Originally Posted by
srk123
I've booked a 4-nt award stay at the Westin Palace Madrid next month, using points and cash (4800 points + $90 per night). Is the place and location as nice as the web site depicts it? Any advice what type of location within the hotel I should ask for, even though I don't have any elite status with Starwood?
My wife and I just ended a 2-night stay at this location, also on cash and points, and it included a preposterous situation unprecendented in our experience. Our double room on the 5th floor was adjoining to a suite where a large group of pre-teens were raucously playing. The room doors here are very heavy affairs, which close very noisely unless extreme care is taken, and needless to say, the bosterous kids were not taking such care. When I stuck my head out to see what was going on, a couple of room service carts were being removed, and I asked how many kids were in the suite....and was informed that there were 11! I called down to the duty manager to enquire about alternatives if the noise continued, and was informed that the large group of kids were assigned to 5 rooms on the floor, and had been in residence for 2 weeks....and that if the loud noise continued past 10pm that I should call back.
It was an unprecented situation, that generated neither an apology nor even an acknowledgement from the hotel management that screaming 3, 4, and 5 year olds running through the halls, slamming doors, and singing/shouting/playing loudly in their communal room might be disruptive to our enjoyment of our accomodation (which had an adjoining door). The location of the property is outstanding, but management is run of the mill Westin, and the room wasn't worth a penny more than $90. Forewarned is forearmed.