Customer reviews of The Westin Palace, Madrid

07 july, 2010
Just a note to say many thanks to you all for your assistance in yesterday's event. All ran smoothly and the client was very pleased with the end result. I would not hesitate in recommending the Westin Madrid following the event
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Just wanted to thank you for your assistance and professionalisms during my stay at the Palace during June 24th thru June 29th. Your assistances in resolving the issue at the time was very satisfactory. I hope that when you are visiting New York (Manhattan) City you will call me
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No queria dejar de destacar su profesionalismo y excelencia en la calidad de servicio, honrando su cargo y responsabilidad de manera ejemplar.
Digo todo esto, porque pasando mas de 200 noches por año en hoteles, obviamente suelen suceder algunos incidentes, y no siempre las autoridades actuan con su rapidez, eficacia y empatia para convertir una mala experiencia en otra mucho mejor y productiva.
Mis mas sinceras felicitaciones!!
Ha superado y soprendido mis espectativas, y mucho mas con el detalle en su despedida. Nos estaremos viendo pronto. Un saludo cordial!
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My wife and I have been to this hotel twice in the past year (once for our engagement and again for our honeymoon). We find the service to be great. We were complemented with a bottle of champagne during our honeymoon stay which was a really nice touch.
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This was by far the best hotel experience I've ever had and I have stayed in great hotels like the XXXXX and other Westins'. The reception desk was courteous, housekeeping was consistent and the concierge staff was absolutely incredible! They were always helpful and made my tours and my overall experience in Madrid unforgettable. Remarkable hotel and I give it a 10 all around. I believe it was Lizandro and Alejandro that were the most helpful in concierge.I will be returning to Madrid early August and I plan on staying at the Westin Palace once again
30 Jun 2010 | Madrid´s best hotel! »
This is our second time at the Westin Palace within one year... it did NOT disappoint! As before, all of the staff were courteous, accommodating and helpful to the nth degree. Location, is of course, perfect - across the street from the Prado and nearby to the Reina Sofia, etc. My only disappointment was the Asia Gallery Restaurant - service was very pushy (they seemed quite eager to get you in and out the door and food was so, so...) I´d stick with the local restaurants (try El Rincon de Estaban, just around the corner and absolutely get the Cochinillo - or Paradis - another wonderful option just down the street, you will NOT be disappointed (do have the concierge make a reservation...) We will be back to Madrid within the year and the Westin Palace is where we will stay!
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2 Jul 2010 | Amazing
Great Hotel. Like most Westin's - it had great service, great amenities and great location!
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Excellent location, great Westin quality »
The Westin is a great hotel in a superb Madrid location - within walking distance to the Prado, Thyssen, Plaza Major, the Royal Palace and great restaurants and shopping. You'll get the same Westin quality you get in the U.S. The heavenly bed, clean rooms, and polite staff. It does host a lot of weddings - I thought this was fun but I could see how others might be annoyed. I plan to stay at the Westin whenever I am in Madrid. Also, American friends - the Spanish enjoy lunch from 2 - 4 pm and dinner from 10 pm on. My suggestion is that you eat a good breakfast, a big lunch at 2 pm and buy a sandwich from a local shop for dinner. This will make it easier for you but if you want to enjoy Madrid then get on the local food schedule - it's tough but fun. Walking everywhere will help you avoid the extra weight from sleeping on a full stomach. Ladies definitely you'll want to shop for clothes and shoes - inexpensive but amazing quality. Drink the Cava - it's much better in Spain than in the U.
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26 june, 2010
Central location, 5 minute walk from the Prado and around the corner from the action of Puerto del Sol, Place Mayor and a million tapas joints and cervezerias. Super luxurious rooms, great breakfast, professional staff. Stayed there because someone else was picking up the tab and got a great discount. If I had the money, I'd choose to stay there on my own tab, too. Wonderful experience!
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THE ROOMS WERE VERY COMFORTABLE, WELL MAINTAINED, AND THE SERVICE WAS GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE BAGGAGE PICKUP WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN
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This is my second visit to the hotel, and the team is excellent, helpful and makes our stay easy.

25 june, 2010
The staff went out of their way to make you feel like a special person and to thank us on our arrival for chosing the hotel. Always had a smile and appeared to really enjoy working at the hotel understnding they workred in a service industry
***
Very nice hotel with friendly, efficient and very helpful staff. Special recognition to concierge staff as being one of the best I've encountered. Quite helpful and knowledgeable along with never having to wait long to speak with them.

22 june, 2010
Excellent location with very comfortable rooms, great beds, and overall every associate was polite and went out of their way to ensure a great stay.
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19 june, 2010
I organized a conference at the Westin after comparing the Westin to a few other 5 star hotels in the area. It was a good decision. The meetings went well; all was taken care of as agreed. The concierge and the business center were always very friendly and helpful when we had questions or needed extra support. There is security and one cannot get to the rooms/floors without a room key.Taxis are available right around the corner of the hotel. A taxi to the airport costs around EUR 20-25. I noticed that when you order one from the concierge, the price is double or even triple.We stayed at deluxe double rooms. The rooms were large and very clean. The beds are truly heavenly. Bathroom is large too with good water pressure. Wireless internet is free for the first 30 mins. 24 hours cost 18.95 Euro. The complimentary water and fruit is a nice touch. The drinks and snacks in the minibar were pretty expensive. There is a small convenience store next to the hotel, and also a Starbucks. Our room price included the breakfast buffet. The breakfast is served in the restaurant La Rotonde - very beautiful! There was a good choice of warm and cold dishes and I have never had scrambled eggs as delicious as they are at the Westin Madrid! The orange juice and coffee are very good too! The 3 major art museums are all within walking distance of the hotel. We had wonderful tapas at the Cervezeria Cervantes, a 2 minutes walk from the hotel. Plaza Santa Ana is the ideal plaza for evening drinks and tapas. For a special occasion, you need to have dinner at the Restaurante Santcelino! And do ask the concierge to book you seats at the Corral de la Moleria for an unforgetable flamenco evening! This trip was for business but I will certainly return for pleasure!
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17 june, 2010
The warm personal welcome, complimentary fruit and water in our room, upgrade to a junior suite set the tone fro a wonderful 7 night stay at this beautiful hotel. Service is friendly and very efficient from the doorman to the room staff to the knowledgeable concierge staff. Situated in a prime location, the hotel is close to all three major art galleries and within comfortable walking distance of the cmain squares in the city. Taxis, subway and buses are easily accessible too. For lovers of outdoor dining, a short walk brings one to St. Ana square and its outdoor tapas restaurants. It is a pleasure to recommend this hotel.
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15 june, 2010
Saw Bon Jovi! » If it's good enough for Bon Jovi, then it's good enough for me =).
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I wanted to say a special thanks for having us stay over at your lovely hotel. We LOVED it.. and we love Madrid. Weather was great..!
Rooms were great -

