Hotel Holiday Inn Express a Alcobendas

There is only one reason I would choose this hotel again – if I am taking care of business in the immediate area. The staff is professional, the facility is nice and clean, Wi-Fi works well, but the location is lacking. If you want to be near the Barajas airport or the industrial facilities nearby and do not plan to leave the hotel, this is a competitive choice; if not, keep looking. The price I paid was slightly lower, but it does not compensate for the dull location. The amount I saved on lodging, I will spend on Uber. Google Maps show “Centro Comercial Carrefour Alcobendas” within walking distance with a choice of restaurants and stores. The problem is that it is on the opposite side of “Carretera de Fuencarral.” There is no pedestrian infrastructure to get there unless you walk on the highway, which is dangerous, and I don’t recommend it. I walked around with my GPS and could not find a way. This is an industrial zone with limited choices to offer a guest. Alleys, dead-ends, warehouses, and automobile manufacturer offices surround the hotel. However, there is a way to walk to a plaza featuring a Toys “R” Us. The only restaurant (Orale Compadre) was closed on Sunday afternoon and supposedly opened on Monday at 8 pm, so it does not help much. A PrimaPrix was closed by 3 pm on Sunday—the rest of the business sells ornaments, miscellaneous, sporting goods, or furniture. Don’t be misled by all the colorful bubbles in Google Maps surrounding the hotel. The hotel only offers breakfast from 7 am – 10 am. Management seems to have a deal with Telepizza for delivery, so I ordered. The food tasted unfrozen, and it was school cafeteria quality at best. A reflection of the lacking food services in the area is evident as the vending machines are missing a significant percentage of snacks. The room does not feature a mini-fridge like other Holiday Inn locations, so bringing drinks and/or snacks that require refrigeration is not an option. The Uber from Barajas airport to Holiday Inn Alcobendas was 14 Euros for a 15-minute ride. An Uber to the Madrid Center area was 27 Euros, which took 25 to 30 minutes. The view from my side of the hotel is uninteresting (warehouse rooftops). I can only imagine it is no different on any other side of the building. The TV is not smart, so you are limited to the channels offered (Sorry, no YouTube or Netflix). I think offering complimentary airport transportation to take advantage of the proximity to Barajas Airport should be considered.