I'm going to Madrid in July. Thinking of booking in the Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin but I've read that there are alot of homeless people in front of the hotel. Has anyone heard about that? Another choice is the Hotel Preciados. I also thought I saw a hotel near Retiro park with a rooftop pool and lounge on the web but didn't bookmark it. Now I can't find it. Any help will be appreciated.

Could it be hotel Urban? It is not too far from Retiro and it has a rooftop pool.

I couldn't call it a real pool, not for swiming. It's more of a oversized wading pool.

I certainly can't vouch for it as I have never seen it. Just repeating what is in their advertising,

Hola Waimea! Do you live near Waimea, Hawaii? If so, I've been there! Quite nice. That'll be a LONNNNNG flight to Madrid, too. Wow. I can't (DON'T!) imagine how many hours that'd be.

Anyway, there are some homeless-like-persons around the corner from the Hotel Intur Palacio San Martín but they never bother anyone. They don't seem to congregate in front of the hotel though.

Hotel Urban (web: http://www.derbyhotels.com/page.php?id=515 ) does have a swimming pool and is a 5*GL hotel, located about 3 blocks east of the Puerta del Sol - not very close to the Retiro Park.

The Hotel Emperador, 4*, (web: http://www.emperadorhotel.com/ ) has a rooftop pool, a large one too, and is located on the Gran Vía - not that close to the Retiro Park either but not all that far away either.

Saludos, MadridMan
--
Madrid, Spain, and MORE @ you-know-where!

Dear MadridMan,
Sadly I don't live near Waimea. I'm on the east coast so at least the length of the flight isn't has horrific. Thank you for your suggestions. We may stick with the Intur Palacio.

You can't go wrong with the Preciados - location is perfect, rooms are large by european standards, and it's quiet, too! If you have any questions about it, ask away - I just spent 5 nights there...

If there are homeless people around the Palacio San Martin,it must be a fairly recent problem. I stayed there several years ago and thought it an excellent hotel. I would certainly stay there again.

Hi Waimea:

I assume you have made your choice by now? For what it's worth I just returned from Madrid and spent quite some time in front of the Intur Palacio Hotel because it is right next to the Monasterio De Las Descalzas Reales, where I waited in line for more than an hour. I got a view for a while on more than one day. It is a good location, close to many sights like Plaza Mayor, Sol & the Palace and close to Corte Ingles dept store. But still away from the big big traffic.

But it depends on how much this kind of (homeless) scene affects you. When I saw them it consisted of a just a guy and a very young lady with a large spearlike nose piercing and a Dr Suess Hat on a side corner. They seemed harmless and did not approach.
Still it bothered me to see her fine and dandy one day and very drugged out the next. Also they had a female dog and her puppies there and that bothers me as I a dog lover...My guess is that this may bother you because you ask about it.

I took a look at the hotel lobby and was thinking this was a great possibily for a future trip.

I spoke to some French tourists in line staying @ the Intur Palacio and they were very happy with the hotel. Not as busy spot as some other hotels.

By the way I really enjoyed the tour of Las Descalzas. I will post a trip report soon.

Stayed at Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin last fall and loved it: lovely hotel, great service, great location. I can only tell you my experience over the course of 4 days. I saw no one hanging out front - let alone homeless/panhandlers. We always walked to dinner and came back very late at night 2am)and felt very safe walking all around that area. I would definitely stay there again.