"My son had taken his family to Paris last year and discovered the joys of walking almost everywhere and taking convenient European trains as needed. He booked this hotel to achieve those goals. Mission accomplished.
Motel One is not remotely a motel. It's a very nice hotel. The exterior looks very austere, almost like an office building. The elevator, bedroom and bathroom were very modern, but the corridors and stairwell hinted that were remodeled from a much older building. In the hallway, stained glass windows and late 19th/early 20th century tile and stone flooring, bannisters, trim around those windows and doors all suggested a longer history. I loved the mix of convenient, comfortable rooms with the preservation of historical elements.
The hotel is close to the Plaza de Espana, the Temple of Debod, the Royal Palace, the Campo del Moro and the western terminus of the Gran Via. The neighborhood is full of restaurants and coffee shops and even a grocery chain, Dia. The room had a fridge so buying groceries made sense. But we walked to Cafe Viena twice for breakfast coffee and pastries.
Walking around was a great way to get a feel for Madrid. There was so much non-tourism detail to see. I was disappointed to learn only after the last session that a conference open to the public at the Museo Cerralbo had been underway all weekend. We both were disappointed that the Templo de Debod now requires advance booking. Only 15 people at a time may enter the temple itself. The grounds and the overlook around the temple are open to the public and free. My son suggested the overlook would be a good place to view the sun setting over the city. A map view doesn't show that, but go there and see for yourself. It's lovely.
Motel One had interesting views, too. We were on the fifth floor and that was high enough to get a perspective on the business side of Madrid.
Our stay was very short, and what we did see suggested a couple of weeks in Madrid would be fun if there's a second trip."
