Review of my stay in February 2022

Madrid Indigo Princesa

Here for two nights on a paid stay as a Diamond.

All the Hilton and IHG hotels just seemed way over priced for what you get for our nights in Madrid, so we chose the Indigo at about 130/ euro/ night.

Check in seemed odd with my Diamond offer being points, a drink at the bar, or breakfast the first morning. I said �breakfast� but then he said that I had a breakfast included rate (which I did not). Just seemed odd and confused. He did say that we had the best room in the hotel so he was not able to upgrade me. He suggested reserving a lower level next time to get an upgrade. This was appreciated.

The room was small and oddly shaped. �Closet� was open like all these funny IHG sub-brands. There was a fridge, tho. There was also an actual useable balcony. So the room is a mixed bag.

Breakfast was in the attached bar/ cafe. It seemed limited as we only walked past.

The area is very good. Many very good places to eat and grocery stores. A very authentic area with few tourists.

We had to cut our original reservation from four nights to two due to a hurricane coming to Florida. My rate was a non-refundable one. When I told the front desk, they changed my reservation and charged me for only the two nights. They did say that IHG might come after me for the other two nights, but I doubt it. So, a very helpful front desk.

There is a metro a few steps away, but we took a taxi to and from the airport. For a flat rat of 30euro, it saves a good deal of trouble, time, and line changing for not much more money.

We have yet to find a hotel that really works for the money in Madrid.

edit: the wifi is really bad. It drops out every 5-10 minutes and is really slow the rest of the time.

No, but bumping for the same / similar question (and non-diamond). Hoping to use an expiring suite upgrade code to whatever that gets me. I also have the Indigo Princesa in the mix - location seems better but can't tell how poor the rooms are. I'll be working so could use good wifi, walls and a decent desk. If Voco or CP are significantly better on that front than the Princesa would love to know which one to pick.

Tagging nicolas75 who seems to be the master of Madrid IHG locations - I'll also take your tips for Malaga

I stayed at Princessa in December, and decided to avoid it in the future. Room was very basic. If I were you I'd rather stayed at vocco or CP

Thanks for the intel and pics @VorelNaCestach - tradeoff for a larger room probably worthwhile if neighborhood good enough for feeling like I'm in Madrid vs. a business district. I'd take a flyer on one of the options if they have some upgrade options available for using that code.

What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, very much.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked cheapest rate and got King Bed on high floor (corner room).

How are the rooms?
Quite nicely designed.
Around 24 sqm

Comfortable bed.
Numerous usb sockets next to the bed and desk.

Desk
Open closet.

Bathroom with walk-in shower.
Zenology toiletries.

Nespresso coffee machine. Organic tea.
Minibar with free drinks and snacks.

Very quiet.
Window can be fully opened.

Television with access to Netflix / Prime.

How is the exec. lounge?
N/A

What was good and what was bad?
GOOD
Very friendly staff
Good breakfast served in a pleasant room (no � la carte egg menu).
Central location, conveniently located just opposite Arg�elles metro station.

BAD
Nothing

Value for $ or IHG One Rewards Points? Would you return?
Hotel is surprisingly very cheap and pleasant.

Hotel Indigo Princesa Madrid offers a comfortable and well-considered stay in the heart of the Spanish capital.

Corner rooms on higher floors are slightly more spacious than the standard ones, making them a more pleasant choice.
While the rooms are not particularly large, they never feel cramped or confined.
The air conditioning is notably efficient � a real asset during the heat of summer.


The breakfast is of genuinely good quality, with a varied selection and fresh produce (but no � la carte egg menu).
The staff ensure the buffet remains fully stocked right up until the end of service � a detail that�s both rare and much appreciated.

One of the hotel�s key strengths is its convenience: it is located directly adjacent to Arg�elles metro station, offering easy access to the rest of the city, including airport.
For those who enjoy shopping, El Corte Ingl�s sits just opposite, with an excellent food hall in the basement and a wide range of other departments.

Guests should also take the time to visit the hotel�s rooftop � a surprisingly little-known spot that offers comfortable seating, sun loungers, and a superb panoramic view over Madrid.
It�s a quiet, relaxing space that adds a welcome bonus to the overall experience.

