We just got back from 7 nights in Madrid at the Hotel Carlos V in Sol. The location was great, although a little loud at times because of some raucous pedestrians outside our window (no cars allowed in that area of Sol). The room was perfect for my wife and I. We are late 20-somethings and are not into the hostel scene anymore. The hotel is 3 stars and our room worked out to be $100 per night, including tax. The staff was friendly and most spoke some English. The location is perfect - 2 minute walk to either the Sol or Callao metro stations.

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 03-28-2001).]

[ 04-13-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

WOW! The prices have gone up at this hotel. In 1998 I stayed there for a few days and I found the location to be unbeatable. In 1999 I could not get a room because this hotel had become so popular. I payed 66.00 USD per night for a double in 1998. I recommend this hotel. Sometimes Best Western has special rates such as double pays single. I have used them in Rome,Madrid, barcelona,Mallorca and luxembourg. Check out http://www.bestwestern.com for many hotels in other countries in Europe.

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 03-28-2001).]

¡Gracias Pelirrojo! I have just booked 6 nights at the Carlos V following your recommendation. This trip to Spain is all I think about and having the hotels booked is such a weight off my mind.

xtina, please return here to this thread after staying at Hotel Carlos V and give us your impressions as well. We all benefit from your experiences.

I've stayed at the Carlos V twice, once in 1995 and again in 1996. The location is excellent and the dining room/lounge is delightful. The staff was very nice - except for an older and, I hope, now-retired desk clerk who kept our passports overnight and was annoyed at being disturbed by customers while he was reading the new biography of Franco! The rooms were spare but comfortable. Be warned that it's impossible to get to with a car and if in a taxi, they have to drop you off a block or so away as cars aren't permitted on the street. There is a car park nearby, but if you bring a lot of luggage it can be a problem!

Actually, we had a cab pull right up to the front door. We were headed to the airport and called down to the front desk. They called a cab and the guy just drove right into the pedestrian area. We saw this happen several times. Maybe there's some rule about service/transit vehicles being able to drive there on an as-needed basis. That was a big help. Otherwise, it was down to Sol or up to Callao with all of our stuff.

We also had a minibus drop us off right outside the front door.

Carlos V is fab. Right in the middle of everything, but so so quiet at night. The beds were very comfortable and the room/bathroom/sheets etc were extremely clean.

The staff were helpful, with a wry sense of humour. And the breakfast, served in a very elegant room, was good (one of those that if you are clever you can take with you to help you through the rest of the day - Shhhhhhh, don't tell MM; that's something he'd never do ha ha).

There was a safe available in the room for 200 pts a day.

Of course, it is also just near to El Corte Ingles so you can stock up on stuff to take home easily.

By the way, we didn't have our passports taken from us, just quickly glanced at.


Jo-Anne

Sorry, just had to try everything out!

we stayed 6 nights at the Carlos V in March and would highly recommend it. The location is just fantastic, the staff very nice and the room was very clean and quiet. The breakfast buffet was good and if you want eggs and bacon you can order them for about $1.50 US. I hope you have as great a time in Madrid as we did. We also went to Seville on the AVE and did a day trip to Gibralter by bus from Seville. I've read several postings saying a trip to Gibralter was a waste but it was one of the highlights of our whole trip. One day for the complete trip from Seville was plenty of time for travel and sightseeing.

Sounds like all thumbs up for Carlos V. Matador, you couldn't get a room in 1999 'cuz we got the last one. Since I'm happy just about anywhere, I base my recommendation on three things: Location, "serenity factor" and how my non-Spanish-speaking father-in-law reviewed it:

1) We had a rental car, and Carlos V is just up the street (about 80 m.) from an underground parking. This in and of itself was a lifesaver! A+

2) The rooms were spacious enough for my taste. The bathroom was accomodating, and the extras were plentiful. The only knock was that the walls were painfully thin. This was only an issue on our first night, as I like to stay awake as long as possible when coming in country, and then crash. I could easily hear and understand EVERYTHING said by our next-door neighbors...and they stayed up LATE. B+

3) My suegro, who thinks Spanish is just English spoken loudly while waving a 5000 pta. note, has given the Carlos V an "A" grade as well. He specifically commented on the courtesy of the staff (conciérge and bar attendants) as well as the inviting nature of the restaurant area. A+

I would recommend this hotel as well. (MM-Do you think Carlos V should compensate you for all of this free super-positive publicity??? :))

Hi CaliBasco! I'm just back from a 1-week trip to your great state of California (San Francisco with my ladyfriend, to be exact).

