Madrid Hotels - don't always believe the phogographs
 

Escala Opera Hotel, Madrid, - A review

The photographer who took the publicity pictures for the hotel deserves a prize! The hotel was presented as a cross between Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Sheik Abdul Badibu in the Emirates. Unfortunately a comparison with a Calle Luna (Madrid) streetwalker would be more accurate. Peel away the paint and underneath you see the real thing.

The Escala Opera is advertised as a “Botique Guest House with luxury rooms and individual décor. It has views of the Oriente gardens and the Royal Palace.” Perhaps from he building roof but not from the rooms. It’s not a ‘hotel’ but a mishmash of rooms, probably an old apartment (and I mean OLD) creaky floors and ill-closing doors are standard. My room was separated from its neighboring accommodation with a rickety screen type device through which the light could be seen shining where it didn’t quite meet the ceiling. The air conditioning didn’t seem to be cooling until I realized it was underneath a table. That had to be moved to the other side of the room before any semblance of cooling took place. Then it made the room livable, but not cold. Obviously the management knew about the temperature because no blankets at all were provided, just a very thin sheet on the bed. Two large and one small pillow were to be fought over by sleepers. One outlet only in the room and another in the bathroom. Ah! The bathroom. A large hand sink was welcome but pressure in the shower did not always allow the button controlling release of water from the overhead shower head to work. On the floor rested a mat with a large “U” shaped piece either cut out on purpose or eaten by a wide-mouthed animal. Strands of the stringy material sprouted everywhere. Grout filled the spaces between the bathroom tiles. Not a good sight. The room was quiet when the library located immediately outside, was not occupied by chattering guests. The walls of the room were hung with drapes. Flimsy, dusty long drapes that hung from curtain rods and served to disguise the ugly walls beneath. We found clothes left by a previous guest and reported these to the front desk. They responded by removing my soiled clothes in a plastic bag, from the room. This set of a search that lasted an hour before the bag was located, stored by the cleaning person somewhere in the depths of the maze. Getting in and out proved difficult, downstairs was very dark and difficult to see where the door release button was. The elevator, another antique and unless, unless one shut the two sets of door tightly. It would not move and could not be called from another floor if this wasn’t done. The staff, I admit, very willing to assist and allowed us access to the computer to print boarding passes. However, I would not return and would not recommend this establishment to anyone.

>>You might want to post on TA or booking.com, etc.<<

One-time posters aren't really listened to on TA much. You must have had some very bad luck, Booking and TA and kayak and most of the other on-line reviews are very good.

(the OP can't post on booking unless they booked it through booking.com)

How did you book the hotel?

I don't think one-time posters are the point when you look at hotel reviews on TA, and no one can predict what every viewer of TA pays attention to or not. At least it's a targeted audience (the review section, not just the general questions section).

Personally, I don't pay much attention to booking.com reviews as they aren't that helpful and are extremely limited.

However, no one wants to read a novel about a hotel review, anyway. it's too long

The risk with one time posters is you never know if they're real. It's a risk with positive reviews but also with negative ones. TA doesn't vet reviewers in any way. With booking.com at least you know the person stayed at the hotel. Larger hotels can have hundreds or even thousands of reviewers. They end up covering every single aspect usually. But even with only fifty reviews it's unlikely any serious problems don't get mentioned.

I usually scroll past one time posters because they're often the wackadoodles. Not always. But someone with multiple posts--you can look at their history and see if they're perpetually cranky, positive, or have no apparent idea of how the site works. As in: they might rant for three paragraphs about mildew and then still give the property five stars. But I'd rather read a long review than one that says "Stay was okay."

I think in this case it was expectations. The publicity photos/descriptions are kind of hilarious and misleading. But it's a three star hotel, and even in the pro photos it's pretty evident that it's historical guest house that leans towards quirky rather than luxurious. I think the OP saw what they wanted to see. It ain't Buckingham Palace.

I've learned to be cautious of anywhere calling itself a boutique hotel.

Guv, no offence, but I justed looked at this hotel on Expedia and it is listed at $78 a night.

What do you want at that price?

I also looked at photos and there is not one that makes the hotel look like Buckingham Palace.

Thin🏳️*🌈

Ohhh! what a detailed review lolllll, I actually feel like I experienced it with you. I googled the hotel and yes, the pictures are divine. Its hard reconciling those images with your words( no offence) but I will be on the look out just incase. A friend plans to take a trip to madfall, so would definitely tell her to be careful of Madrid lodgings

I have used bookings in about 12 countries including Spain, and only one place did not live up to expectations. The reviews are more reliable than TA, which I do not trust.

I am suspicious of first and only time posters with a grudge.

I think in most of Southern Europe complaining it's too warm and then complaining about a lack of blankets is only going to confuse people. Warm/hot means no blanket.

Of course complaining about the elevator being an antique is equally strange. Many people like those old elevators.

This place was before Casa de Madrid, owned by a ruined noble family. 3 years ago it went out of business. Reopened with this new name : Escala Opera. I'm afraid it's also going downhill. I would recommend it to those travelers who do not feel well in current times. People who long for those distant good old days. It will also please all who find beauty in decadence. The elevator is a spectacular stage for a film by any Hitchcock follower