Westin Palace Madrid, Spain [Master Thread]
Feb 18, 2019, 11:59 am
#407
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I know the hotel continues to renovate its rooms/suites a floor or so at a time. So you want to make sure (1) you are on a renovated floor and (2) you are on a non-smoking floor (unless you smoke). We had a wonderful stay here in the mid 2000s with our mothers.
It’s a very nice Westin, perfectly located for sightseeing. Just know that its very large size means the service standard isn’t remotely as intimate and high level as a smaller property might offer.
Apr 4, 2019, 1:13 pm
#408
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
Checked in for a 5 night stay on my birthday (using points). Was upgraded to a nice quiet courtyard junior suite. Was also sent a very nice welcome. Breakfast is fantastic btw under the dome.
Apr 4, 2019, 1:29 pm
#409
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
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Posts: 2,615
We weren’t sure what to expect here coming off amazing stays at the Hotel Arts & Maria Cristina but the hotel was more than gracious with an upgrade to a lovely suite overlooking the fountain and a delicious bottle of Rioja as a welcome gift. And we too loved the Dome. Hotel is in a great location.
Apr 4, 2019, 5:56 pm
#410
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond, AA 2.5 MM, United Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,460
We just stayed there last week. Nice hotel, and great breakfast. They "upgraded" us to a room overlooking the fountain. The room was clean, but small. Nevertheless, the hotel was nice.
Apr 5, 2019, 11:45 am
#411
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,424
Great stay
I was there last week for 4 nights (apparently at the same time Antonio Bandares was there) and really liked it. I need a quiet room and I was given a great room on the 6th floor overlooking the back of the church around the corner and lovely terraces of the homes on that side street, It was dead quiet at night with great black out curtains. I loved the champagne breakfast and really could have gone all day on the breakfast, but of course I had to do tapas at night.
The hotel has a great location. I walked every where except had to take an Uber to the Charmartin train station that is on the outskirts of town for my trip to Segovja. The hotel is across the street from the Prado and around the corner from some great restaurants.
I enjoyed one afternoon on the terrace that is by the check in area for the gym/spa on the 7th floor. You can even have room service delivered up there. It was nice to spend a couple hours up there enjoying the beautiful weather.
My one “issue” is that there are no kettles in the room, I love a cuppa chamomile tea before bed and you have to call room service for the tea. The tea or coffee delivered to the room though is free.
If I go to MAD again I will stay there again.
The hotel has a great location. I walked every where except had to take an Uber to the Charmartin train station that is on the outskirts of town for my trip to Segovja. The hotel is across the street from the Prado and around the corner from some great restaurants.
I enjoyed one afternoon on the terrace that is by the check in area for the gym/spa on the 7th floor. You can even have room service delivered up there. It was nice to spend a couple hours up there enjoying the beautiful weather.
My one “issue” is that there are no kettles in the room, I love a cuppa chamomile tea before bed and you have to call room service for the tea. The tea or coffee delivered to the room though is free.
If I go to MAD again I will stay there again.
Apr 5, 2019, 12:19 pm
#412
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
I was there last week for 4 nights (apparently at the same time Antonio Bandares was there) and really liked it. I need a quiet room and I was given a great room on the 6th floor overlooking the back of the church around the corner and lovely terraces of the homes on that side street, It was dead quiet at night with great black out curtains. I loved the champagne breakfast and really could have gone all day on the breakfast, but of course I had to do tapas at night.
The hotel has a great location. I walked every where except had to take an Uber to the Charmartin train station that is on the outskirts of town for my trip to Segovja. The hotel is across the street from the Prado and around the corner from some great restaurants.
The hotel has a great location. I walked every where except had to take an Uber to the Charmartin train station that is on the outskirts of town for my trip to Segovja. The hotel is across the street from the Prado and around the corner from some great restaurants.
went to Segovia today and enjoyed a snow storm followed by sunshine - really great day. As we were leaving in the morning, didn’t want to deal with traffic so went to Atocha station and caught the fast train to Chamartin, 1.70 and 13 minutes.
Something big is going on tonight. When we got back to the hotel, barricades were set up outside and once in, a lot of folks with tuxedos on and 1 bank of elevators are blocked off. We didn’t fit in with our tourist, snow garb on!
Apr 5, 2019, 2:06 pm
#413
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Platinum Pro (LT Gold), Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium, National Exec,Hyatt,Melia, BA Exec, Iberia+
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A few within a short walk that I like are Mercado de la Reina, Taberna Elisa by Triciclo, Ana La Santa in the ME Melia on Plaza Santa Ana. Lateral is a solid chain with a location on Plaza Santa Ana.
Apr 5, 2019, 4:31 pm
#414
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond, AA 2.5 MM, United Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,460
About two blocks away is Sagardi. It's a Basque-style restaurant, so if you like Basque food, it's fantastic. Particularly the Chuleta. If I had had the extra time, I would have ordered the thin apple pie for dessert, but we were late for a Flamenco show at Corral de la Moreria, so I got the Goxua instead, and that was good, as well. Also, artichokes are in season, so their smoked artichokes with Jamon are amazing.
Another restaurant, not as close, is Ten Con Ten, in the Serrano/Salamanca area, and it's also good. If you are eating on American hours (before 8:30), then it will be easy to make reservations and get a seat at either place. Otherwise, reservations could be tough.
We also liked Juana La Loca for the Cochinillo (probably the best in town -- skip Botin), but the other two were amazing.