I WISH Hotel Carlos V would compensate me/US(!) all for giving truthful positive feedback about the different establishments. Imagine! We'd all be rolling in dough!!

Fact is, I did contact them (I think) to see if they would like to advertise on my new-ish MadridMan's Madrid Hotels page, but www.RentalSpain.com replied with interest before they did so RentalSpain got the contract.

I can't honestly recall ever hearing ANYTHING negative about Hotel Carlos V (other than CaliBasco's "thin walls" comment) before! They must be doing something right!

Saludos, MadridMan

I stayed at the Carlos last week on the 25,th, 26th, and 27th.

I would agree that the location is fantastic. Its on Maestro Victoria just off of Calle de Preciados. The room itself was fair, but not what I expected for the 125 euros it cost. Floor was quite dirty, not cleaned in my three nights there. Bathroom was very nice and spotless. Fifth floor patio was also nice. It got chilly at night, and when we pulled our blankets out of the plastic liner in the wardrobe, they smelled like fish. When I called the concierge to ask for replacements, I was told "this is not possible" (at 9 pm). So we froze. To me, that's just plain wrong.

The staff was friendly and did speak English, though I spoke to them in Spanish. I would stay at the Carlos V again, but would shop around first. I was supposed to stay at the nearby Santo Domingo but had to cancel.

Funes

funes, thank you SO much for your review of this place and ALSO for finding and following-up on an existing thread. THAT is MUCH appreciated. REALLY, it is.

What a shame about your experience at Hostel Carlos V . I wonder if all the rooms are/were like this. If so, Best Western may be dropping them as well someday soon.

Most of us who have been around the message board since the beginning remember that prices were nearly HALF what you paid and was always highly recommended on the price/quality.

Saludos, MadridMan

Carlos V is a mix bag. Location is good, pleasant people at the reception, smelly and dull rooms, no good in house customer service.

I stayed there two or three times last year and decided that overall they were not worth my money (single and triple rooms). It was time to keep walking and shop around.

A good hostal will cost you 1/3 of what you paid per night.

I stayed at the Best Western Carlos Quinto way back in September of 2001 and I would have been the first to recommend this hotel without a moment's hesitation. For the $50 (or was it $60)per night I paid, it was quite a bargain and the location right near Sol and literally across the street from El Corte Ingles was just unbeatable.

From that time to this however, the prices have doubled, in just 3 years mind you, and I don't think inflation can be that high in Espana in general and in Madrid in particular.

Therefore, I don't think I can honestly recommend this hotel anymore. It's just too overpiced for what you're getting. This is one case where they may have been a victim of their own past success. How they can they get away with doubling the price in just 3 years is beyond me. Then again, may not. Maybe there is a simple explanation. If people are willing to shell out the $100 per night then I guess they will continue to overcharge and fleece their customers.

Personally, I would donate my money elsewhere.

I stayed at the Carlos V the summer of 2002. It was around $75 per night. We were going to be staying with an older family member, so we needed a place with a working elevator, AC and easy walking.

I think a big part of the price increase can be attributed to the exchange rate. It was very good two years ago--when 1 Euro=.85 cents. Right now it's atrocious: 1 Euro= $1.22.

Pros: It's a good location with on a pedestrian street with much to do within easy walking distance. The rooms on top have huge terraces which was really nice in the evenings. There's individualized AC. They serve a very un-Spanish breakfast, which could be good for those who need more than caffeine and sugar in the morning. Helpful staff.

Cons: The worst Americanized/Anglified coffee I've ever had in Spain! Tiny reception area. A little searching could find you a much cheaper room, but maybe not with the location, AC and/or elevator.