14 june, 2010
The politeness of the staff warm welcome beauty and comfort of the room.
***
Very accommodating staff, beautiful property. Amex Platinum hotel program very helpful as well.

13 june, 2010

The concierges were excellent. Made reservations for restaurants, changes in plane tickets, arranged tours. The made the stay memorable
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Beautiful room, very warm and welcoming concierge (there was a woman who worked w/ the concierge there -- she had short dark hair and I believe she worked w/ SPG guests -- she was wonderful in welcoming us, remembering us during our stay and giving us great recommendations for dinner, etc.) The hotel is very well located too.
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We had a lovely stay! We had an amazing room (the executive suite) and the staff was extremely friendly, warm and helpful. Especially the woman at the Starwood preferred guests reception Marta
she was very nice and helpful
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The entire experience was a memorable experience for us. From checking in (Enrique) to the hotel room and service, assistance from the concierge (Alejandro)desk to procure event tickets, restaurant recommendations and assistance with daily activities - everything was done in a very professional and courteous manner
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Best hotel I've stayed at in Madrid. Important to me are Room condition, Gym, Location.....All of these elements were excellent. The breakfast Buffett was also excellent. The Hotel Bar was excellent..loved that a TV was installed to see the Soccer.
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Location of hotel, ease of check in process, cleanliness of room and breakfast brunch on Sunday.
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Wonderful customer service in all areas of the hotel. Very helpful employees in the business center. The best breakfast I had on my tour.
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This message is long overdue, but I want to take the opportunity to thank you for the wonderful stay my wife, daughter and her friend and I enjoyed. I have had the opportunity to work in 22 different countries and stay in many of the world's great hotels but I can honestly say my stay at the Palace has been the best. Of course it goes without saying the accommodations were superb, but it was the feeling that we were welcome from the very beginning to the very end that made the visit so memorable. You are to be complemented on the excellent staff at your hotel, I can't wait to return.
Muchas Gracias,
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There were several things that made our stay very enjoyable: 1.When we checked in the front desk made a suggestion that we upgrade our room to be more comfortable since we were 3 adults. We hestiated because of the expense but she threw in a "perk" and we want for it. I think the larger room made our stay more enjoyable. 2.This was the first time we were in Madrid and we really needed a lot of help finding our way around the front door man was really helpful and patient with us. 3. The evening concierge made some great recommendations for dinner and the daytime concierge saved us the mistake of using the train for the day trip (which the tour guide recommended) when the bus was easier,cheaper and got us closer. It's nice that your people really know the area. 4.Finally, the breakfast was such a treat and so many nice people serving. And people actually smiled at this hotel. We did not find too many smiling people at the front desk of some of the other spanish hotels - probably a cultural thing
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Every staff member at the hotel was absolutely wonderful and a pleasure to deal with. The courtesy and politeness of everyone was outstanding. The hotel room was unbelievably clean and the furniture was very, very comfortable. The decor of the room (and the bathroom) was beautiful. The retractable clothes line in the shower was very helpful. Overall, the complete experience was wonderful and I cannot wait to come back to such a beautiful hotel
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Here's the contribution I sent to tripadvisor For my second visit in Madrid and after my perfect stay at the Palace hotel, going back to the same hotel was obvious. This hotel is fantastic, its location is perfect when you want to visit the several museums nearby and it is, as always with Westin, very comfortable. After a flight delayed due to the ash cloud we arrived at the hotel and the reception was perfect. They remembered that I've stayed there last year which feels very nice. The rooms haven't changed a bit and are very comfortable. The only thing is that, as I was traveling with my family, I would have preferred to have two double beds instead of two single beds. But I don't think two double beds would fit.
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Back in Dubai I would like to thank you for your hospitality and time during my stay and our meeting!
We were happy to see your hotel so busy and lively - what a great location! And what a great city you live in!
Our trip was overall very successful and we are now looking at structuring our product range and choices.
We will come back to you very soon!
For now - once again our biggest thanks for all your help and support!!!
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21 may, 2010
It's Grand - it's centrally located - and it's a piece of history. The rooms are comfortable, classical (a bit dated interiors), and quite roomy in terms of space. Hotel policy did not allow for 2 adults and 2 children (under 12) to share a room so had totake an interconnect. But well worth it.Metro station is about 300 mts. away but then one could walk to shopping district between Sol and Gran Via, attractions like the Prado and other museums, botanical garden; the beautiful and must see Reitro park and other such places of interest. Plenty of eateries within walking distance including a Starbucks and Vips (cafe and convenience store) right outside the hotel. Excellent service all over - limited but excellent F&B s within hotel. The Atocha train station is barely a mile away making train commute to other cities in Spain very easy.
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When in Madrid, we stay at the Palace. Great location, so close to the 3 museums. Excellent spacious rooms. Accomodating front desk and obliging wait staff. Best brunch in town . . . what more can you ask
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This is a beautiful hotel in an excellent location. The room was clean, comfortable and a very reasonable size. The bathroom was also spacious. The room was well insulated and despite being on a busy street, was very quiet. The staff was absolutely superb! The concierge staff in particular went way out of their way to help us with all our questions, reservations, requests etc. All the staff was extremely pleasant. The food also was excellent.
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Good location, incredible food, impeccable service
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It's Grand - it's centrally located - and it's a piece of history. The rooms are comfortable, classical (a bit dated interiors), and quite roomy in terms of space. Hotel policy did not allow for 2 adults and 2 children (under 12) to share a room so had totake an interconnect. But well worth it.Metro station is about 300 mts. away but then one could walk to shopping district between Sol and Gran Via, attractions like the Prado and other museums, botanical garden; the beautiful and must see Reitro park and other such places of interest. Plenty of eateries within walking distance including a Starbucks and Vips (cafe and convenience store) right outside the hotel. Excellent service all over - limited but excellent F&B s within hotel. The Atocha train station is barely a mile away making train commute to other cities in Spain very easy.
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When in Madrid, we stay at the Palace. Great location, so close to the 3 museums. Excellent spacious rooms. Accomodating front desk and obliging wait staff. Best brunch in town . . . what more can you ask.
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This is a beautiful hotel in an excellent location. The room was clean, comfortable and a very reasonable size. The bathroom was also spacious. The room was well insulated and despite being on a busy street, was very quiet. The staff was absolutely superb! The concierge staff in particular went way out of their way to help us with all our questions, reservations, requests etc. All the staff was extremely pleasant. The food also was excellent.
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May 25,2010
The hotel is beautiful, the beds are very comfortable, the atmosphere is of luxury and good friendly service, the location is fantastic for us since we were interested in the Museums and some city life.