The location is also ideal for exploring some of Madrid�s cultural highlights. A 15-minute walk brings you to the stunning Temple of Debod � particularly atmospheric at sunset � with panoramic views over the city and towards the Royal Palace.
Nearby, the ABC Museum regularly hosts excellent exhibitions, while the under-visited Centro Cultural Conde Duque offers high-quality shows and a contemporary art museum, most of which are free to enter.

All in all, this hotel is a smart choice for anyone wishing to explore Madrid�s historic centre with ease.

Catching up with my stays from earlier this year – this happened before the latest posted stay by nicholas75.

As stated above, the Hilton and IHG options in the city were all overpriced for cash, so I booked 2 nights at 24.5k = 49k points. But standard rooms only sleep 2 and I was travelling with my wife and son. Knowing that Spain can be picky about occupancy, I decided to “waste” an expiring CSU on the “2 Twin Beds Suite + Sofa Bed for 2”.

The fixed-price taxi is now €33. We had paid a rip-off €30 to store bulky luggage at the airport (this trip was positioning for long-haul) so the metro was pretty easy. Airport line to the end at Nuevos Ministerios then one change to Arg�elles which is right outside the hotel. Cheapest return ticket for 3 people seemed to be €26.60 total, including airport supplement which, for the return leg, cannot be paid until the day of travel. For this price the smartcard comes with 4 extra public transport trips.

We arrived around 7pm just as one receptionist was clocking off, so had to wait for quite some time to check in, while the solo remaining guy worked his way through the 8 people ahead of us, including one businessman whom it felt like we had been stalking all the way from the Piccadilly line in London. As mentioned before, tiny is the theme of this hotel (and European Indigos in general). The lobby was crowded to standing room only until the queue got cleared. To his credit, when the staff member was free later on, he came up to our room in person to check everything was ok.

There are two tiny lifts that barely fit 3 people plus a small bag. During the morning “rush hour” it can definitely be faster to take the stairs, as the lifts will be called from every floor but nobody can get in.

I didn’t have huge expectations for the room, which is the highest category. Mostly identical to the other rooms pictured here, except there is a bit more space near the door area, and the bathroom has a bidet. When the sofa bed is laid out, the window is inaccessible except by climbing over.

Breakfast was as described by nicholas75. The main dining area and the serving area are again tiny, causing crowding and some reverberations from the fast-paced vowel sounds of Castilian. At the time I was there, the whole place was also rather dark, being tucked away in the back of the building and only open to an internal courtyard. Not helped by the late sunrise in Spain from being in the wrong timezone geographically.

IHG paid the hotel €52 per night for my redemption. As I’ve not tried the CP or voco I may aim for one of those next time.

I stayed days after opening/rebranding in 2019. Covid lockdowns barely a few months away.

Reviewed as,

Great Location - faulty towers

Reviewed Dec 8, 2019

Location is excellent, close to Metro. Walking distance to most attractions. Several excellent restaurants and cafes close by. El Corte Ingles across junction, and an amazing Aldi (by UK standards - it made Harrods food hall look downscale!) around the corner.

Classic Indigo makeover of a hotel wirth awkwardly shaped room layouts. Bed was fine - although duvet cover was inside out! Free standing open plan wardrobe drawer combo with safe in a cupboard was a clever way of giving impression of space in small oddly shaped room - but I know how much it cost and where it was sourced from LOL. Sound proofing questionable for City View room. Bathroom recently renovated but our sink was blocked on second night - too late to inform. No facial tissue or face towels.

Check in slow - they seem to be having trouble with the electronic keys.

Bathroom cleaning of floor abysmal. On entering room workman was fixing something in bathroom. Next morning when hair dryer used dust from work blew all over the room!

No bottled water let alone free mini bar which is still an Indigo brand feature still? (Maybe dropped this since my last stay at this brand.). Zero recognition of top IHG status other than a free welcome drink of a very small glass of beer.

Even for an opening offer hugely over priced. Triumph of style over substance.

I understand the hotel only officially opened under the Indigo brand on December 1 so previous reviews are presumably during a "soft" opening?