Soto del Real Holidays from £294

For a relatively new hotel, we are already returning customers, although that won’t happen any time soon. The hotel has all the potential and the looks, but sadly it ends there. During our first visit following a couple weeks of the hotel opening, we were left with feeling that potential will be achieved following a few months of trial and error corrections at all level, but this hasn’t happened. We were greeted during this second visit, by excuses to the loud nights we were going to experience in our room due to some events happening the floor below our room (true, we couldn’t sleep and were left more tired than when we arrived), at checkout, when mentioned this, we were told “OK”. The employees both at the rooftop and at breakfast do not acknowledge hotel guests really, rather there is an odd priority system seemingly in place for outside guests. In addition, and as much as my partner and I always try to speak the local language we travel to, in a metropolitan city of the size of Madrid, staff who are clearly able to, should reciprocate this, so we can both understand each other. Again, some new staff have the potential, but if trained by the existing employees, I’m afraid it won’t go too far. Asking for direction, recommendations for local restaurants or things to do, following multiple tries we failed. All in all, the hotel does not exactly know what it wants to do. Is it a club, is it an underwhelming soho house, is it a cafe? It is definitely not a 5* hotel by service.

one of the best!

Location is fantastic, right amongst shops and cafes/restaurants. Metro across the road was convenient. Hotel has great rooms and breakfast was superb! Friendly staff and 2 elevators made the stay very pleasant. We had room on 4th floor overlooking Gran Via and having double glazed windows and block out curtains made the stay nice and quiet (and dark when curtains closed). Air Con worked very well in the 30c plus weather. Would definitely recommend and would come back again for sure.