Petit Palace Puerta del Sol

Getting here with luggage was easy: the hotel is just steps from the metro I took from the airport. I also felt very safe in this huge city, especially around the hotel, even when I was on my own. Staff were kind and helpful, and the breakfast was good enough that I’d recommend adding it to your stay. Hotel Petit Palace in Puerta del Sol put me right in the middle of what felt like Madrid’s “Times Square.” The streets were beautifully decorated for Christmas, and there was a party atmosphere every night. I expected the noise to make sleep difficult, but it was amazingly quiet indoors, even for a very light sleeper. The view was incredible, with so much to do and so many restaurants nearby. It was the most expensive hotel of my trip, but worth it for feeling safe while staying close to all the fun. I loved this beautiful spot, and Petit Palace helped make Madrid one of my favorite cities.

The hotel refused a straightforward request to shift my reservation by one day, keeping the same room and rate. I booked through an intermediary (Agoda/Booking channel), spotted the wrong date within minutes, and contacted the hotel right away by email and WhatsApp with proof. I wasn’t asking to cancel or get a refund, only to correct the date. They hid behind “policy” despite the immediate request and identical room and rate. After days of chasing them, the “Experience Manager” sent a copy-paste reply saying they had “applied the policy with the corresponding penalty” and that I needed to request the invoice directly from the hotel. At the same time, they wouldn’t provide proper documentation or offer a real solution. I have full written evidence of every message and refusal. This isn’t hospitality; it’s a business model that traps guests in technicalities and rejects reasonable requests, even when reported instantly. If basic fairness, customer service, or transparency matters to you, book somewhere else. Plenty of Madrid hotels treat guests with respect. Final rating: 1/5. Avoid.

Vanessa at the front desk made our stay a pleasant one. She was excellent, and the receptionist kindly brought us a fan when we mentioned the room’s air wasn’t circulating well. We were there in mid-March, before the AC had been switched on, and there was no option to turn it on. The rooms were clean and well located.

Vanessa deserves a special thanks for being so helpful. The staff were friendly and made us feel at home throughout the stay. We had a very nice room and bathroom, with a safe, minibar, and lockers. Highly recommended, and thanks again for everything.