Hotel Review: Room Mate Hotel Macarena Madrid

Colorful and worthy of a design award, these rooms make great use of space. They have coordinated patterns between the carpeting and wallpaper. I especially liked the comfortable cushioned headboards, and the way there were twistable reading lights so that you could read in bad while charging devices using the ample power ports.

These rooms are not gigantic, but there is lots of clever use of storage space, including in the closet with multiple drawers and shelves. The flat-screen TV pivots so that you can watch it from various angles. And the open-plan bathroom makes the room feel bigger.

While some people may find that privacy is impeded a bit, there is a frost glass door between the toilet area and the rest of the room. There’s also a separate glass door between the shower and vanity area.

The best rooms face Gran Vía and have entertaining views of one of the city’s most famous streets. Many rooms have  windows that open directly to this view. And they also include French balconies where you can have a 180° view of the light-filled scenery.

The only thing I wish the rooms had would be more interior light. But, the dim lighting fit really well with the sleek, sexy design.

The lobby of this hotel is on the ninth floor. Guests enter a ground-level reception area and are ushered up to the top floor to check in. One floor above that is the “azotea,” which is a popular rooftop terrace concept that you will find all around Madrid. These are especially popular atop buildings along this street.

It opens at night, and is popular with tourists and locals. This is why you need to scan your key card to get into the elevators, which is a security practice for guests. The rooftop menu, complete with a small pool, serves light meals and cocktails with tremendous views of the entire city. It is worth a look, even if you’re not a guest. But keep in mind, that it only opens at sunset.

The main restaurant here is on the same level as reception. It does have a lovely outdoor terrace, where you can enjoy a smoke or a cup of coffee. While the restaurant on this level is dedicated mostly to breakfast, scoring a table at dinner time on the rooftop is the real prize.

As for breakfast here, the selection is impressive with hot and cold items, including a variety of Spanish cheeses, meats and pastries. I was most impressed with the fact that they have gluten-free and other diet-specific items on offer.

As a brand standard, Room Mate Hotels focuses on eliminating single-use plastics and making the experience as energy-efficient as possible. In the rooms, you will find glass bottles with filtered water instead of plastic bottles. In addition, bathrooms sport eco-friendly pump bottles of excellent toiletry products.

The one thing I wish the rooms had were tissues, but otherwise, you have every need met here. You can also opt out of housekeeping, and the hotel will plant a tree in your honor. That is a unique and wonderful way to involve guests in the sustainability efforts.

At breakfast, I appreciate it that there were signs that guests should take only what they plan to eat from the buffet. This gentle reminder helps people to be mindful about what they put on their plate, which reduces food waste. I wish more hotel restaurants around the world would have similar reminders.

As mentioned before, this hotel is located directly on Gran Vía, which is one of the most visited destinations in the city. You cannot be more centrally located than this hotel.

The ability to open your window and look out towards the bright city lights or take a walk in any direction to discover something important in Madrid gives this hotel top marks. While, it does not have a fitness center or spa, the city itself proves a perfect place to get your steps in during your visit to the Spanish capital.