A budget hotel rather than a hostel, this cheap and cheerful place couldn’t be better located for the bar-hopping nightlife, but if you are looking for a quiet break this is probably not for you. The Persal occupies a grand, flat-fronted block on a pedestrianized square just off Plaza Santa Ana. You can’t miss it—it’s painted bright blue. Inside, the mood in the communal areas is student shabby chic: worn leather armchairs and old tomes in the biblioteca, and distressed mirrors. The paint is bright and upbeat, and the buffet breakfast at shared kitchen tables is big on fresh fruit. The guest and bathrooms are small and basically furnished, but they’re clean, comfortable, and well-serviced, and—let’s face it—you probably won’t be spending a lot of time there.