Hotel Gran Melia Fenix

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money
Quality of Rooms
Standard of Service
Quality of Food & Drink

Advantages:	Central madrid and very good service
Disadvantages:	Can't think of any

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This hotel is fantastic....but it should be at the price! I paid Euros 280 for a double bedded room with single occupancy on July 22nd. The hotel claims to be central and it is if Central means the terminal for the bus from the airport! But actually it is about two miles North of the city centre so be prepared to take a taxi for the real centre of Madrid from the hotel. I arrived at Madrid Barajas airport and decided to take a taxi. There is a bus advertised that stops outside the hotel but I am lazy! However I was ripped off! Officially it should cost about 15 Euros from the airport. I know because a colleague of mine took the same ride only one day earlier. My cab driver was very good at talking about my family, where I lived, have I ever been to Spain etc etc. When we arrived he was pointing out a good restaurant and when I looked back at the meter he had turned it off. He charged me 30 Euros! Don't get caught out If they think you are staying at an expensive hotel they will try to rip you off!

The hotel is where David Beckham stayed during the transfer talks. They have a big revolving door and a security guard who is quite scary with his big night stick! When I arrived the paparazzi were outside and it was quite difficult to push past them! The hotel air conditiomning is very very good. It was 35 degrees outside but inside was very comfortable. The hotel restaurant was expensive. I looked at the menu and it was about 40 Euros for a meal and it was dead. Nobody was eating on the evening I was there. The bar was busy and the staff spoke good English (They also didn’t laugh at my poor Spanish). But it is expensive at 15 Euros for two beers and a water!
The room was spacious with tele, mini bar, desk, phone, computerised lights, computerised air con, magazines, a robe, shoe polish, etc,. However room 527 is a corner room and it seems the bathroom was an after thought. The bath and shower were ok but the toilet was in a very narrow corridor and uncomfortable to use (given the price of the room). The facilities of the bathroom were first class. They gave a comb, shower gel, shampoo, cologne, shaving cream, a toothbrush kit, soap, shower cap, and after shave balm. Slippers and I already mentioned the robe from the bathroom. An Iron was requested from room service and it appeared within five minutes which is much better than other hotels I have been to! Breakfast was included in my room rate and it was a typical buffet service. Coffee was served at the table by a delightful young Spanish lady. The hot breakfast was tortillas or omelette although I had the fresh fruit and yoghurt. The coffee was typically strong and very hot which I like.
Check out was efficient and friendly and I was pleased that there were no hidden extras. I had used a bottle of water from the mini bar and I owned up to it at the desk. The fridge had said it was auto billing but it obviously isn’t. Not that I would have overindulged on the strength of this because I was working after all!

My opinion is this is good quality hotel with good staff and comfortable facilities. I recommend it if you don’t mind paying this kind of money! And you might run into David Beckham!