I've stayed there twice. The rooms are great with marvelous bathrooms. Free internet access is a plus. The staff is very nice. Breakfast is +++++++ The first time my room did not have a working desk and I asked for a solution that was immediately provided. The second time they assigned me a room with a desk without me having to ask! Location is great!

My wife and I stayed 4 days at the Hospes Madrid in May 2008. This newly renovated hotel has a great location at the Plaza de Independencia in front of the Royal Garden, near the shopping area, near the museums, and about 15 minutes walk to the old city. We had reserved the only junior suite that was so baldly designed that we asked to be moved in a deluxe room. So we visited most type of rooms and we found out that the rooms on the atrium were quiet but lacked natural light. And the the duplex rooms on the fourth and fifth floors were crampy. Finally, our deluxe room was in front on the Plaza de Independencia and had lot of natural light. Il was a very nice room with a superb open bathroom. The bed and the pillows were very confortable. But, the room was too small for the price: there are no desk where you can write or put a computer and no drawers to put your underwears. The television can only be looked from the bed ( beacuse of the lack of space) and has only one English channel (CNN) on more than 35 channels. We think that the hotel designer was given carte blanche and a good budget; so the emphasis was put on design and he forgot many practicalities. Housekeeping was very good. Front desk was allways ready to help, but they do not have a concierge who can make good recommendations and get the last table available, like it is the practice in a five star hotel. We recommend this hotel only of you take a deluxe room on the Plaza de Independencia and that you get a good price. This is certainly not a five star hotel like they advertised it.

Certainly if you are looking for a stylish, boutique hotel in Madrid - you would not go far wrong with the Hospes. It is in a great location, overlooking the city's main park and close to the key art galleries. The intimate environment has also been beautifully designed. Our bedroom was very nicely laid out, with an open plan bathroom (which is only fine, if you are on your own, or with someone you truly love....). The finish of the room could have been a little better (especially as the Hospes is not cheap) and the sink looked beautiful, but was a nightmare to use (shallow and not good for shaving). There was also a very nice intimate bar and restaurant, along with a lovely courtyard (which I am sure is great in the Summer). The staff are very friendly and helpful. However, the main fault of the hotel is it lacks the five star polish it markets itself to have. Tea trays that were delivered to the room had great crockery and glasswear, but were thrown together. Breakfast lacked polish - as did the bar (which also had a slight whiff of drains). There was also a lovely plasma screen in the room, which only had Spanish channels. If the hotel wishes to attract an international, well travelled clientele (especially business travellers), it is going to have to up its game. Not wanting to sound too negative - it is certainly a wonderful choice for a weekend/leisure break in Madrid. A bit of standards and training and it will be a great option.

Hotel Hopses Madrid is located in Plaza Independenzia, also known as Puerta de Alcal?, Madrids own "Arc du Triomphe". The outside architecture is typically early 20th century Madrid. The hotel is very close to the museum triangle, at the end of fashionable Serrano Street, Madrid's main shopping artery, and right across the entrance to the wonderful Retiro Park. You can easily stroll around on foot for a whole weekend, but taxi drives are inexpensive. The hotel experience is very pleasant. The staff is very friendly and attentive, the public rooms, although still lacking any patine, are charming and carefully thought, but empty and lacking in atmosphere. This will probably improve with time, as the hotel is still new, and relatively unknown, at least for cab drivers. The decor is a bit too glamour-urban-chic for my personal liking. Period furnishings painted white, black, silver or gold, combined with medium glitter fabrics seems to be the standard decor for fashion boutique hotels. Neighboring social mecca restaurant Ramses, by Philip Stark himself is of course a prime example of the genre. The room was lovely and luxurious, with stucco moldings in the ceiling, big comfortable bed with very smooth linens, large LCD TV, and a wonderful bathroom, with a big white marble shower cabin. The breakfast was excellent, with a big variety of spanish smoked hams, cheeses and delicious pastries. The bread was superb. You could order a variety of hot dishes, omelets and vegetables. At 30 Euros it's a bit expensive, so beware as it is not included. The spa was small but effective. A 40 room hotel would hardly have use for a big spa, and the small pool was the ideal for relaxing after a long saturday afternoon museum and shopping spree. Massages were unavailable, as the therapists were booked for the afternoon. At 190 Euros a night for a standard room, the hotel delivers a fair deal, and I would recommend it.