Funway Academic Resort - Adults Only

My stay at Funway Academic Resort in Madrid was extremely disappointing, and I'm sharing this to warn other guests. Be very cautious when booking, especially if you're travelling internationally. Even when faced with genuine travel restrictions that were legally valid, the hotel showed no willingness to help or treat guests fairly. It seemed more interested in taking my money. I was charged over 900 Euros with no further explanation!!!!!

The room itself is nice, but there's a small step in the floor by the desk and I tripped on it a couple of times. Staff kept knocking after I showered to ask whether the shower was leaking, even though I told them the bathroom wasn't leaking. When I came back from lunch, my door was unlocked. Then around 10pm, an employee woke me to check whether the bathroom was flooding because the room downstairs had a leak. I asked for a different room. They should have moved me before checking for leaks.

Reception staff were friendly and helpful, though I can't say the same about the cafeteria staff. It's an affordable place, and would be great for students. Since it's actually a student residence, things are pretty basic and youthful. Also, some facilities aren't available to outside guests, which the booking sites don't mention. Still, it brought back university memories for me.

We paid a reasonable price for a pleasant stay in a decent location. The Metro is about a five minute walk away, and that line takes you straight south into the heart of the city without any changes. The rooms are quite small, and there isn't a fridge or any drink making equipment. The bed lifts up to the ceiling during the day, which is a quirky space saver. There's no AC either. The rooms use geothermal heating and cooling, but we were there for four nights when it was around 30⁰C throughout the day, and by our fourth night the room was very warm. Be prepared, especially if you're going in July or August when it may be hotter. We found it peaceful and fairly quiet, though I can imagine it getting noisy when busy. The staff were pleasant, spoke English, and took good care of our rooms. There are several buildings with a pleasant courtyard and terrace between them, with both sun and shade at most times of day. There is food on site, but it didn't appeal to us, so we didn't eat there. Plenty of places nearby do breakfast and evening meals, including a nice cafe at the top of the road that's open all day, seven days a week. There's also a pool open to short stay guests, despite what some reviews say. Reception provides separate swimming towels. It's small and shallow, with refreshingly cool water. Sunbeds are there, though they fill up quickly. For the price, it's a good budget option. If we came back, we'd be better prepared for the small rooms and limited facilities.