May 13, 2010
Dear Sirs, It was a pleasure to be your guest. In fact your service was very good, well up to the expected by a hotel of such category. Reception was quick and efficient, the Concierge service was kind and professional, always remembering my room number (many guests and many room numbers) and the restaurant staff at breakfast (I was not there at other meals but it must have been the same) was very helpful and open to please. Thank you
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May 7, 2010
Thank you for your warm welcome. Our stay at the Westin Palace was an extraordinarily wonderful one. Everything was perfect; the suite was magnificent, the serve was perfect and we love your friendly city. Thank you for all you did to contribute to this. We look forward to returning in the future. Sincerely
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May 6, 2010
Kathy and I wish to express our gratitude and thanks for your hospitality to us at your magnificent hotel. Our accomodations were the best, your staff gave us the best service and the amenities were as fine as we have experienced anywhere in our travels. I will be sure to tell xx of our pleasure. Muchas gracias
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When Travelling with my niece from April 30th to May 3rd we had the pleasure of staying at the Westin in Madrid. The hotel is from 1912 so if you are looking for a posh modern hotel this isnt it. If you are looking for a hotel with a history, good service, great breakfast and really nice beds AND if you can get a good deal (rack rates are to high) AND if you don't mind not being close to shops, main street etc. then you should consider the Palace Westin.The taxi from the airport was about EURO 35 and back to the airport EURO 30.The tour bus (red line) stops just outside the hotel. The blue line stops a few hundred metres away.The check in was quick - So was check-out as our room was prepaid.
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A great stay at a great classic hotel »Booked an award 4-night stay with Starwood points, although I have no elite status. Given a standard room, which was normal hotel rooms size, but was beautiful in layout and appointments. Bed very comfortable, bathroom very upscale. Very clean and many amenities that you would expect from a 5-star hotel. Didn't eat in the hotel as it was expensive, but the dining areas looked very classy. Great location, across the street from the Prado and Thyssen art museums, and within a mile walk (or taxi ride) of all major tourist attractions in Madrid. Plenty of restaurants and outdoor eating within easy walking distance. Metro about 1/4-mile walk. Internet actually free (for 30-minute intervals) in the business center all day and evening. Concierge services helpful. Only drawback was major road construction right outside of the hotel which is expected to last a few more months as they are adding underground parking for a nearby government building . Would definitely return, depending on price, since my stay was on points.
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My name is xxx and I stayed at your property last week. I wanted to thank you and your staff for arranging the bottle of champagne and chocolates for my room.  As you may have been aware, we were traveling for our honeymoon and this gesture went a long way to making our stay in Madrid memorable! Although we were there for just one night, we will certainly recommend your hotel to friends and family and be sure to stay there again if we travel to Spain!
Thank you again to you and your staff for making our stay great
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K and I wish to express our gratitude and thanks for your hospitality to us at your magnificent hotel. Our accomodations were the best, your staff gave us the best service and the amenities were as fine as we have experienced anywhere in our travels. I will be sure to tell J of our pleasure. Muchas gracias

