Hotel Hospes Puerta de Alcala

We had a wonderful room facing the rear courtyard. It was quiet and easily accessible (we used the staircase our entire stay except for check in and check out when we had our luggage). The amenities in the room included a Nespresso coffee maker that we used daily. We enjoyed the complimentary champagne in our room as well as the turn down service and the staff went above and beyond with their service and friendliness. Our stay occurred during the blackout and we were lucky that the hotel was able to accommodate us with cold foods: salads, sandwiches, wine and beer. They pulled in the standing propane patio heaters from the front restaurant, which was closed to the public, so that we could have light in the rear patio seating area. The location conveniently across the street from the park was perfect for morning runs. Although we didn't get a chance to use the exercise room, pool, or hammams, they were great amenities to have.

This is not a 5 star hotel . Rooms are not sound proof , music from downstairs bars not blocked. Furniture is cheap . Wear and tear is not dealt with eg chipped wood , stains on fittings , hinges squeaking , poor lighting control . Desk inadequate as taken up by coffee maker and tray . Television relies on streaming , constantly rebuffing Renovation works on property next door reverberating sound into rooms . Poor upkeep of communal areas In general total lack of attention to detail and upkeep . Reception ugly and unwelcoming Poor signage Internet drops out . Very expensive hotel site rate at time of booking which is now heavily discounted .

As my usual hotels were sold out, I chose this hotel as it was close to where I needed to be for my business trip. The (rather expensive) rooms are on the small side and not really functional for a business traveller: no desk, only one power socket, dozens of switches for the lights, yet two lights illuminating the step cannot be turned off, rather loud A/C, a super slow lift (one for the whole hotel) and no real lobby (however, the restaurant at the square is nice to have an afterwork drink). Furthermore, the coffee machine in my room was broken. Staff were very friendly and helpful. For leisure the rooms are fine, but don’t expect a super luxurious 5*, rather a quaint 4* city hotel.

This is admittedly a high quality hotel. We stayed in two rooms each with a balcony facing the Alcala rotunda, and both were exceptional. The beds were fresh clean and cozy. The staff is professional, the breakfast very fine. The front desk, or rather one or two persons who sometimes man the front desk, may be the hotel’s weak link. Maybe it was the language barrier, but the vibe was welcome upon arrival but inverse to Hotel California after check-in, where instead of “you can never leave”, they prefer no one to ever stay. I think their job would be easier if no one ever checked in? Probably a bit more schooling in customer relations is in order.

Manuel was incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable. He guided us to the best, local coffee spot and made sure everything was perfect for our stay. The hotel was beautiful and everything was within walking distance. We were welcomed with champagne, chocolate, and friendly faces. This will be our go to hotel when we come back to Madrid!