Another restaurant, not as close, is Ten Con Ten, in the Serrano/Salamanca area, and it's also good. If you are eating on American hours (before 8:30), then it will be easy to make reservations and get a seat at either place. Otherwise, reservations could be tough.
We also liked Juana La Loca for the Cochinillo (probably the best in town -- skip Botin), but the other two were amazing.
Apr 5, 2019, 4:32 pm
#415
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
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Those are probably to control the protests going on regularly outside the hotel.
Apr 5, 2019, 9:48 pm
#417
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
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Yes!
We had the place to ourselves when we were there last month. Baron Heinrich and his son Baron Hans Heinrich had amazing eyes for art. They assembled a really beautiful collection. We fell in love with the Thyssen and consider it one of our favorite museums now in the world.
How lucky that the hotel is just steps away!
Apr 6, 2019, 4:10 am
#418
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
Apr 6, 2019, 2:06 pm
#419
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
Thanks for all the recommendations. Tonight, as the wife is not very very adventurous with her palette and I like a good beer, we ended up at Brew Wild Pizza Pub. Fantastic - great beer menu, pizza and ambiance. Upstairs is pub like, downstairs is cavern like. We were the only non-Spaniards there. Street before Plaza De Santa Anna on the right from the hotel.
Aug 7, 2019, 6:36 am
#420
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New York, NY
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The suite night award for my room at the Westin cleared at the five day window and I was excited to enjoy the junior suite I had requested. But in the end, I ended up securing a double upgrade to an executive suite - which goes for €1,000 a night. Simply incredible.
The room was absolutely superb. Everything looked to be brand new with the carpets still feeling plush underfoot. The suite had a spacious hallway, a second bathroom, an enormous lounge complete with dining table, couch and fireplace. It was enormous.
Each morning a superb breakfast was enjoyed in the Rotunda restaurant. At €37 to have two of these each morning as part of the amenity makes for a superb perk. There was everything on offer from meat, cheeses, fruits, breads, salmon and even an Asian element with noodles and samosas ready to be enjoyed. Service was also fast, efficient and polite.
At nighttime the place really comes alive as the hotels different venues are all bustling with activity. You really don’t need to leave the hotels premises at all to enjoy a good meal or cocktail.
A piano played at night in the rotunda which became a comfy lounge area. Close by was an old fashioned wood-paneled cocktail lounge that seemed very homely. I also enjoyed two great meals at each of the hotel’s restaurants - Asia Gallery Chinese which was superb and whose decor must be seen either way. It’s spectacular. A similarly tasty meal was enjoyed at the Green Tea Sushi restaurant across the lobby which also serves tasty Asian dishes set in quirky decor.
I could not recommend the hotel enough. The tour bus around the city leaves from across the road and you are only about 10 minutes walk from the Gran Via and Plaza Mayor, yet still located in quite a peaceful area with the beautiful Retiro park just a block away.
The only slightly downside is that there are numerous steps in the hotel which is not great for those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. There are two steps from the street into the porch of the hotel entrance and then a further two into the lobby followed by another ten or so up to the vestibule area where the lifts are located.
Of course, the doormen were always very happy and obliging to help and there is a service elevator close by that can be summoned too.
All the points and bonuses posted within a day of checking out.
The hotel is exceptionally prestigious and was only the second hotel EVER to open up in the city in October of 1912. Everyone knows The Palace... and the Westin brand is hardly mentioned.
The Palace was the first hotel in Spain (and only the second in the world) to have a bathroom in each guest room. It was also the first hotel in Spain to have a telephone in each room. Since 1912, things have only gotten better and better!
I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again on a return trip’.
The room was absolutely superb. Everything looked to be brand new with the carpets still feeling plush underfoot. The suite had a spacious hallway, a second bathroom, an enormous lounge complete with dining table, couch and fireplace. It was enormous.
Each morning a superb breakfast was enjoyed in the Rotunda restaurant. At €37 to have two of these each morning as part of the amenity makes for a superb perk. There was everything on offer from meat, cheeses, fruits, breads, salmon and even an Asian element with noodles and samosas ready to be enjoyed. Service was also fast, efficient and polite.
At nighttime the place really comes alive as the hotels different venues are all bustling with activity. You really don’t need to leave the hotels premises at all to enjoy a good meal or cocktail.
A piano played at night in the rotunda which became a comfy lounge area. Close by was an old fashioned wood-paneled cocktail lounge that seemed very homely. I also enjoyed two great meals at each of the hotel’s restaurants - Asia Gallery Chinese which was superb and whose decor must be seen either way. It’s spectacular. A similarly tasty meal was enjoyed at the Green Tea Sushi restaurant across the lobby which also serves tasty Asian dishes set in quirky decor.
I could not recommend the hotel enough. The tour bus around the city leaves from across the road and you are only about 10 minutes walk from the Gran Via and Plaza Mayor, yet still located in quite a peaceful area with the beautiful Retiro park just a block away.
The only slightly downside is that there are numerous steps in the hotel which is not great for those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. There are two steps from the street into the porch of the hotel entrance and then a further two into the lobby followed by another ten or so up to the vestibule area where the lifts are located.
Of course, the doormen were always very happy and obliging to help and there is a service elevator close by that can be summoned too.
All the points and bonuses posted within a day of checking out.
The hotel is exceptionally prestigious and was only the second hotel EVER to open up in the city in October of 1912. Everyone knows The Palace... and the Westin brand is hardly mentioned.
The Palace was the first hotel in Spain (and only the second in the world) to have a bathroom in each guest room. It was also the first hotel in Spain to have a telephone in each room. Since 1912, things have only gotten better and better!
I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again on a return trip’.