May 3 , 2010
We booked it for a 4 day break on a reduced rate and ended up staying 3 days longer due to the ash cloud. The staff could not have been more helpful and did not penalise us with a higher rate for the extra days which was much appreciated and will ensure we return.
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Staff accommodating in extending my stay due to airline chaos. Repairs to bulbs in room carried out quickly and minbar restocked promptly. Helful concierge in getting restaurants.
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We were there during the time of the volcanic eruption in Iceland. We got to the hotel late and without our luggage. The staff provided us with toiletries and advised to help us in our situation
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We loved it! We were first time visitors to Madrid and we loved the hotel location, staff, decor, and beautiful rooms. A fantastic setting for breakfast as well! Regards, CH
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i like the size of the room, the position of the hotel and the excellent service from the front reception down the various staff. keep going! a special mention to the business center which helped me at no charge on something urgent.
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Just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for a wonderful stay at your hotel. This was my second visit to the Westin Palace Madrid and was even more pleasurable than the first ten years ago!! Your staff is just wonderful and your concierge is impeccable! They sent us to the most wonderful restaurants and couldn't be more helpful.
Thank you for a enjoyable and most memorable vacation!
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April 30, 2010
My wife and I took a trip to Spain to celebrate her birthday in September. We stayed five nights at the Palace -- and wow, what a great decision that was. The staff was incredible -- especially Celia at the Reception and Lisandro the concierge. Can't say enough good things about these two (hold on to them, Westin!) The rooms are FABULOUS, light, bright, elegant and restful. The lobby and public spaces are very elegant. And the location -- it simply can't be beat (across the street from the Prado and Thyssen Bornemisza musuems, close to El Retiro park and, in the other direction, close to nightlife central of Plaza Santa Ana). The Palace's buffet breakfast? Don't get me started, I might start drooling ... it will certainly send you off on your daily Madrid explorations with a big smile (and stomach). The only demerit I'd give the hotel is I don't love the Westin "Heavenly" beds, which are like sleeping on a giant fluffy cloud. I prefer a firm mattress, but that's just me perhaps. Also: the hotel would benefit from a swimming pool and Jacuzzi -- where would they put it, however, in a historic 100-year-old hotel like this?
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April 27, 2010
Great location, ideally central, very near to Prado gallery and Thyssen.Lovely rooms, very comfortable, incredibly quiet and well equipped. Very helpful and friendly staff. Good internet in business centre, free and high speed broadband on 4 pc's.It is anincredible building with quite a history. The central lounge has the most amazing stained glass 20's art Deco domed ceiling, truly fantastic.Memorable evenings having one of their good cocktails, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling!I loved staying here
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It was not on my itinerary to stay at this hotel but given the circumstances of an unexpected few days in Madrid (due to volcanic ash) I am more than happy with both the comfort and service the Westin Palace offered me. I booked the hotel through an online hotel agent the night before my arrival. When I got to there the booking was not in the system. The young lady (Celia) who was checking me in went to great length's to help me solve the problem.I was offered free use of the business center and 2 free phone calls to the British agent who made the booking. After an hour or so the problem was solved the booking confirmed and i was in my room. The receptionist was totally proactive in helping me, reflective of the whole quality of service throughout this beautiful property.Internet was free for the first 30 minutes and after that a crazy €9 for an additional 20 minutes. However for the entire time I was there the hotel waived all internet charges which was a nice touch. The business center was constantly full of guests looking to find a way back home.It was a beautiful hotel to find yourself in in such stressful circumstances. The surrounds were calming and tasteful. The rooms were most comfortable albeit a little dated. The breakfast was fantastic. The Concierge more than helpful. The location unbeatable. The service first class. It was true quality. Housekeeping was a bit patchy. I am glad I found it and booked it and when I return to Madrid will most definitely stay there again.
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This hotel is in a great location, particularly if you want to go to the major museums, and is in walking distance to many attactions. I was able to check in right away after an overnight flight and did not have to wait for a room. Buffett breakfast is wonderful in an elegant dining room. My only complaints were that the hotel tried to charge me 34 euro a day for breakfast after advertising that breakfast was included in the room rate. After I complained, they removed the charges with no fuss. Also the main dining room was too expensive for dinner
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The best location for museum lovers as its oposite Prado, Thyssen and within walking distance from Reina Sofia. Also within walking distance from Plaza del Sol, Plaza de Mayor and other sights. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Majestic building and excuisite grand decor even though the rooms on the 3rd floor look tired and could do with a refurbishing. Standard room became too crowded when the extra bed was placed. Overall a very good experience. If you are there on a Sunday and like opera stay in for lunch.

April 26, 2010
My wife and I recently needed to get back to the USA when the Iceland volcano cloud grounded all the aircraft. We were in Brussels and drove 1600 km to Madrid to catch a flight home. At the end of that long drive, we landed for one night at the Westin. Beautiful hotel!
Wonderful service, especially from the female concierge who was magnificent to work with on the return of our rental car. The room was quiet and calm and clean and spacious -- what more could you ask in a busy place like Madrid? The dining room was peaceful and well managed and soothing to our road-shot nerves. We loved the hotel so much we want to return to Madrid for a week or two in the future

April 25, 2010
We spent our entire time in Madrid at The Palace and were glad that we did. The hotel is gorgeous, the service is terrific, the breakfast (included with our package) is top rate, the concierge is very helpful, and the location is perfect. The metro station is across the street, world-class art museums are within easy walking distance, cabs are readily available 24 hours a day, and the beautiful Retiro park is a few minutes walk away.Our room was lovely, had a pretty view, and was immaculate. The hotel's restaurants, although a bit pricey, are first rate, and the breakfast spread was the best we've had anywhere in the world

April 24, 2010
Extremely friendly and curtious staff. Fabulous accomodations. Excellent breakfast buffet. extremely helpful concierge staff-amont the best we have experienced throughout our travels to England, France, Vienna, Prague and Italy! Thank you!
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Staff, Location, Dining, all exceptional!
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Very lovely atmosphere, excellent services everywhere, very kindly, so People make the difference
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I stayed at the Palace in 1970 when I was one of GM TTCG. I loved it, and was thrilled to be able to stay there with my son and husband when we visited Madrid this month. It was so much as I remembered it. It is a wonderful hotel, and the staff are excellent. I hope to return sooner next time. See you then....
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April 23, 2010
everyone was extremely gracious and accommodating special mention to the excellent staff of the dining room
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The room was very clean and the beds were extremely comfortable. The buffet breakfast was also excellent.
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i was recognized as a prefered gest member by the reception clerk and offerd acomodations in the special floor of the hotel, service was excepcional and the hotel a complete Palace . bed rooms and bath rooms were very nice and beds havenly, also house keeping was so old fashion and at one time we had four of them making sure we were complitly settle into our room (like in a Palace)
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April 21,2010
I came to Madrid last week to attend the Eurofi conference and stayed at the Westin Palace.
As you know the lack of flying made everything very difficult.  I just wanted to say that your reception and concierge desks were superb, helpful at every turn.
I am now back in London.With thanks
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It was very clean and comfortable and the breakfast was lovely. concierge was also very helpful.
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April 20, 2010
Terrific hotel wonderful experience for me and my family. the concierge was terrific - mailed my daughters lost teddy bear to us that she had lost in the hotel. the staff found the teddy bear and they mailed it to us in the states
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great conceierge/comfortable room and excellent breakfast
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EXCELLENT CONCIERGE SERVICE EXCELLENT ROOMS AND MAID SERVICE DELIGHTFUL WHITE TEA AND ALOE SMELL THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING Not to be missed breakfast buffet.(Actually the buffet is primarily what would keep me coming back)
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Excellent service, spectacular public rooms, and above all wonderful location
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I felt very safe, and comfortable. The staff were wonderful and it was very clean.
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The hotel was great! we really enjoyed our stay
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The Sunday music brunch was terrific. The physical location of the hotel is also very good
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Room available on arrival at 8:30AM; Great sleeping conditions - sound proofing, great linens, curtains keep out light; convenient location
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i was impressed that you sent up champaign& chocolate for my b-day - nice touch!
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The Palace" is really that and more. Our room was beautiful and spotless; the service was top-notch; the dining room (for breakfast and dinner) is gorgeous, esp, the glass dome. The staff was gracious and very helpful with reservations at restaurants, train schedules, mailing packages home, etc.
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April 19, 2010
This hotel is amazing. It is absolutely gorgeous and perfectly located. The rooms have a classic feel, but with the amazing westin beds. The bathroom is marble and just feels elegant. The hallways feel as if you're walking the halls of the titanic. The staff is incredibly professional and friendly.There are little touches throughout the hotel. From the hand sanitizer at the check-in desk to the apples perfectly laid out by the elevators. I give props to whoever is managing this hotel. Congrats. I would love to stay here again. It's expensive, but absolutely worth the splurge

