Rafaelhoteles Atocha

"We were on a tour and decided to do a pre-day stay. We were charged $200 before tax for the one night. When we checked in, they asked if we wanted to pay extra for breakfast! We declined, and thought it was a bit too much. The staff at this hotel - seemed ok with the 2 guys, but very business-like. They are also seemingly short-handed or simply don't care - the 2 water jugs have been empty every time we've come in or left the hotel - except once. Even when you tell them about it, it still remains empty. One time, I tried to fill my water bottle from one of the jugs, and one of the desk clerks told me NO. What? The double bed was fine, room was about average, no water heater to make coffee or hot water. Also, they don't seem to know the area around here! Asked where the nearest ATM was and they had to ask around, and eventually gave us the answer - nothing close by. Gave us wrong directions while drawing and marking the map! Hotel was 5 blocks off! That has caused some confusion, and delay in getting to our destination. To get to the Metro - not the train - from our hotel, you'd think it was simple. We were told that just follow the train depot just literally across the street and you'll get to the Metro. Well, the train depot is 5-7 blocks to get to the Entrance... and when you get to the Entrance, it doesn't say Metro! Even if it is also! Which caused confusion, and hotel clerk didn't tell us that. ------ The last stop on our tour was Madrid, and we stayed at this hotel for one night in October Guess whether the two jugs of water were filled or not when we entered the hotel late afternoon! I asked the clerk and he grunted and said "Give me a few minutes." About 2 hours later, when we went out for our Farewell dinner, I'll let you guess what the condition of the 2 jugs of water were! It really seems like the staff doesn't care. I think it's filled once in the morning and that's it for the rest of the day and night. Very poor attitude! After our Farewell dinner, there were a few of us that gathered around for a group photo of less than 10 people. Asked one of the clerks to take the group photos, and he shot basically 6 shots, all looking the same, but photos not centered! Oh, well! --- We find the staff here rather lazy and non-responsive, and the word 'surly' does seem to describe them accurately. No hot water heater, and our bed is a small double bed that squeaks when you lie down on it."

"While in Madrid, Spain as part of a delayed birthday celebration for my daughter and me, we stayed at the Rafaeles hotel for two nights. Our check-in process was straightforward with no issues. The front desk clerk was professional and courteous. He gave us the keys and pointed us in the direction of the elevators. I loved the fact that there were four elevators available as these elevators were very small inside. The hotel has a modern style decor and is kept clean. The room was a nice size, and the bed was just the right amount of firmness and very comfortable. I loved the bathroom decor most of all. The shower tub combination was a bit too narrow, but the shower pressure was wonderful. This hotel is in an ideal location. It is very walkable, and there are a lot of stores and restaurants within walking distance. The train station is also within walking distance. They offer breakfast at this hotel. The breakfast is not bad, but it does not have a large variety of options. Also, the scrambled eggs were very grainy and gritty so this was not enjoyable. The infused water that’s set up at the reception area for guests was not being managed well. Upon check-in, I got a glass of the lemon-infused water. We had a long day of traveling, and I was quite thirsty. The water did not taste good at all. In fact, it tasted like it had been sitting there for a few days, and the lemon was rancid in the water. The orange-infused water tasted much better and did not taste like it was sitting there for several days. From what I observed during my visit, it seems like the infused water is set up in the morning, but it’s not attended to throughout the day such as changing out the water etc. By the end of the day, it’s rundown and whatever bit is still sitting in there, people still drink hence the difference in the quality from the earlier part of the day to at night time. Overall, our visit went well, and we were comfortable during our stay."

"Although this hotel is situated in a business district with no shopping, but right across the street from the train station, I very easily found my way around the city within a 2 to 3 mile radius, I found a bank machine (ATM) just down the street right on the corner, a family owned quaint bistro 2 doors down and a pharmacy right next door! The staff was wonderful and the free breakfast was exceptional!! THANK YOU REFAEL ATOCHA HOTEL!!! I'LL BE BACK!!! Aloha, Faith Tyler room 131"