Apartamento Prado

For a £260-a-night room, lousy is the only word I can use. The hotel calls itself four stars, but it felt more like one. There was almost no service and barely any housekeeping. We washed our own cups every day, and towels were changed only sometimes. Even then, we got just two towels for three adults, as if we were expected to share to help save the earth. The room was noisy, with no soundproofing, so we could hear the neighbors talking all night. It was also too warm. Turning up the fan made so much noise we couldn’t sleep. There were mosquitoes too, and reception said they couldn’t do anything. The TV didn’t work. When we mentioned it, reception said we didn’t know how to use it; after we asked him to try, he admitted he couldn’t fix it. The water was too hot, so we had to ask reception to adjust it. After that, the pressure became really low. We’ve stayed in many hotels in Europe and Asia, and this was the worst. Reception might be polite, but they couldn’t solve the many problems.

The only real plus was the location near Sol Metro Station. My family and I stayed for 3 nights, and this was one of the worst hotels I’ve been to. The rooms weren’t properly soundproofed, contrary to what the booking information said. I could hear the neighbors talking after midnight, and people at the restaurants next door kept partying until 4-5 am. It ruined our sleep throughout the stay. The air conditioning made a loud rumbling noise at speed "2" or "3". I told the property manager, who offered us a room meant for two, too small for our group of three adults. We ended up keeping the air con at "1" the whole time. The shower water was too warm. The property manager first suggested I didn’t know how to adjust the taps. Only after I insisted did they send the room attendant, who confirmed it was a hotel problem. They fixed the temperature, but the water pressure dropped too low, and by then I’d given up asking them to do anything else. The on-site managers were polite but couldn’t resolve problems or didn’t follow through. The TV never worked, despite promises to fix it. Some may see these as minor issues, but to me they’re basic expectations at a hotel that charges up to £260 a night.

The room was huge and well supplied for cooking, with a little fridge, stove, utensils, and a large flat-screen smart TV. The air conditioning was great, and the big queen-size bed let me sleep like a baby. There was a bath and shower, but using the tub is awkward because you have to stand inside it to turn on the taps. The half-glass partition also seems like a real issue for young people or anyone with mobility challenges. I’m not sure why it’s designed so poorly. It seems dangerous.

Suite Prado is right in the heart of Madrid, close to all the must-see places, and the hotel was very clean. Nights were a bit noisy because of a nearby bar. We later realized people in Madrid are so lively they hardly ever sleep, so I can’t blame the hotel! 😂