If you’re planning a trip to Madrid, you’re unlikely to be short on places to stay. From high-end hotels to budget rooms, there’s plenty to choose from. Since I’m in Madrid at least 7 or 8 times per year, I’ve tried a few. Some good, some not so good, but in terms of price to quality, I’d rate Novotel Madrid Center as one of the better options.

Location

Novotel Madrid Center is easy to access from the airport. If you want to take the metro option it’ll take about 40 minutes and involves one change. The nearest metro to the hotel is O’Donnell and is a two minute walk away. There’s also the option of taking the airport bus, which stops pretty much right outside of the hotel. Alternatively you can grab a taxi, which is likely to cost in the region of €25 and take around 15/20 minutes depending on traffic.

The hotel itself is located in Goya, which is a really pleasant part of Madrid. You’re around a 10 minute walk from the famous El Retiro Park, and 30 minutes from Ayuntamiento de Madrid (the City Hall). Alternatively, the metro provides you with a quick and cheap way to get to almost anywhere in the city with minimal inconvenience.

The neighbourhood itself has plenty of amenities. A large El Corte InglΓ©s is a 5 minute walk away, and there are also plenty of nice restaurants nearby.

photos by Tiago Alves

Arrival

We arrived at around 00:30 on New Year’s Day after a flight from Gatwick, and the hotel had a live DJ at their bar, which was open to all guests. It was a nice touch. If you have status with Accor Hotels, it is well recognised at this Novotel. I am Gold level and was upgraded from a Standard room to a Superior Suite with a terrace – top marks for status recognition. Having stayed here numerous times before, it’s a common occurrence to receive a very good upgrade if there are rooms available. The hotel has 790 rooms in total, so upgrade chances are fairly good. I was also given a free welcome drink voucher, which is valid for soft drinks, beer or wine.



The Room

As previously mentioned, I had booked a standard room which worked out at around €70 per night (we stayed for 3). At check-in we were upgraded to a Superior Suite with terrace. The room itself was excellent, with a separate living and sleeping area. The terrace was large, and if this had been a trip in the spring or summer, it’d have been a great addition to the stay.

The rooms themselves are well appointed with plenty of amenities, as well as dressing gowns and slippers. There were two televisions (one in each room). The sofa in the living room can also be converted into a bed, which would be great for families. There was also a fridge with water, as well as a Nespresso coffee machine.

The bed was great and as I have always found here, the rooms are very quiet – perfect if you’re a light sleeper like me. The bathroom had a rain shower, and was again well appointed.

Bars and Dining

I haven’t ever eaten at the restaurant here, so can’t comment on what it’s like. Personally, I’d always tend to prefer to eat out at a local bar or restaurant. This said, the hotel bar is very good and the prices are also very reasonable. A bottle of wine will set you back €12, and you can also order any drinks to your room without paying an additional service charge. I consistently find the staff to be very good, also.

Recommended?

I’d certainly recommend the Novotel Madrid Center. If you’re able to book in advance it’s often possible to get a very good rate – especially so if you book during one of Accor’s private sales. I’ve always found my stays here to be very consistent, and really like the location and sleep quality.