Hostel Olarain (San Sebastián, Spain)

Accommodation is immaculate and is cleaned daily with towels replaced. Included are a refrigerator, hairdryer and all the things you'd expect in a ‘hotel'. The cafe offers an imaginative menu and the prices are equally appealing. Breakfast is well worth sampling, before starting the day.

It's about 20 minutes to walk into town. If that's too much exercise, it's so easy to jump on a bus. Buses leave every few minutes. There is absolutely no point in using the car and incurring unnecessary hassle.

Most visitors to Spain head straight for the Costas ... overlooking, entirely, the rugged coastline to the north. San Sebastian is a great city and as a resort, it is reminiscent of how things used to be - not a bad thing at all! The climate is a better version of the south UK, the landscape is spectacular and skiing is a popular winter pastime in the region's mountainous areas. The local beach, Playa de Ondarreta is about 10 minutes walk from the accommodation.

This region has more clearly defined seasons than those bordering the Med, so it can get chilly. The summer months, though, can get extremely hot and that's when you'll pine for some decent air conditioning. There's none here. What there is, though, is a band of enthusiastic refuse collectors who are up and about, noisily and very early, every morning. Soundproofing is non-existent, so … sleep can be difficult.

It's got all the trappings of a hotel, but there's still the overriding feeling that you're in a Spanish hostal.

At the end of the day, it's rather expensive for what it is … student accommodation!