BLESS Hotel Madrid

The location is extraordinary, and I had a wonderful stay. The staff were polite and supportive, starting with Ms.Kareemah’s lovely smile at check-in and continuing with Ms. Paula Carzoglio, whose concierge service was the best I’ve ever experienced. She supported us with all our show reservations and restaurants, and proactively worked through every issue as if it were her own. On our last day, when we were short on time, she arranged for a lost item from a distant store to be delivered to my place right on time, free of charge. I also truly respect the hotel management for taking comments seriously and working proactively to fix issues. Thanks again, Paula, and thanks Bless Hotel Family.

The design is stylish and well done, and I expected more from Bless Hotel Madrid with its five-star rating. There’s a club directly underneath the hotel, though, and the bass carries into the rooms until around 6 a.m. I couldn’t sleep until they turned the music off in the early morning. The service was professional, but it felt a bit impersonal. This wasn’t what I’d expect from a five-star hotel.

Avoid this hotel. I booked rooms for two staff members who checked in separately, and neither got their Amex credits or included breakfast until they went and asked. They checked in at different times with different people, so it looks like a policy rather than a mistake. When I joined them for drinks, it took ages, half the order never arrived, and they still tried to charge us for everything after I told them. The manager wasn’t around when I went to speak with him, and he never replied to my email. Awful hotel.

The lobby and restaurant are beautiful, the check-in and wait staff are kind, and the location is perfect for exploring Madrid. But I wouldn’t call this a five-star hotel. The room had serious water damage in the bathroom: cracked shower floors, a warped ceiling, and an overpowering sewage smell. The sinks also drained very slowly and needed maintenance during our stay. The staff tried quick fixes, like spraying the room and unclogging the drains, but guests shouldn’t have to deal with problems like these at any hotel. A luxury property needs to get the basics right. The owners should put money into clean, well-functioning rooms instead of just the pretty, picture-worthy details. I won’t be back, and I wouldn’t recommend it. They spent time on the details, just the wrong ones.