Melia Galgos - Madrid, Spain 

The best thing about this hotel for me it's the location, it is close to the Salamanca neighbourhood that is the most hip and trendy one, close to good restaurants and Calles Goyas and Serrano known for their great shops. We stayed in a superior suite on the top floor (we went for a friends wedding and his father booked the room for us with special discount but they charged us regular fee to compensate us they gave us the sup. suite). The room was of course big but for a superior suite I tought it was quite low standards. the best thing about our top floor is that it was close to the spa area.

The most refined district of Madrid is the Barrio of Salamanca. This is where the aristocrats and rich people live, as well as many politicians. Downtown is not too far away, only a short metro ride or taxi ride away, so the location is convenient to many of the tourist attractions downtown. The Barrio of Salamanca is clean and well kept, with few graffiti. There are many beautiful buildings from the 19th century here. In a word, the district is elegant. Calle Serrano is the Fifth Avenue of Madrid, with some of the best shopping around. The Hotel Melia Galgos is adjacent to Calle Serrano. Perpendicular to Calle Serrano is the street called Ortega y Gassett, which is the Rodeo Drive of Madrid, also very near the Melia Galgos. The Salamanca District is also the safest district in Madrid to stay in. Very powerful people live in the district and they do not tolerate petty street crime, such as pickpockets. There is plenty of security around to prevent these things from happening in the district. Even at night, the district is very safe. For visitors who want a relaxes stay in Madrid and who do not want to worry about petty street crime, then the Salamanca District is where they should stay and the Melia Galgos has one of the best locations in this district. What impresses me about this hotel is that it is a modern business hotel that manages to be friendly to everyone. Everything is done efficiently by the staff, yet they are all approachable and they all want to please the traveler. I have asked the staff for all sorts of information, and they have gone out of their way to give me this information. The bedrooms are immaculately clean. So are the bathrooms. The bedrooms also have a mini bar and plump extra pillows. The thermostat is adjustable by the visitor and the windows can be opened to allow in fresh air when it is needed. We recently had a light bulb that was flashing and needed to be replaced. We left a note to the maid and when we came back, it was fixed. We have been traveling extensively all over Spain recently and my wife and I think that the Melia Galgos has one of the best breakfast buffets in the country. There are several long tables filled with everything one could want for breakfast. There are all sorts of sweet pastries and bread, cereal, cold cuts (including the very expensive Jamon Serrano), juices, all sorts of fruit (already peeled), and hot breakfast food. They will make eggs the way you like. Besides they also have Spanish tortilla, salmon, and prepared sandwiches. I even found a wonderful chocolate cake that was just perfect, not too sweet, but very flavorful. All the staff who work in the breakfast room are wonderful and try to please. They are also very friendly and will try to cater to your tastes. The room is very elegant with modern chandeliers and flower arrangements. It is also very quiet, so one can relax. Many times the big fruits such as the melon is sliced with very decorative carvings. There are a wide variety of newspapers just outside the breakfast room and also in the lobby, so one is kept abreast of current news. I would like to make special mention of the luggage men who immediately get your luggage when you enter the hotel. They then quickly bring your luggage to your room as soon as you are assigned a room number. This service is very much appreciated by visitors. There are many restaurants of all price ranges that are close to the hotel. Also one can find the Caprabo supermarket very close to the hotel. There is another supermarket at the El Corte Ingles Department Store a few blocks away. The best stores in Madrid are just a stone’s throw away, which is very convenient. I feel right at home in this hotel and would recommend it to any visitor who wants to have a pleasant stay in Madrid. For me, this hotel is my first choice among all the affordable hotels in the city.