Review: Pestana Plaza Mayor, Madrid

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There are a lot of hotels in Madrid. A lot. So why stay at one hotel over another? That's what I was asking when I got the opportunity to review the Pestana Plaza Mayor hotel in Madrid.

But it turns out that the Pestana Plaza Mayor does differentiate itself from other Madrid hotels with a combination of location and value.

The Room


The bedroom in the suite at the Pestana Plaza Mayor in Madrid 

I chose a Suite at the Pestana Plaza Mayor. The price was about $300 a night in the middle of the high season, which is excellent for a suite in a top European city post-COVID. The suite consists of a sitting area, an entranceway, a hallway with a tub area, shower and toilet, and a bedroom.

The suite is the second largest room in the hotel, with a floor area of 46 square meters. The high ceilings also give it a feeling of openness; however, the windows opened out into the building, so the view leaves something to be desired.

I was pleasantly surprised by the room in general, and I wouldn't hesitate to stay in it again. The one minor gripe I had with it was how long of a walk the room is to the entrance of the hotel. The hotel winds around in a maze pattern, which felt a bit tiring after a long day. Of course, that's a pretty minor gripe.


The living area for the suite at the Pestana Plaza Mayor

The Bathroom

There isn't a single bathroom per se in the Pestana Plaza Mayor suite. The hallway has a little toilet closet, a shower closet, and a bathtub in the open. There is also a sink area along the hallway.

The design isn't my favorite, but it is well executed and feels appropriate in the room. The door to the toilet is a bit flimsy, and I don't like that there's no fan to cover the noise, but other than that everything is functional and clean.


The bathtub in the suite at the Pestana Plaza Mayor

I wouldn't call the housekeeping up to the standards of something like the Mandarin Oriental, but it's good and I had no significant complaints.  


The sinks for the suite at the Pestana Plaza Mayor

Overall, I found the room to be very good, and I was extremely satisfied by the value I got for the price.

Amenities

The hotel has a nice cafe in the courtyard where breakfast is served. I didn't try the cafe indoors, but the cafe also has an outdoor area on Plaza Mayor. Although the food was average, the spot on Plaza Mayor is excellent, and I really enjoyed dining there.

Service

The service at Pestana Plaza Mayor is typical of what you would expect for a budget luxury hotel. It was not anything to write home about, but it was perfectly adequate for the price point of the hotel. In all of my interactions with them, I found the staff is welcoming and helpful.


The hallway decor of the Pestana Plaza Mayor

Location

Arguably, the best thing about the Pestana Plaza Mayor is the location. It's right in the Plaza Mayor, with entrances on both the inside of the plaza and the outside. There's no need to take a taxi anywhere, and there are at least 50 restaurants within steps of the hotel.

Overall

Overall, the Pestana Plaza Mayor is a great place to stay in Madrid, with an excellent location right on Plaza Mayor, and some nice rooms for a relatively low price. I would not hesitate to return to this hotel for the price I paid.