April 16, 2010

Thank you for all the assistance during the Macquarie stay and meeting, all is much appreciated and I hear ran very smoothly.It was reassuring to know that the guests were in good hands and one could relax that their need would be attended too. Many thanks once agai

April 14, 2010

Dear Marc, We would like to thank you for your hospitality and wonderful accommodations at the Westin Palace. We truly enjoyed our stay in Madrid
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We enjoyed our stay very much and would like to add my $0.02 on comments from other guests. The "dated" comment - we found one of the doors broken off the hinge and a piece of marble broken off the baseboard next to the bed at but I would call that normal wear and tear. Westin Palace does not have low maintenance like some old places that ended up with awful looking grouts, water damaged wall paper, stained marble, etc. The room looked elegant and has functional features. We are surprise at the noise that other guests have experience. The room enters in a hallway with the bathroom on the left-hand side, another door before entering the bedroom. With this double door feature we couldn't hear anything outside our room. We didn't like the high price tag on internet access but at least each room gets 30 minutes free at the Business Center. It also has a printer that didn't cost extra
 

April 12, 2010

Thank you for a wonderful trip to Madrid.   Our room was perfect and the service was terrific!! you have such a great hotel. Thank you Ernesto for the tickets - the seats were great!! We could not have asked for anything more on our trip (other than a Real Win) thank you again for a wonderful time and I hope to see you soon

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Excellent reception at check in and out, dedicated attention by the personnel and quality in the maintenance of the room during the stay and filanny the impresive decoration and atmosphere of the Hotel
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great location - pretty - accommodating staff
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Staff was responsive and helpful. Rooms were comfortable. Service was excellent
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The staff were very professional and responsive and the room was comfortable and well prepared and maintained throughout our stay. The hotel also recognised my birthday with champagne and cake which was a very nice thing to have done.
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The staff was very friendly and helpful. The concierge made some great restaurant and travel recommendations. Room service was delicious. The hotel is in a great location

April 5, 2010 -

The restaurant staff were great and we enjoyed the meals and the level of service
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Experienced some of the best customer service ever in Spain, from the greeting at the door, to the efficient check in person (Katty) and the Marienda service in the atrium ..it was all excellent. The hotel was spotless, and of course the ovreall elegance of the place is amazing. We also enjoyed the magnificent breakfast...almost too many choices but don't change a thing...I will be back..
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The service, the environment and the staff were all very accommodating
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Wonderful staff; excellent food and location
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Thank you for making my friends birthday so special with the cake and champagne. She and I have been friends for over 30 years.  Im married and live in texas USA.  She lives in Chicago USA
Anyway your birthday special treat made a hard birthday a little sweeter

 March 30, 2010 -

Loved Madrid, Enjoyed this hotel »The Westin was a great location and comfortable base for enjoying Madrid. (We had never been to this city and were surprised by how much we loved it.) We had a room overlooking the Neptune Fountain. Hotel staff was very helpful. Breakfast buffet was great. By the way, eat all the delicious Iberian ham you can (especially the type where the pigs were fed only acorns). I priced it at an upscale grocer when I got back to the states at $130 a pound.

March 26, 2010 -
The sales manager greeted me personally and had a special fresh fruit basket in the room when I arrived. Excellent service all around, from check-in to departure. The expectional servcie, combinded with the beautiful structure -- there's really no other place to stay in Madrid

March 25, 2010
Always stay at the Westin Palace because I know I can count on impeccable service, hospitality and prompt responses to my needs. I adored the suite I had last time. I really felt spoiled! All of the staff are professional, courteous and go out of their way to make life a little easier, especially when on the road for business! I will be there again in June and hope to have another exceptional experience! All of the other Starwood properties could benefit from their level of professionalism. Thank you for a very enjoyable stay!
***
I thought it was a beautiful hotel, staff was excellent and very helpful. The location was fabulous. We would definitely recommend it. The rotunda room where breakfast was served was magnificant.
***
Beautiful room - extremely comfortable - well maintained. Expansive buffet breakfast. Very helpful staff - always available to help
***
This hotel was wonderful, full of character, great service, great people
***
loved the heavenly beds. concierges very helpful. hotel decor & breakfast included in daily charges was awesome. location terrific, too !
***
clean,efficient,nice room,very pleasant staff
***
My stay at the Westin Madrid was terrific!!!!The employees and service excellent. Great location and we had a fantastic time in beautiful Madrid!!!!!!

