to sleep and breathe. Definitely would not recommend during the summer months.”
“Sleeping in a wooden casket was not part of the plan. Really basic sleeping conditions with air conditioning from an electric fan from temu. This is not serious.”
Privacy
Guests appreciate the privacy offered by the individual sleeping boxes, which is a key selling point compared to traditional dorms.
“Cool idea: like an ordinary hostel, but with more privacy.”
“private sleeping quarters”
“comfortable and privacy for the price of a dorm bed”
Cleanliness
The property generally receives positive remarks for its cleanliness, with both capsules and common areas, including bathrooms and kitchen, being well-maintained.
“The rooms were clean, the bathroom as well, so was the kitchen”
“The facilities were rather new, kept clean and there was cleaning staff from the next morning.”
“Cleanliness: very good. Capsules and bathrooms were almost spotless. Of course during the day they got a bit messier due to usage, but I blame it on occupants :)”
Shared bathrooms
Bathrooms are generally clean, but some guests note issues like loud door hinges and motion-sensor lights that turn off too quickly during showers.
“The rooms were clean, the bathroom as well, so was the kitchen”
“Loud hinges on bathroom door. Especially in the morning it was a huge nuisance. Probably an easy fix that could improve guests' comfort.”
“One more thing that I didn't particularly like was the light in the bathroom. When you shower, it switches off very often (didn't time it, but I guess it was every minute or two). I know it's to prevent the light being on the whole time, but maybe you could make the light sensor to "see" you in the shower, so it doesn't switch off so often.”
Luggage storage
A significant drawback is the lack of sufficient lockers for all guests and the inability to store luggage before check-in or after check-out due to the absence of on-site staff.
“It doesn't have lockers for all rooms. The room I stayed at only had 4 of them, but there were 10 beds in there.”
“This place doesn't have a reception, nobody works there, you cannot leave the luggage anywhere before checkin or after checkout.”
“Also let's say what to do in case of emergency or if somebody will behave bad way? Nobody to help/control it. To be honest this is my biggest concern regarding this kind of places. Lack of ironing room and the fact you can't store the luggage before check-in and after check-out.”
Staff & check-in
The property operates without on-site staff or reception, leading to frequent issues with incorrect access codes, confusing self-check-in procedures, and reliance on WhatsApp for communication, which is often slow or provides incorrect information. This results in significant frustration for guests.
“Communication was poor and we were sent wrong codes to enter the building with no staff on site to help so we had to rely on other guests”
“This place doesn't have a reception, nobody works there, you cannot leave the luggage anywhere before checkin or after checkout. We lost 1 hour when we arrived because we couldn't enter the building and we had to send text messages through WhatsApp and receive 3 different codes to gain access to our bed. It's very confusing and time-consuming and it's NOT EXPLAINED AT ALL ON BOOKING.COM.”
“I didn't like that emailed link to the 3 page PDF, that contained the building access code, the room code, the lockbox combination, and WiFi network ID and password didn't work, which necessitated a phone call. Then, all further communication was via WhatsApp messages. Then, the 3 page PDF, which I did receive by WhatsApp, provided incorrect information for ALL items mentioned previously except the building access code. So out of 4 critical pieces of information, 3 were wrong.”
Location & access
The location is consistently praised as excellent, being very close to metro stations (Principe Pio, Plaza de España), museums, restaurants, and the Royal Palace, making it convenient for exploring Madrid.
“The location is fantastic! Easy to get to from the airport, close to museums, restaurants.”
“Excellent rooms, very near the metro Principe Pio”
“The location is excelent, there is a metro station nearby.”
Wifi & working
WiFi connectivity is a recurring problem, with guests reporting poor or non-existent reception inside the capsules and in private rooms, often forcing them to use their own mobile data.
“Wifi: basically non existent in capsules (maybe I was unlucky with getting the worst one). Checked with 2 different phones, every single time reception was very poor at best. Most of the time I had to rely on my own data.”
“Unfinished carpentry, difficulties with access and spotty WiFi”
“Wifi didn't reach private room”
Atmosphere
The concept of private sleeping boxes within a hostel-like setting is seen as interesting, offering a balance between privacy and potential for social interaction, though the lack of staff means no organized social atmosphere.
“Cool idea: like an ordinary hostel, but with more privacy.”
“interesting concept”
“The guests are willing to converse, if you want more conversation!”
Value for money
Many guests consider Cubik Rooms good value for money, especially given its central location and the privacy offered at a hostel price point, though some feel the experience doesn't justify even a low cost due to comfort and service issues.
“fair price, a nice experience.”
“Great value and good location”
“Value for money: excellent or at least very good. Mainly because it was cheap, but I'm guessing that whoever chooses a place like this probably is not looking for a lot of luxury.”
The honest drawbacks, from guests.
- poor ventilation in pods
- significant noise issues
- no on-site staff/reception
- unreliable WiFi
- no luggage storage before check-in/after check-out
Futurotel Space Spa Madrid Center
This property is suitable for young, budget-conscious travellers seeking a novel, centrally located stay, provided they are prepared for potential noise and temperature inconsistencies within the pods.
Urban Inn Capsule Madrid
This capsule hotel is best suited for budget-conscious travellers prioritising location and a degree of privacy, provided they are tolerant of noise and potential climate control issues within the pods.
min hostel reverencia
This hostel is a viable option for those seeking an affordable, private sleeping pod for a very short stay in a central Madrid location, provided they are prepared for potential noise and cleanliness issues in the shared facilities.