Hotel Mercure a Madrid

Getting to the hotel with public transport can be easy or complicated, your choice: taxi for fixed 30 euros, bus line 203 until Cibeles and then 15min walk or 3 tube lines and about 50min. The location is really prime: a few steps away from Prado Museum and a few more to the part, downtown is also within walking distance, like all other main destinations, that including main train station Atocha. And the side street reduces a lot of the noise from outdoors. Staff is adorably friendly and all are most kind and helpful, namely Lorena, Ivan, Diego, Camila, the Sicilian Andrea and, above all, the impecable and highly professional Carlota, who deserves promotion quickly. Calling it a 'boutique hotel' is rather exaggerated, the unit is indeed small and cosy but it takes more than charm to lable it so special. Rooms are small, two people bump into one another all time and there is barely space for a suitcase to roll from the door into the room. Furniture is already tired and scratches can be seen in most of them; maybe the dim indirect light is aimed at concealing those weak spots. Internet is appalling and drops all the time, one cannot rely on it for a conference call or watching/downloading a video, let alone process a payment online. The worst asset of the hotel is noise, walls are paper-thin and one can hear each and every sound from the corridors, from neighbouring rooms and from outdoors: even the core walls are slender! For light sleepers the hotel is an absolute no-go, although a lot depends on how other guests (mis)behave, which was my case during this stay. Breakfast is very presentable and absolutely nothing fails there, like juices, cold cuts, an excellent coffee machine, breads and healthy items to go with your yoghurt. Unfortunately the kitchen only functions for breakfast, all the rest is ordered by room services, is prepared elsewhere and delivered into the room. For the very high price, both amount of food and presentation are close to awful, especially when one wants to be seen as 'boutique hotel'. Chicken with roast potatoes came in a glass, brownie was a crumbled dry and tasteless cake and tiramisu was the most disgusting dessert I have ever had - please don't order food there, it was a waste of time and money! If you want to be very central in Madrid, happen to be a heavy sleeper, praises a good breakfast, don't mind a tired and small 'Ibis-sized' room, then this Mercure could suit you; otherwise be aware of its weak spots, not to be as frustrated as I was/am, bearing the excellent and attentive service in mind. Honestly speaking, before a deep renovation which includes thicker walls, more reliable internet, an in-house restaurant and new furniture, I personally don't consider a return so soon, unless it's a contingency situation.