March 22, 2010 - Westin palace >>
A beautiful hotel in a great location. Easy walking distance to the three great Madrid art museums. Very close to Old Madrid with its plazas, shops and restaurants. I recommend the hotel highly
***
This house is a classic, full-service and stylish luxury hotel of the old sort - but kept maintained to the highest of contemporary standards (albeit the tvs are no flat screens). Sizeable rooms, very good service, a wonderful Rotunda restaurant, and a beautiful house form a fantastic base for each stay in Madrid if you're not on a particular budget.
***
My wife and I had not been to Madrid before. My wife is very particular and the Westin Palace delighted her. Beautiful rooms and common areas. Lots of fresh flowers. A very attentive staff. We were within easy walking distance of the three great Madrid museums and of the plazas of Old Madrid. Lots of good restaurants and cervezerias nearby
***
We loved everything about the hotel. We especially found the Concierge staff extremely helpful with Lisandro going above and beyond in his helpfulness

March 19, 2010
My husband and I stayed her during the second leg of honeymoon. The hotel is located in a very central area of Madrid. It is a historic buliding that is classy and well cared for. The rooms are spacious and the bathrooms are gorgeous. We would have loved to have a jacuzzi tub but oh well. The breakfast was included in the price of the room which was great as the Spaniards tend not to eat the large breakfast fares that Americans do and meals in Spain tend to be expensive. Hence the spread that they put together is outstanding. It even includes free champagne to make mimosas. Regarding breakfast, one word of advice, in general we found eggs to be made very runny in Spain. This sounds trivial but when we were at the hotel we had to learn how to tell them that we wanted the eggs cooked "hard". Once we learned how to say it there were many other guests asking us how to say the same. (Too bad I have already forgotten the phrase).The hotel is in walking distance to the major attractions in Madrid incluing el Prado Museum, el bario de Las Letras y el Gran Via. It is also close to the train line. We took a train to the airport when leaving. Although the hotel's front desk recommended that we take a cab, we found the train system easy to navigate and of course cheap.My only complaints about this hotel is that the cost of movies is ridiculously expensive and there is no free internet. I think it cost $20 euro to rent a movie. My husband and I were desperate to hear some English langague on the television and so we rented a movie but the cost was outrageous. Lastly, plush hotels need to realize that internet use should be free. After paying a hefty fee for a room, patrons should not be charged additionally for internet access. The lower priced hotels offer this for free.As a bonus, the hotel has a very modern gym that is located at the top of the hotel and adjacent to an outdoor terrace. Be sure to ask for a transformer from the front desk if you plan to use a curling iron.The hotel also has a wonderful bar/lounge area, a shop and also a museum that gives history on the hotel.

March 18, 2010

The location was perfect, the hotel beautiful and the service top notch.
***
Extremely comfortable, excellent staff

March 17, 2010
I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our visit to the Westin Palace and was particularly pleased with your staff at both reception and the concierge desk.  Everyone was courteous and professional.  I particularly wanted to note that JAM was helpful in resolving a problem that we had.  We were very impressed with the way he handled the situation.
We look forward to staying at your hotel again sometime soon.Thank you. Sincerely,

Dear Marc, Just wanted to thank you for upgrading me into a fantastic room. It was very unexpected and appreciated.
I had a great stay at the Westin Palace Hotel and will certainly be booking again on future trips to Madrid. All the best,

March 16, 2010
I wanted to sincerely thank you for the generous amenity, birthday cake and note you left during my visit to Madrid...It was my first trip to Spain and I loved every day...I had such a good time I hope to return soon - Sincerely

5 Mar 2010 >> Nice location, close to embassies »

We travelled to Madrid in Sept'09 and stayed at this hotel. The check-in was fast and received a complimentary room upgrade as an SPG member.The hotel provides superb service and the food is good in a beautiful restaurant.The rooms are nicely located with spacious and beautifully decorated lobbies.Service from concierge is valuable.I was disappointed when I my son was not automatically given an Activity Pack to keep kids busy and entertained - we had to ask for it. I would also recommend that Adult channels be accessible with a pin-code. It is horrifying to see easy access to these channels by the flick of channel buttons (very common in European hotels).Other than that, we had an excellent stay!
 
 
4 Mar 2010 >> Wonderful. Upgrade to Jr Suite using points. Room 624 »

Upgraded to a Jr. Suite using SPG points on arrival. Room very spacious. Shower was great with two heads and hand held spray. Separate soaking tub also with hand held spray. His and her sinks. Separate toilet / bidet room. Bed very comfy and seemed big for a queen size. Two TV's one in bedroom and one in living room. Two desks and dining table..also tons of space for room service table..they could bring in service and pullover chairs. Perfect for those late nights and early mornings. Free internet and movies with upgrade. Service was very good and prompt with anything you needed. Turn down service and free bottle water every day was very nice. Great hotel!

3 Mar 2010 | Great Hotel, good service, great B'fast »

A very elegant hotel, situated in a quit area of madrid although you need to walk about 15 minutes to get to the centre. The only problem we found is that it was too formal and sometimes we felt out of place going down in jeans or track suit for b'fast!  Whenever had dinner in the hotel.The only downfall is that we had our 1 year old son sleeping in a playpen and not a cot and that to get to the elevators from the main door the porters had to help us carry the stroller a flight of stairs every time we went in and out of the Hotel!

2 Mar 2010 | Thank you Westin. It was Heavenly, like the beds. »

Ok, i'm a firm believer in Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts Choices. They usually deliver. This was no different. A beautiful atrium- attentive service and we were upgraded to an amazing room (could of had a little better view but it was huge, so we didn't care). Loved the cozy side bar at night- and it was SO easy to walk to everything. You stay here because its very nice and the location is SO worth it. We went over to the (XXXX-OTHER HOTEL NAME) bar and found it very smoky while the atrium restaurant and bar at the Westin was gorgeous. Really happy with the choice. Good value for the money- would stay again. Did breakfast twice- service could have been a little better- but overall- we REALLY loved it

March 3, 2010
We requested a quiet and non-smoking room and upon arrival, front desk staff surprised us w/ a free upgrade to an Exec Room and put us in a quiet wing of the hotel and we did not experience any fumes, smoke, or tobacco residue on the carpet/drapes/towels. The security, concierge, and business center, & restaurant staff all delivered exemplary service with a smile and a greeting. The location is excellent and the cleanliness and updated look of the hotel is an expected standard of all Westin properties. Highly recommend it to all friends & family. We had a minor complaint and S, the manager, comped us breakfast to turn around a negative experience and won our confidence and loyalty back

March 3, 2010
The Palace Hotel in Madrid has a wonderful location. The room was comfortable, breakfast very good, and concierge service efficient. We would definitely choose this on another trip to Madrid.

