Ave Gratia Plena

Historical setting in a former convent

This HI-hostel is very pleasant and inexpensive. The staff is friendly and speaks good English.
The hostel is situated in a former convent from the 16-century. The hallways and rooms are consequently big and airy and have balconies facing the patio. From one of the hallways you can look into the adjacent church through windows, where the nuns used to follow mass, to avoid eye contact with men. The bell at the church luckily doesn’t ring each hour or 15. minutes, so it wont disturb your beauty-sleep.

In the patio travelers can sit by the fountain and chat to other travelers. This can be a bit annoying in the night if you want to sleep as all rooms have windows only to this side.

We stayed on night in bunk beds at a 4-person room and one night in twin beds in a private room. Both rooms had a private bathroom where the cistern of the toilet was very noisy.
In the 4-person room, the bunk beds weren’t great to sleep in. They consisted of very soft mattresses placed on soft wires. The shower was placed on the floor making it all very wet.
In the private room the beds was much better, but the shower cabin was so small, that it wasn’t possible to bend down and pick up the shampoo, that had to be placed on the floor, since there were no shelves in the cabin.

In general in spite of all, I will recommend this hostel. The atmosphere is great and the historical setting is wonderful. If you have any back problems, check out the beds before accepting.

Unique Quality: The price (dorm: 14 euro, 4-person-room: 15,50, 2-person-room: 18 euro in year 2005) includes breakfast. It is served in the patio and consists of one cup of coffee or tea, one roll of bread and some marmalade. It is possible to buy juice, more coffee, bread etc, but don’t expect too much.

The hostel also have two computers with internet connection available for a small fee, and a room called something like the world room, which we never got around to visit.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: Backpacking, Budget Travel

Ave Gratia Plena Photo: View from our room. Front; hostel. Back; church

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