Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes came highly recommended from multiple sources and we stayed here from June 11-14, 2022.  If you’ve been following me, you will know that I prefer to spend my European trips staying at boutique hotels rather than large chains.  You typically get more personalized service, and almost always get more interesting rooms.  Well, the Catalonia hotels are a chain, and I can’t really speak to the chain itself, since this is the first and only Catalonia hotel where I’ve stayed, but this particular hotel is small and charming.  The lobby itself is very small but there is a nice lounge area behind the check in desk with comfortable couches to chill out.  The halls are maze-like to get to the rooms and there is a lot of charm to the place.  The building is an 18th century neoclassical building which was the Dukes de Noblejas’s mansion. They have proudly preserved many of the elements from the mansion including the grand, wooden staircase as well as the ceiling frescoes.

We booked two rooms, a Suite and a Premium room.  The Suite was very spacious and comfortable. Immediately when you walk in to the right is the large bathroom with a tub/shower combo and marble topped vanity, which has one sink and plenty of space to put your stuff.  Then you walk into a living area with a table and four chairs, a couch, and a buffet which holds the coffee maker, tv and mini fridge.  In the next room is the enormous bed.  Typically a king sized bed is two twins put together in size, but this is two doubles wide.  A double-wide! The pillows are about three feet long, and are some of the most comfortable pillows I have ever slept on in a hotel.  There is also a changing room with a lot of drawer space, closet space, and room for luggage.  The ceilings are about 14+ feet high, and are gorgeously painted.  

The Premium room was large for European standards.  It also seemed slightly more modern, with more USB plugs and outlets near the bed and reading lights attached to the bed as well.  There was no dressing room or couch, and the bathroom was a little smaller, but identically appointed. It also didn’t sport the cool, painted ceilings that are in the suite. 

While we were here, Madrid’s temperatures reached about 100, and the A/C in the rooms worked really really well.  The windows have double doors, which kept out almost all of the street noise, though we seemed to be on a relatively quiet street.  

The first evening they brought up a plate of fruit and a cold bottle of water which was a nice touch.  

The hotel offers free snacks from about 1pm – 8pm, but I wouldn’t count on filling up with these.  They offer small wraps about the size of a coin wrapper and tiny triangular sandwiches reminiscent of tea sandwiches. There are also some pre-made smoothies and salads in small jars as well as water and coffee.  It’s all self-serve. 

The breakfast at the hotel is excellent, and one of the better hotel breakfasts I have experienced in Europe. There is a large section for granolas and yogurt and fruits, as well as meats and cheeses. There is a significant selection of breads as well as pre-made hot items such as waffles, eggs, bacon, and Spanish omelets. Additionally, there was an assortment of pastries, cookies and doughnuts, as well as a serve yourself coffee machine. Last, but not least, there was a do-it-yourself bloody mary and mimosa cart!

Regarding front desk/concierge service here, it was good but not great.  I requested a recommendation for lunch near the Palacio Real, our first stop on the first day, and the places that were recommended were noted to be a bit touristy and a bit of a rip-off according to some online reviews, so that was a bit disappointing, but we ended up at a place on the Gran Via called Vinitus which ended up being excellent.  Read my review of the restaurant here. Generally though, the front desk folks remembered us and were pleasant greeting us as we came and went. They also provided orange-infused fresh ice water in the lobby, which was refreshing after a long, hot day of touring.

Turndown service was provided every single night, which was nice, but they did not close the drapes in the room, which I found odd.  Usually in a room with a lot of windows and a lot of drapes, they will shut them for turndown, and open them up and tie them back with morning/afternoon cleaning service.  Apart from this little pet peeve of mine, though, the cleaning service in the rooms was offered daily, and was generally excellent.  

The location of the hotel is not to be beat.  It is in the old literary quarter so you are in the middle of smaller streets with a lot of character and about a zillion tapas bars and restaurants.  You are also close to the bustling Plaza de Santa Ana which has a bunch of cafes and restaurants around it, along with a playground.  Our kids LOVED the swing and wanted to go back to it every day.  You are about a 5 minute walk from the Art Museums, and about 15 minutes from the Palacio Real.  It’s about 5-8 minutes to walk to the Plaza Mayor. A truly central location, and we were very happy with that, especially in light of the heat. 

I would certainly recommend staying at Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes if you are considering a stay in Madrid for its central and fun location, as well as large rooms and bathrooms that have a ton of character.