myperks

Seems like a rebrand as Tripadvisor doesn't even have it changed yet from the Hotel Princesa and it somehow showed up on Marriott early last week or so.

Has anyone stayed at this hotel? (whether before or after the rebranding)

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...drid-princesa/

Its nice to see another non-AC hotel in Madrid but still hoping for a full-service.

SkiAdcock

If you stay there, please do a trip report.

Cheers.

myperks

Having read some reviews on Marriott.com and tripadvisor, I'm not sure if I should test out this place next month... Reviews are absolutely horrible. No wifi is a big "no thanks".

SkiAdcock

Ask & you shall receive (and I'll start a separate property thread once it opens). A full-service Marriott is opening in November 2015, assuming they're on schedule. Category 7.

Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center

Reading TripAdvisor, the CY is definitely getting mixed reviews & the spotty wifi doesn't seem to be helping.

Cheers.

myperks

The BAD reviews are mostly true, and the GOOD reviews are either paid by the hotel or have never been to a true Courtyard hotel.

Stayed a few nights last week. (unfortunately) (or truly curious ) Moved over to the Intercontinental for the rest of the week. ^

In my opinion, the hotel was not inspected before it was changed from a local hotel to the Courtyard brand. Absolutely no brand standards are represented at the hotel.
Some thoughts:
* The key cards are blank and the front desk would draw an arrow on it representing which way to put the key into the slot. The sharpie kind of wipes off after a day.
* No Gold/Plat recognition.
* No WIFI in the room. Even though there is a log-in page but you need a user name and password, which the front desk won't give you citing that it doesn't work. The lobby WIFI doesn't work half the time. Staff responds to questions with blank stares. Probably told by management to be unresponsive to questions such as internet. How does it take 2+ months for get internet installed? I know Spain is "on holiday" in August, but still.
* Breakfast in the restaurant is not good. Plates are unclean. The staff seems overworked.
* Tour group central. This hotel seems to cater to tour groups. Multiple tour groups were here when I stayed here. Some African-based airline crew members also stays here.
* Gym/Pool is operated by 3rd party in the basement. No A/C and the pool is not as clean as it is pictured on Marriott.
* If you have to stay here, take a room in the "renovated" tower with rooms ending in 40 and above. The rooms are freshly painted, but that is about it. The beds are old-style sheets with scratchy blankets. The bathroom was not redone and the plumbing can be an issue during certain times of the day. This is a BYO shampoo, soap, etc. place. There were dispensers but they don't work.
* Location is great for metro riding. Right at the door has 2 or 3 lines getting you to most places in Madrid. Walking to Plaza Espana is no more than 10 minutes and from there down Gran Via.
* Close to the Hop On Hop Off at Plaza Espana.

For those planning on staying, I would hold off.

SkiAdcock

Wow - definitely don't stay there for a while. Thanks for the detailed trip report.

Cheers.

whimsey21

I'm heading to Madrid soon and the location of the CY would work well for me. I'm put off a bit by the reviews on this thread - has anyone stayed here recently, and if so, has it improved?

carlosr

will. E staying at th Courtyard for couple nights next week. As aPlatinum what can I expect? What has been your experience?

Srisarin

try here where your post belongs


https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...-princesa.html

carlosr

Will be staying here next week. Any experience with Platinum recognition?

Srisarin

it's a CY, comp beyond wifi (provided you used Marriott.com for the res) what do you expect ?

SkiAdcock

This particular CY hasn't gotten very good reviews in the past, although it's been a few years since we've had one. If you stay there, please do a trip report so we know if things have changed.

Re: what to expect as Plat, free wifi, Plat arrival gift, possible upgrade. It's a CY.

Cheers.

spamkiller

In the USA, not much from a CY, they have seem to gone downhill. However, I stayed Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Station back in 2016. It was better than the AC hotels in Madrid and Barcelona. As a gold, I had the their excellent breakfast buffet which is on the level of the Marriotts in MNL, PEK, and BKK.

Given the review above on the Princesa, I would recommend the AC hotels. They are a step up from the CY in the USAs. I stayed at the one near Atocha/Renfree. (about 2 blocks). Be careful, on the Metro, there are two Atocha stations, Atocha and Atocha/Renfre. When I first landed, we took got off at Atocha and wandered around for an hour (on foot) to find it. BTW. Outside the Atocha, there is a Dunkin Coffee and also a very good Middle Eastern Restaurant.

GT80

Quick feeback after my recent stays at the Courtyard Princesa in Madrid.

Marriott Rewards Status: Gold

Positive:
+ Breakfast is quite okay (improved in the last years) / compare my video
+ Location is not perfect but Supermarket and Metro are very close; however Gran Via can be reached (~ 4 Metro status) as well by walking if you want

Negative:
- Comfort rooms (not yet renovated) are a nightmare
- Premium rooms are okay but bathrooms are still old
- Street and traffic around is very noisy over night
- Many tourist groups are staying in the hotel (can take some time to check in/ -out)
- Marriott Status recognition usually very bad; had Platinum several years and never got any arrival gift

My recommendation:
Stay somewhere else (for example INDIGO Gran Via) if you still want to stay in the Courtyard (to renew your status) I would highly recommend to take a renovated Premium room


Comfort room


Premium room


Bathrooms are the same for Comfort and Premium room

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.