Room Mate Alicia - Madrid, Spain     

We had the pleasure of five nights at this property in the middle of the European Football (Soccer) Championships. Despite being exhausted after 3 1/2 weeks of travel, we enjoyed and would recommend the hotel. The location is fabulous, right on the Plaza Santa Ana, the hottest spot in Madrid, it seemed. It is an easy walk to the Metro or the railroad station as well as within walking distance of the major museums (Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen). The room was comfortable and fun with floor to ceiling windows and a central (in the middle of the room) shower (though the placement of the shower head was not the best). The furniture was comfortable and the amenities good. The breakfast in the cafe next door was decent though I would have liked individually prepared espresso rather than coffee from a carafe. There was free internet available in the lobby (though you have to stand at the counter to use it). Service in the restaurant in the evening was mixed, but there are other places nearby if you can adjust to the Spanish food and eating times/styles. The service was excellent, provided by some very friendly and well informed young men. I would highly recommend this hotel for a good time in Madrid.

The Alicia is a lovely boutique hotel on a lively, clean, upmarket plaza in Madrid. The Santa Ana plaza has many good restaurants and tapas bars on it, and is a great place to people watch. One of the nicest spots to people watch is from the bathtub by the windows in the Junior Suite - it looks right down on the square! The Suite is a good size, esp. for a european hotel. The shower room is seperate from the bedroom/lounge unlike in the standard rooms. The huge windows let in lots of light, and while there is quite a lot of traffic noise in the day it drops off late at night. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the breakfast in the tapas bar was more than adequate unless you are looking for the full english breakfast. Tortilla, scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, cold meats, pastries and croissants are all available. After a couple of days the wait staff do anticipate your request for tea or cappuchino and will bring it to your table almost as soon as you sit down. We loved our stay at the Alicia and hope that we will be able to return.