"No, I’m not being paid for this, nor is it a cheap plug. It’s a shame that these reviews aren’t rated higher than five stars, as this hotel—or rather, its staff—would certainly deserve them.
My wife and I booked a room for 10 days over Easter. A junior suite that… didn’t quite meet our expectations: dim lighting, quite a bit of street noise, a minor fault in the bathroom and not much space for our clothes. We went to reception, not with the intention of making a complaint, but in the hope that they might find us an alternative solution, even if it meant swapping for a standard room with more light and less noise.
Paula Fernández, the Guest Relations Manager, listened to us attentively, without interrupting, and told us she would look into the matter.
When we returned that afternoon, we had been moved to the best room in the hotel, on the 7th floor—a suite with a terrace to which they had added a chest of drawers and coat racks so we could unpack our bags without any trouble. In the magnificent room, the staff had left drinks, snacks and small gifts for us, along with a handwritten card from the hotel manager, Conchita Bedoya, who was absent that day.
Over the following days, we were treated like VIPs by all the staff, including the manager, a gesture we greatly appreciated.
Not content with all that, the management granted us a generous discount on the final bill.
That is what I call excellence in hospitality – not useless luxuries or inaccessible palaces. Excellence, not only in the facilities but, above all, in the staff. And the staff at this hotel have been excellent and memorable. So much so that the next time we spend our holidays in Madrid again, we already know which hotel we’ll be staying at.
And for those looking for more practical details, the hotel is very well located, without being right in the tourist centre, very close to the Metro and the buses on Paseo de la Castellana, with a taxi rank right outside the door. The building is a 19th-century mansion converted into a hotel. Our room was magnificent, with a small entrance hall, a large and very comfortable bed, a clean and bright en-suite bathroom, and a wonderful terrace with sofas and a table. The breakfast was good and plentiful, and the room service was quick and of high quality. But I must stress, the best thing is the staff: motivated and efficient professionals, led by an all-female team, working in perfect harmony.
Thank you, NH Abascal. As MacArthur said in the Philippines: ‘We will be back!’"
