The Principal Madrid

Excellent breakfast. There was a problem with our room. The staff dealt with it promptly and upgraded us to a different room.

Service in the bar

Perfect location in central Madrid.

The hotel has an excellent location; all the places of interest are within walking distance. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The breakfast is superb and there is free very good cava available from entrance to roof terrace and breakfast.

We had a de luxe room in this "luxury" 5 star hotel. The room might have been from a standard 3 stat hotel, it was very small, although it had a very good view, the furnishings had seen better days, there were two chairs of which one was like a chair size hammock too low to sit at the desk-come-table. The other chair's soft material had become really shabby, was dirty, dusty and there was a piece of chocolate on the seat! The chambermaid changed it for a much better and cleaner faux leather version. There was very little storage space. no drawers in the desk nor the bedside tables. The bathrobes were old and worn, one had a belt loop missing with a hole where it had been, the otherwas missing the loop with which to hang it! There were no sanitary bags not toilet brush in the bathroom but there was an occasional stench of sewage. The bench at the end of the bed was really a health hazard as it was easy to catch your knee on the sharp metal corners, as happened to my wife, leaving her with an aching knee. When checking in a 200 deposit was demanded to cover any damage we caused, no hotel has ever asked me for this and I used to be an Export Sales Manager! What damage could occur for such a sum?Break a teacup? When checking out and viewing the final bill we saw a charge of 12 for use of the minibar. We never use minibars but the sum was reversed as soon as we protested without demure. It makes one think that the charge was added to all bills in the sure hope not everyone would notice. Another charge of 1 was added as a donation without us being asked if this was O.K. what was this for? To replace the bathrobes or repair the sewage system! Finally, my wife's spare watch went mysteriously missing. We did not report this as we were unable to prove any wrongdoing. There was a safe in the room so not putting the watch inside was my wife's fault as she left it in her evening bag on the highest shelf of the wardrobe. What conclusion can one reach?

The hotel is beautifully designed. The terrace is perfect, with great view and lovely to have a drink or coffee. Rooms were comfortable and modern with attention to detail, including complementary tea/coffee/sweets, and the staff was incredibly nice and helpful. Location is really the best you can ask for - within walking distance to all the main attractions.

Breakfast was not amazing (it was ok) and bathroom was a bit small.

Nicely styled and well positioned hotel.