Velázquez 45 by Pillow

It was just what I expected: clean, a comfy bed and an adequate breakfast. I’ve stayed here before, and I’ll definitely be back.

The hotel was comfortable and in an excellent location, but dealing with management after my AC broke was terrible. It was out for two days of my six-night stay, and with Madrid at 30 degrees, I had two sleepless nights. I asked reception to email Manager Mr. Gonzales about the issue and request an adjustment to my bill. On Thursday morning, they told me they’d emailed him, but I heard nothing that day. When I checked again on Friday, they said he still hadn’t replied or left me a message. I expected an apology and an adjustment then. I checked out Sunday, and only after I got home and emailed again did he offer 15% credit for those two nights, €75 toward the €500 I paid for them. He said, for some inexplicable reason, a credit card refund wasn’t possible. I’d paid directly by card, so I couldn’t understand why. I didn’t want a future credit valid for six months because I didn’t plan to return to Madrid within that time. After more back and forth, he reluctantly doubled the offer to €150 but still said he couldn’t refund the card, without explaining why. I thought that was dishonest. What kind of business can’t refund a credit card? The amount also seemed paltry for two nights of terrible sleep in a room that cost €500 for those nights, but I was willing to accept it back to my card and end the discussion. I eventually emailed the Customer Care Manager at the Barcelona head office. She didn’t reply, but Mr. Gonzales then emailed to say I’d receive the card refund. I never expected to have to work so hard to get an apology and proper refund from a hotel chain that seemed reputable. The reception team were generally nice and helpful, especially Carlos, who was extremely kind. But the person on duty the morning I arrived, May 27, was terribly rude and unhelpful. I asked if he could help me book a rail ticket to Toledo for the next day on my iPhone, since I’d tried and couldn’t complete it. He looked at me as if I were from Mars and condescendingly said they didn’t help with that, even though he wasn’t busy. When I said I was surprised he was being so uncooperative, he sent me to a travel agency around the corner that didn’t exist. I ended up taking a taxi to the train station and spending an hour trying to book in person.

The hotel is very clean, the rooms are nicely decorated and the location is very good. Still, some reception staff aren’t as welcoming as their job calls for. If a good night’s sleep matters to you, this may not be the place: you can hear footsteps from guests upstairs and on the stairs. Worst of all, cleaners start at 08:30, moving furniture and vacuuming, even on Saturdays and Sundays.

I was in Madrid for just one night in August 2020 to meet a friend, and needed somewhere very affordable and close to her. This place exceeded my expectations. The photos don’t do it justice; it’s beautiful and simple. The suite was a little tight, but just right for me as a solo traveler, and everything was perfect. I appreciated the warm welcome at check-in and the complimentary water in the room. I’d definitely stay again and recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable place to stay.