IC Madrid Master Thread (Archive Thread)
Jun 16, 2009, 8:35 am
#46
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX
Posts: 5,019
There is not much around the hotel to see and do. It is either subway (which is close and very easy to navigate) or Taxi or 15 min or more walk.
We stayed there a few years back. If you plan to use Taxis the location is ok. If you plan to walk it is too far away from basically anything. If you like to use the subway it is ok, but usually at least one transfer for the major sights.
We stayed there a few years back. If you plan to use Taxis the location is ok. If you plan to walk it is too far away from basically anything. If you like to use the subway it is ok, but usually at least one transfer for the major sights.
Sep 27, 2009, 9:05 am
#47
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: AGS, CAE, ATL
Programs: Delta PM 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 511
IC Madrid Question
Nubee to this forum. Can anyone let me know impressions, good room requests, uprgade possibilities for an 8 day stay next week. Some sites say four star, some say five star. Any assistance will be appreciated.
Sep 27, 2009, 12:06 pm
#48
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 2,395
How about trying a search. There are plenty of reports from this hotel in the main forum. Will upgrade if you´re an ambassador. If going for 8 days, I´d definitely buy it.
Sep 27, 2009, 1:24 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Western PA
Programs: AA EXP/2MM
Posts: 441
I stayed at this hotel last weekend (Fri-Sun) as PLT AMB. This was my third or fourth stay at the hotel over the past several years. I'm sorry to say that each time has seen service levels lower than the prior visit.
I pre-booked a deluxe room at 144 Euro/night via the website (advance purchase rate). For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night. Fresh from a transatlantic flight, I didn't feel like arguing.
I was "upgraded" to a club room on the 7th floor... with a view of the inner courtyard of the neighboring building. However, being upgraded to a club room does not (at least in my case) allow access to the club lounge. So the upgrade was meaningless as most of their non-corner rooms and non-suites are pretty much the same size.
I received no AMB amenities on day 1 of my stay. After being denied breakfast in the lounge on the morning of day 2, I went to the front desk to enquire about my AMB benefits and was told they'd be sent "right up". The current amenity -- which finally arrived late that afternoon -- consists of a bottle of water, three pieces of fruit, and a box of chocolates. Several years ago, when I first stayed there, it was a bottle of water, a bottle of wine, a basket of fruit, and some assorted chocolates or candies... all of which were replenished each day. Later, the wine was replaced with a container of very nice olive oil.
On the plus side, free Internet was made available to me (apparently a current promotion they are running... I had to ask) and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The halls are generally clean and quiet. The hotel is very convenient to "Gregorio Maranon" subway station (approx 2 blocks away).
I've never eaten at the restaurant during any of my stays there.
As you can tell, I'm a bit disappointed with this hotel and, unfortunately, don't think I'll be back. Once upon a time, AMB were met with a hand-written note from the manager in their rooms... now it is just a photocopied card. That is obviously meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but if someone is debating whether or not to purchase AMB, then it's probably a fair indication of the direction the property is moving.
For me, the saddest part of leaving this hotel is that it is located in a REALLY wonderful neighborhood... within 5-10 minutes walk are a wide variety of stores, nice restaurants, fresh-food markets, one of Madrid's great but little-known museums "Museo Sorolla", and simply block after block of peaceful residential streets to walk along and enjoy. Chamberi (the name of the neighborhood) is also blissfully free of the crush of tourists than can overwhelm the more central parts of Madrid... which is where the other top hotels are generally located. Because of the convenient Metro stop, however, you could easily get from the hotel to the "center of the action" within just a few minutes.
Feel free to ask for more information.
-- Bill
I pre-booked a deluxe room at 144 Euro/night via the website (advance purchase rate). For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night. Fresh from a transatlantic flight, I didn't feel like arguing.
I was "upgraded" to a club room on the 7th floor... with a view of the inner courtyard of the neighboring building. However, being upgraded to a club room does not (at least in my case) allow access to the club lounge. So the upgrade was meaningless as most of their non-corner rooms and non-suites are pretty much the same size.
