Hello, I just came back from Spain and want to make a review to share my experiences over.
I made reservations through bancotel and chose capitol hotel for my first stay at Madrid. The hotel is horrible, old, smelly, the carpets are dirty, but it has great bathrooms and the people are really great. The location can't be better, just across Plaza del Callado on Gran Vía, so as soon as I stepped out of the hotel I felt in the middle of everything.
I was there on March 11th, and woke up to the sounds of ambulance sirens, I stayed in the hotel all day long as you could feel the horror of the events. The next day was still more impressive. I watched through my window as people from offices, stores, restaurants, banks, etc. got out to the street at noon and kept a minute of silence, the sound of that silence was overwhelming, an ambulance got through and people started clapping, it still brings tears to my eyes to remember that moment. It was a rainny day and later on I could see a huge flow of umbrellas flooding Gran Vía that suddenly got dark, no lights to make it alive. Spanish people showed us they were mourning, and we mourned with them.
I left Madrid on saturday towards Valencia, my experience there was incredible. I had reservations for the Ibis hotel in Alfafar, a suburb. The hotel was very american type, nice, clean, comfortable,modern, the bathroom had a great shower (no bath tub), a great bed, good tv, well, a nice american type motel, still with all the spanish hospitality. The rate was a nice surprise as well 49€ for a double room. We were at the beach, at the city center, and were lucky enough to be part of the fallas, an incredible experience. A pair of good comfortable shoes and a camera are a must. I had never walked as much as that week in Valencia!
I left for Madrid on the 20th. and had the Crowne Plaza for my second stay over. What a deception about that hotel. I never felt so cheated in my life. The lobby is nice, but you should see the room they gave me! It was so small I couldn't walk inside if I opened my suitcase. They didn't have individual air condition, it was hot (about 30ºC) and when I opened the window, they placed me just above the kitchen so the smell was awful. I called reception to complain and the clerk was very rude telling me if I wanted to smoke I had to have that room. I had to talk to the manager so they could give me a fan! That hotel is a no no for me from now on.
Anyway, as usual I fell in love with Spain and spaniards.