March 3, 2010

Hi Marc, I just wanted to reach out to you again and Thank you and your team. E is on her way back to the airport at Madrid and I just spoke with her. She could not have been more happy and grateful for everything you and your team were able to do. She had the most amazing time in Madrid and has already made me promise that we both will have to travel back to Madrid sometime in the near future and stay at your Hotel. Please thank your entire team, specially O, who was very kind to constantly touch base with E and make sure her stay was nothing but perfect.You have an amazing team and out of all the places E and I have travelled, she has never been so happy or spoken so highly of a place with regards to both the hotel, and the service that your hotel provided. Please do convey our gratitude to all your staff.Thank you again for everything and making her birthday so special and memorable.Thank you!

February 17, 2010

Just wanted to say thank you to you and your team for making our event yesterday a success.  Everything ran very smoothly, both in the planning process and on the day.  Cristina in particular was extremely helpful.
I hope we have the opportunity to work together again soon

February 24, 2010

Dear Mark, Thank you so much for your wonderful hospitality.  The hotel as ever is superb and we greatly enjoyed our stay.  The service throughout is really incredible. Should you ever find yourself in the South of France, we would love to reciprocate with a lunch, dinner and a glass of rosé.
***

February 24, 2010
I just returned from a vacation to Spain with my wife and two of my grown children.  I am a Gold Starwood member and spend a lot of time traveling. I know the value and importance of exceptional customer service and quality. During our vacation we had the opportunity to stay at the Westin Palace, Madrid and Le Meridien, Barcelona. When I travel for vacation I try to use points and when you use points you're never quite sure if you will receive the same level of service as the paying customers.  I'm happy to say that the service we received and our entire experience was wonderful.  I believe that this is due to the efforts of Mr. Marc Lannoy, the General Manager at The Westin Palace, Madrid, Mr. Gonzalo Duarte, the General Manager at Le Meridien, Barcelona and Ms. NT, the Front Office Manager at Le Meridien.  These individuals all went above and beyond what was required of them to make our vacation as enjoyable as it could possibly be.  They were all just wonderful.  Mr. Lannoy and Mr. Duarte have done an exceptional job managing and overseeing all aspects of their hotels; from the way their customers are treated to the appearance of the lobbies and the housekeeping.  Their concern for the quality of every detail was very clear.

As for Ms. T, she is an exceptional woman who from the minute we arrived took care of every detail for us.  She personally made sure everything we needed was taken care of and did an exceptional job of making our stay very special. She is one of the most pleasant people I have had the pleasure to work with and I will not be surprised if on day during my travels I run in to her a general manager at a Starwood Hotel or Resort.

I am very particular and very much a perfectionist.  When things are wrong or handled poorly I am the first to complain and criticize.  Similarly, when I am the recipient of outstanding service I like to give everyone involved the well earned credit.

All of the personnel at these hotels are really doing a great job, from the housekeeping staff to the bellmen.  There is no doubt in my mind that it is due to the exceptional management skills of Mr. Lannoy and Mr. Duarte who I presume are benefitting from your leadership. Sorry for such a long email but I truly wanted to express my appreciation and bring the wonderful experience I had to your attention. If I can ever be of service, please don't hesitate to contact me.
***
We have just returned from our trip and wanted to thank you for putting me in touch with Marc.  The treatment we received was beyond VIP.  He and his staff were great and I will send a separate email to RV, who I understand is your counterpart in Europe, about the excellent customer service we received.

February 23, 2010
Dear Lannoy, We want to take this opportunity to write a commendation letter to you expressing our extreme satisfaction and positive experience with our stay while visiting Madrid. Your leadership and exemplary management style is represented in how your entire staff delivers customer service to all guests - we are greeted with a smile and a greeting wherever we are; in the lobby, in the restaurant, waiting for a taxi, asking for help at the concierge desk. We are very pleased with our experience. We are a loyal patron of Starwood properties and choose Starwood whenever we travel for business or pleasure. Please thank SF for the fruit platter and complimentary breakfasts

February 21, 2010
Fantastic Hotel »Have stayed at the Westin Madrid multiple times on business over the past few years. There is nothing to complain about - this is a wonderful property that is very well known in Madrid and which Westin bought in a great decision. In my mind the best place to stay in Madrid.The location is amazing - near all the major museums, close to downtown, and close to the airport. The staff are professional and friendly and always helpful. There are tapas bars around the corner as well, which aren't bad.The lobby is beautiful, and so are the rooms. Was upgraded last time I stayed into a junior suite and it was spacious, well appointed, and great. And like most Westin's, the bed was amazing. The gym is also well appointed with modern equipment.I should add the food is also good and while expensive, about what I'd expect to pay in a luxury hotel.Overall a great property which will always be my first choice when traveling to Madrid.