I received no AMB amenities on day 1 of my stay. After being denied breakfast in the lounge on the morning of day 2, I went to the front desk to enquire about my AMB benefits and was told they'd be sent "right up". The current amenity -- which finally arrived late that afternoon -- consists of a bottle of water, three pieces of fruit, and a box of chocolates. Several years ago, when I first stayed there, it was a bottle of water, a bottle of wine, a basket of fruit, and some assorted chocolates or candies... all of which were replenished each day. Later, the wine was replaced with a container of very nice olive oil.
On the plus side, free Internet was made available to me (apparently a current promotion they are running... I had to ask) and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The halls are generally clean and quiet. The hotel is very convenient to "Gregorio Maranon" subway station (approx 2 blocks away).
I've never eaten at the restaurant during any of my stays there.
As you can tell, I'm a bit disappointed with this hotel and, unfortunately, don't think I'll be back. Once upon a time, AMB were met with a hand-written note from the manager in their rooms... now it is just a photocopied card. That is obviously meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but if someone is debating whether or not to purchase AMB, then it's probably a fair indication of the direction the property is moving.
For me, the saddest part of leaving this hotel is that it is located in a REALLY wonderful neighborhood... within 5-10 minutes walk are a wide variety of stores, nice restaurants, fresh-food markets, one of Madrid's great but little-known museums "Museo Sorolla", and simply block after block of peaceful residential streets to walk along and enjoy. Chamberi (the name of the neighborhood) is also blissfully free of the crush of tourists than can overwhelm the more central parts of Madrid... which is where the other top hotels are generally located. Because of the convenient Metro stop, however, you could easily get from the hotel to the "center of the action" within just a few minutes.
Feel free to ask for more information.
-- Bill
Sep 27, 2009, 1:24 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Western PA
Programs: AA EXP/2MM
Posts: 441
IC Madrid
I stayed at this hotel last weekend (Fri-Sun) as PLT AMB. This was my third or fourth stay at the hotel over the past several years. I'm sorry to say that each time has seen service levels lower than the prior visit.
I pre-booked a deluxe room at 144 Euro/night via the website (advance purchase rate). For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night. Fresh from a transatlantic flight, I didn't feel like arguing.
I was "upgraded" to a club room on the 7th floor... with a view of the inner courtyard of the neighboring building. However, being upgraded to a club room does not (at least in my case) allow access to the club lounge. So the upgrade was meaningless as most of their non-corner rooms and non-suites are pretty much the same size.
I received no AMB amenities on day 1 of my stay. After being denied breakfast in the lounge on the morning of day 2, I went to the front desk to enquire about my AMB benefits and was told they'd be sent "right up". The current amenity -- which finally arrived late that afternoon -- consists of a bottle of water, three pieces of fruit, and a box of chocolates. Several years ago, when I first stayed there, it was a bottle of water, a bottle of wine, a basket of fruit, and some assorted chocolates or candies... all of which were replenished each day. Later, the wine was replaced with a container of very nice olive oil.
On the plus side, free Internet was made available to me (apparently a current promotion they are running... I had to ask) and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The halls are generally clean and quiet. The hotel is very convenient to "Gregorio Maranon" subway station (approx 2 blocks away).
I've never eaten at the restaurant during any of my stays there.
As you can tell, I'm a bit disappointed with this hotel and, unfortunately, don't think I'll be back. Once upon a time, AMB were met with a hand-written note from the manager in their rooms... now it is just a photocopied card. That is obviously meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but if someone is debating whether or not to purchase AMB, then it's probably a fair indication of the direction the property is moving.
For me, the saddest part of leaving this hotel is that it is located in a REALLY wonderful neighborhood... within 5-10 minutes walk are a wide variety of stores, nice restaurants, fresh-food markets, one of Madrid's great but little-known museums "Museo Sorolla", and simply block after block of peaceful residential streets to walk along and enjoy. Chamberi (the name of the neighborhood) is also blissfully free of the crush of tourists than can overwhelm the more central parts of Madrid... which is where the other top hotels are generally located. Because of the convenient Metro stop, however, you could easily get from the hotel to the "center of the action" within just a few minutes.
