Hotel Zentral Castellana Norte

The bathroom wasn’t clean when I arrived, with bits of paper and hair on the floor. Then the pipes stopped working properly, so I couldn’t shower. They said it would be fixed by evening, but the water was still brown and nasty. The TV wasn’t a smart TV either, so I had to watch Netflix on my tablet. Even cheap two star places have smart TVs now. This work trip was a mess for a so-called four star hotel, and I’m not coming back.

The breakfast was nice, but I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone coming to rest, especially light sleepers. The air conditioning sounded like a helicopter taking off. I was exhausted enough to fall asleep, but woke up four or five times from the noise and made a video after one of those wakeups. Before arriving, I called the hotel and tried options 1, 2, and 3, but got disconnected each time without anyone answering.

The staff were very nice, and the location is good for business. But the sheets were itchy and I slept very badly. With the poor soundproofing, I could hear the alarm clock of the person across from me and the street noise.

Breakfast was easily the highlight, with lots of options and good quality. The hotel is up in northern Madrid, so public transport makes getting to the center and other sights manageable, though it still takes a while. Our room was large, but the amenities were sparse, it wasn't especially clean or quiet, and there was a strong smell that seemed like smoke. It eased later in the evening. The place is just okay, and the staff were only average in friendliness.