If location is your top priority, Only You Hotel in Madrid certainly delivers. Tucked right into…read morethe vibrant heart of the city, the property radiates character with its quaint architecture, charming exposed brickwork, and distinct personality. One super fun feature we loved was the motion-activated hallway lights that dramatically turn on as you walk down the hall, adding a memorable, stylish touch. However, our overall stay turned out to be a story of two halves.
We initially checked into a Premium Room, which proved to be unreasonably cramped. We were practically tripping over each other and simply didn't have enough space to unpack our suitcases. Fortunately, on the third night a larger space opened up, we upgraded (for an additional cost) to a Suite--and the difference was night and day. Where the first room was dreadful, the suite was wonderful, and that extra breathing room completely saved our stay.
When it comes to amenities, the hotel features an on-site barbershop, gym and on-site dining, but the culinary experience left a lot to be desired. To an American palate, the food ranged from barely edible at best to completely intolerable at worst. Platefuls of food went completely untouched, and the staff were unwilling to make simple adjustments or basic accommodations.
Communication required a bit of patience as well--while many team members didn't speak English, an English speaker was usually nearby to step in.
On our third night, my husband lost an AirPod somewhere in the bedding. We were very appreciative of the staff's initial effort to hunt for it, and they did manage to locate it on the day we checked out. However, the goodwill took a hit when it came to returning it: they wanted to charge us roughly $80 in postage to ship it home.
Ultimately, while the prime location and boutique ambiance are big selling points, the hotel's rigid service and chintzy penny-pinching kept this from being a top-tier experience.
We stayed five nights in total, and this hotel gets three out of five stars. If you plan to stay here, skip the standard options, book a suite for a comfortable layout, and prepare to venture off-property for your meals.