Feel free to ask for more information.
-- Bill
I pre-booked a deluxe room at 144 Euro/night via the website (advance purchase rate). For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night. Fresh from a transatlantic flight, I didn't feel like arguing.
I was "upgraded" to a club room on the 7th floor... with a view of the inner courtyard of the neighboring building. However, being upgraded to a club room does not (at least in my case) allow access to the club lounge. So the upgrade was meaningless as most of their non-corner rooms and non-suites are pretty much the same size.
I received no AMB amenities on day 1 of my stay. After being denied breakfast in the lounge on the morning of day 2, I went to the front desk to enquire about my AMB benefits and was told they'd be sent "right up". The current amenity -- which finally arrived late that afternoon -- consists of a bottle of water, three pieces of fruit, and a box of chocolates. Several years ago, when I first stayed there, it was a bottle of water, a bottle of wine, a basket of fruit, and some assorted chocolates or candies... all of which were replenished each day. Later, the wine was replaced with a container of very nice olive oil.
On the plus side, free Internet was made available to me (apparently a current promotion they are running... I had to ask) and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The halls are generally clean and quiet. The hotel is very convenient to "Gregorio Maranon" subway station (approx 2 blocks away).
I've never eaten at the restaurant during any of my stays there.
As you can tell, I'm a bit disappointed with this hotel and, unfortunately, don't think I'll be back. Once upon a time, AMB were met with a hand-written note from the manager in their rooms... now it is just a photocopied card. That is obviously meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but if someone is debating whether or not to purchase AMB, then it's probably a fair indication of the direction the property is moving.
For me, the saddest part of leaving this hotel is that it is located in a REALLY wonderful neighborhood... within 5-10 minutes walk are a wide variety of stores, nice restaurants, fresh-food markets, one of Madrid's great but little-known museums "Museo Sorolla", and simply block after block of peaceful residential streets to walk along and enjoy. Chamberi (the name of the neighborhood) is also blissfully free of the crush of tourists than can overwhelm the more central parts of Madrid... which is where the other top hotels are generally located. Because of the convenient Metro stop, however, you could easily get from the hotel to the "center of the action" within just a few minutes.
Feel free to ask for more information.
-- Bill
Sep 28, 2009, 1:06 am
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night.
Ambassador status is a $150 punt on room upgrades at IC. I'm finding lounge access a disappearing bonus for RA members, so I'd expect it to be extremely unlikely if you are at Ambassador level.
Getting one of the inner-facing rooms was not a slight! At Madrid, some prefer these rooms because there can be quite a lot of road noise through the night in street-facing rooms.
Sep 28, 2009, 7:19 am
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Hi danola - welcome.
It's a shame you hadn't visited us here before as an 8 day stay would have justified Ambassador membership. This would have give you an upgrade and one of your nights free if you'd receive the free weekend cert before your stay. We could have also suggested what you'd need to book to get the level of room or suite you'd like using one of the rates people here could have suggested. However we've started from the point of you arriving in a few days!
Personally I'd find 8 days at the IC Madrid tough. This would be largely because it is not a wander to the center of town but either undergound or bus or taxi. Secondly, on this length stay I'd say that lounge access would be essential.
If you are going next week you've left negotiation a bit late. But I'd do a bit of desk research, contact the GM and if you are on a flexible rate then I'd say you're considering being closer to town center but asking him to tell you now what upgrades and benefits he can offer you. 8 days is a meaty stay and unless it's pre-paid you are in a strong bargaining postion although it's a bit late.
It's a shame you hadn't visited us here before as an 8 day stay would have justified Ambassador membership. This would have give you an upgrade and one of your nights free if you'd receive the free weekend cert before your stay. We could have also suggested what you'd need to book to get the level of room or suite you'd like using one of the rates people here could have suggested. However we've started from the point of you arriving in a few days!
