Melia Castilla, Madrid

Advantages: Excellent decor, great Regents Park location - within 2 mins walk of 2 tube stations
Disadvantages: 4 star decor not matched by corresponding room size

...of London. One very good thing about the Melia White House is that it is marked on maps such as the London A to Z. Once you cross the major road from the tube stations it's very heard to miss, there are pedestrian crossings which make this easier. The lobby to the Melia White House instantly says 4 star. Although it has a low roof the decor and panelling is impressive. Checking in you suddenly realize that this hotel has teleported in from Madrid. The entire check in staff is Spanish, illustrating the hotel's ownership (the Spanish Sol Group). Finding a receptionist who speaks good English is a roll of the dice each visit. Generally service is good. We arrived at 1pm on a Saturday and no rooms were ready. When we got a room on our return around 4pm our bags took 20 minutes to follow us up and the porter immediately left without... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

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

...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... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: close to the beach
Disadvantages: service poor.

...My wife and I have just spent a week at the Castilla and have returned home very disappointed with the hotel itself and the concrete jungle in which it resides. To start with the pluses: The hotel is spotlessly clean - though we did find in our room a cockroach of the sort of proportions which might have got it some extra work in the film "Alien". The cleaning staff and indeed all the female staff working in the hotel were helpful and efficient, pleasant to talk to and always wore a smile. Anything else? hmmm the lifts worked! None of the male staff measured up to the female. Surly, unhelpful and distant are the kindest words I can find. The food was poor - it was never served warm. Maybe it is a Spanish tradition to serve mashed potato and vegetables cold. If so it is not one that I have encountered before. The shops in the area... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful