Bob W Madrid Atocha

The people are the reason to book Bob W Madrid Atocha. After a transatlantic flight with two cats who'd been in their carriers for 12 hours, I was exhausted, early, and unable to check in until 3 pm. Carolina and Bob made us feel welcome and went out of their way to help. They let the cats settle in their break room, got me into the beautiful two-bedroom apartment ahead of schedule, and helped me install the Bolt app for transportation. When I left, Carolina kept my luggage for two days and personally arranged to ship it to my next stop, keeping me updated on WhatsApp throughout. The apartment itself is gorgeous, huge, and has a full kitchen, so it feels like a real home. In more than 50 countries of travel, I rarely see this kind of genuine, above-and-beyond care. Bob W Madrid Atocha is exceptional.

The location made getting around really easy, whether on foot, by bus or by metro, and there was a Mercadona right across the street. We were pleasantly surprised that the rooms were bigger than the online pictures suggested. Having a washing machine in the apartment was a big plus, and the lockers were handy for luggage storage.

We were a group of six with Lucky, our small Maltese pet, and this was the best option for us in Madrid. Pets are welcome for a small fee, WiFi is free, and there’s a very efficient locker room for bags, even very late on checkout day or early on check-in day. The location is strategic, with the UNESCO heritage site of the " paseo de la luz" and its three major museums, as well as the marvellous Retiro park, within walking distance. There’s also a metro station just a few meters away, though we hardly needed it, plus a super nice café around the corner. The apartment was clean, spacious and comfortable, with plenty of amenities like a coffee machine, tea and everything needed for the toilet. Customer service was incredible. We could message the hotel on WhatsApp and get answers in real time, and staff were very friendly. We’ll be back when we're in Madrid.

I haven’t even checked out yet, but I’m so angry that I’m writing this now. My stay has made me miserable. I got sick between the bus leaving and arriving in Madrid at 6:00, and really needed to check in early. I’d booked the room only a few days before, when I was healthy, and the online option to pay $20 for two hours’ early access wasn’t available anymore. The late check-in was awful, two hours later than everywhere else unless you paid extra. This doesn’t feel like a real hotel. It feels like a short-term rental, and with Madrid cracking down on those, the whole setup seems legally questionable. There’s no staff on site or keycards. Their website says check-in desks are awkward and that they “got rid of them,” and apparently remembering a six-digit code for a two-night stay is supposed to be easier than keeping track of a keycard. I knew it had a shady AirBnB feel, which I avoid for a reason. I only booked because of the location and because it was the only hotel in the area I needed where I could be guaranteed a double bed at booking. No keycards, staff or check-in desk seems to fit the picture. None of that is for the guest’s benefit. Bob isn’t a real person, and Bob W isn’t a real hotel, so they can’t provide things that aren’t actually there. The place falls short in several ways. The door keypad is cheap and often didn’t register my taps, so I had to enter the code several times. There’s a bunch of unnecessary junk in the room. I don’t need an Atari, I need a shower that stays hot longer than five minutes. The air is bone dry too. With winter cold and both of those problems, it’s a real vacation killer. Another review says the building has only one boiler, which is insane for a “hotel.” And one last thing, “Bob”: I know you’ll reply to this review saying I could have sent a message on WhatsApp. But that’s not how a real hotel works. I should be able to call someone or speak to a front desk and know who I’m talking to. Messaging a company mascot who may or may not even be in the country isn’t comforting or helpful. A WhatsApp complaint also won’t stop the hot water running out after five minutes unless you can magically give us our own boiler. A long hot shower is the bare minimum a “hotel” should provide. What an absolute failure! Edit: my first email still hasn’t had a response, even though it says to reply and tell them if anything is “less than stellar.” I also completed an emailed survey and will reply to the second email, supposedly from a staff member, shortly. Edit 2: Neither email has been answered. I contacted them on WhatsApp and spoke to someone who wasn’t local. There was no local staff member available at the time, so the claim of 24/7 service is a lie. They admit they’re an apartment-hotel rather than a hotel, which is subject to different standards, but when I challenged the claim that they’re a “four star hotel,” they insisted it was true. I also pressed them about the license paperwork, which should be easy to access, their failure to answer my emails, and the hot water issue. They said someone local would review it. The response I received this morning speaks for itself. Apparently the hotel decides how much hot water is needed for a comfortable shower, and if you need more, you’re selfish and don’t care about the environment!