Personally I'd find 8 days at the IC Madrid tough. This would be largely because it is not a wander to the center of town but either undergound or bus or taxi. Secondly, on this length stay I'd say that lounge access would be essential.
If you are going next week you've left negotiation a bit late. But I'd do a bit of desk research, contact the GM and if you are on a flexible rate then I'd say you're considering being closer to town center but asking him to tell you now what upgrades and benefits he can offer you. 8 days is a meaty stay and unless it's pre-paid you are in a strong bargaining postion although it's a bit late.
Sep 28, 2009, 7:58 am
#53
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,552
Moderators Note
I have moved the thread to the main forum, as this thread may get more attention in the main forum than in the sub forum.
I have copied the stay report of sombrachinesca to the sub forum as stay report.
Thank you
FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum
I have moved the thread to the main forum, as this thread may get more attention in the main forum than in the sub forum.
I have copied the stay report of sombrachinesca to the sub forum as stay report.
Thank you
FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum
Sep 28, 2009, 10:29 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,958
In that case, is it because of renovation of the hotel or a new policy??
I will stay at this property end of November, and hope that I will have a nice upgrade with club access as usual.
Sep 28, 2009, 10:38 am
#55
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,610
Any Notification on PriorityClub.com?
I pre-booked a deluxe room at 144 Euro/night via the website (advance purchase rate). For whatever reason, they didn't or couldn't charge the credit card. I was not contacted about this, despite their having both my phone number and email address. When I arrived, I was told that they could no longer honor that rate, since I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the advanced purchase policy. So my new rate was 198 Euro/night.
I agree you certainly have a gripe.
Unfortunately, the Intercontinental is the best-located IHG property in Madrid. That makes it tough to switch to a cheaper Holiday Inn. I haven't stayed at any IHP property in Madrid yet, but I was thinking of going in November. At least I won't be let down for getting squat (nothing extra) as a mere plat if I decide to stay at the Intercontinental for a possible trip in November.
Last edited by Bowgie; Sep 28, 2009 at 10:40 am Reason: forgot a word
Sep 29, 2009, 2:12 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
You should be fine in Madrid. I was there two weeks' back, and there was no question about access. I'd tell you about the room upgrade, but that might have you stamping your feet at reception, demanding the same thing
My comment on the club perk was general, not Madrid-focused. The usual reason for withdrawal of the privilege is that the hotel has been told to follow the "rules". The same reason that Athens felt obliged to stop us eating the peanuts from mini-bar for free...
Sep 29, 2009, 3:22 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
The Holiday Inn really isn't bad at all. It's slightly further out of the tourism centre than the IC, reached through the Nuevos Ministerios metro stop (terminus of Line 8 from the airport). It's in the business/banking district, close to the Bernabeu stadium - so lots of cafe options all around. Rooms can be dowdy, but resist upgrades that put you in rooms next to the lifts. There are some excellent two-room suites.
Sep 29, 2009, 4:17 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167
Sep 29, 2009, 5:56 am
#59
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 1A or GS-550
Programs: SQ SPPS, EK I/O, CX DM, SU Plat, Hyatt DM, IC RA Plat, HH DM, AMX Cent
Posts: 498
Stayed at this Hotel 2 times this year & had good service and the upgrade without any problem.
EGT
EGT
Sep 29, 2009, 5:14 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,958
But IC Madrid is a very serious option if you want to stay in a quality business hotel in pleasant central area, with easy access, excellent service and some style. It is even a better option if you are RA (acces to the Club InterContinental which is more than decent, nice upgrades for very competitive prices).
I cannot speak about standard rooms but club rooms and suites are nice (not huge but comfortable, classically decorated, large bathrooms). At check-in, ask for a room with a view.
There are other good options in Madrid: Hospes Madrid or AC Palacio del Retiro (both modern chic design boutique hotels in elegant historical buildings)