February 18, 2010
Definitely 5 star! »My husband and I have traveled all over the world and never have we had better service. Everyone from the front desk, Concierges, resturants, bellman, and maid service were excellent. They did everything they could to make you happy.The hotel and our suite were beautiful and impeccable. Room service was extremely quick and always presented properly.The location was perfect. It was right in the middle of all the must things to see, but still, there was very little street noise. On the weekend there was a band playing in the park which was a lovely serenade.On a Sunday, our last day there, I became ill. They had a Dr. there in less than an hour . They took my perscriptions and got them filled when all the pharmacies were closed.I cannot say enough good things! Kathy Prosser

February 15, 2010
Great for a special treat »We arrived at the Westin Palace early in the morning but we were given immediate access to a room. It was a fine room but we asked if we could swap for one with an outside view and a bath instead of a shower. This request was immediately met and we were shown a new room by an extremely helpful member of staff (Peggy Joan Ziemann) and in the course of the move I mentioned it was my partner's birthday. When we came back from dinner that evening we found a cake with Happy Birthday Peter in icing, a bottle of cava and a card with best wishes. The expansive buffet breakfast was an excellent start to the day, beautiful food, beautiful surroundings and an attentive staff. The bed was one of the best hotel Beds I've experienced with fine cotton sheets and a choice of pillows. Thank God for goose down! The location was so good we walked everywhere and hardly used our travel passes. Getting there was very easy. We took the metro from the airport to a nearby station. Altogether a great stay. We will definitely return.

***

February 12, 2010

Location was excellent, Quality of the room, helpfulness of concierge, fabulous restaurant
***
The room was great and staff was kind.

February 11,2010

This classic hotel is at the cultural and financial heart of spain.Built for King Alfonso XIII in 1912, The Westin Palace Madrid was recently restored to recover its original splendor. It was ranked as the #1 hotel in Spain in the Condé Nast Traveler's2008 Gold List. The hotel is situated in the very center of the "Art Triangle" between the Prado, Thyssen & Reina Sofia museums.

February 10, 2010

Concierge staff : thank you for your gracious and informative assistance during our stay - sincerely
We greatly enjoyed our stay. Beautiful facility with very gracious and helpful staff.TV Remote needed new batteries : nice gentlemen came to help with TV remote and safe (don't know his name . He was wearing a pink tie)

February 8, 2010

Generally excellent staff. The delay in answering the "service number" has largely been corrected.
***
The welcome at the reception desk was excellent. E & G at reception were two who were very helpful during my stay.

February 3, 2010

Just to let you know that the service from the Westin Palace in Madrid was just perfect! Great team, very professional and reactive! A real pleasure to work with them.

February 2, 2010

Dear Fxxxxx, I would like to thank you and your team for the great work and professionalism, it has been a real pleasure to work with you all and I am looking forward to work with you in a near future.Best regards,

January 25, 2010

To whom interest, As a Platinum SPG member (xxxx), I always felt very comfortable at your hotels, so I've decided to spend my honeymoon at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid last 16th of January.I wanted you to know, at your headquarters, that again I did receive an outstanding level of service from your staff. I am sure that I will miss some people, but I would like to mention some of the staff that helped me during more than 5 years to feel at the Palace like at home: Lxxx: for giving me always a room biggest than my flat. Axxxxx: for been discrete. Axxxxxx: for having always a world. Bxxxxx: for her smile and attention. JA XXXXXX: for coordinating his staff and looking after us. ML: for been the top responsible!!Again, thanks to all!!!!A customer.PD: Because of personal reasons I am not travelling as much as I use to do a couple of years ago, this is the only reason why I am now using Starwood Hotels so often.

****

Fantastic service. Was my birthday and the hotel really did something special, by delivering a congratulation note with chocolate and a bottle of cava. Very professional. Also our daughter 2 years was welcome, especially good attention by the waiters at the morning breakfast buffet. Also the reception people at checkin (Gxxxxxx) was exsremely serviceminded and professional.

January 19, 2010

The best bed ever>>This hotel has the best bed I've ever slept in and a quite amazing hot chocolate. I love the paintings on the walls. Located in the center of Madrid, it is within walking distance to la Puerta del Sol for shopping.I just want to go back to bed!!! Truly Heavenly!!!!Staff is also very nice and genuine. It is not far from the Prado Museum.
***
Perfect in every way>> Everything about this hotel was perfect - Location, rooms, staff. We were able to upgrade to suite when we arrived for a small additional charge. The room was spacious with a huge bathroom and an walk in closet. The service is impeccible. Decor is beautiful. Great Location. Every night we walked down a block and had drinks and canapes before getting ready for dinner. Perfect!

January 18, 2010
The Palace Hotel has always been a favorite of mine and my family's. The transition to becoming a Westin Hotel, while preserving the particular Madrilleno charm of the Palace, has not been disappointing. I find that the service is excellent, the rooms are stylish and well appointed and the location is perfect! The personnel is particularly friendly and helpful, and patiently suffered my poor intermittent attempts to speak Spanish. (Of course, their English is excellent so there was really no need for me to pain them with my linguistic acrobatics!) We particularly enjoyed having breakfast in the rotunda and the New Year's Day Opera Brunch was fabulous. The food, throughout our stay, was delicious! Thank you for helping to make our short stay memorable, enjoyable and relaxing! Sincerely...

During the Christmas Holidays my husband and I stayed at the Westin Madrid & the Westin in Valencia. We enjoyed our stay and will make this our home away from home for our travels.
***
Clean rooms and great service Staff was very helpful with restaurant recommendations and reservations
***
Beautiful hotel with pleasant and helpful staff. The concierge service was excellent.
***
Service was fantastic. The hotel was very elegant and the staff were very friendly.
***
Hotel was beautiful, location was good, staff helpfu 

January 11, 2010

The rooms were immaculate. The entire hotel staff was gracious, welcoming, and went out of their way to be helpful.

January 2 , 2010

We were staying in this Westin a couple days after Christmas, we really did enjoy our stay. We found the hotel more than met our expectation, the building itself is stunning. The breakfast is excellent for European standard, lots of choices. The location is quite good, easy to getting around Madrid city centre and the Metro Station is about 5-10 minutes walk away. We would definitely stay here again in the future and like to recommend this Westin to anyone

***
We stayed at The Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid nine (9) days in May 2009 (a bit delayed in posting this review). The hotel offers transfers from the airport which we took advantage of and it was well worth it. The large airport is a good distance (approximately 30 minutes) outside of the city center. The Chauffer was there to greet us upon arrival from a long flight and drive us to the hotel - hassle free.The location was absolutely perfect for exploring Madrid by foot and/or surrounding areas by train. The Westin Palace Hotel is located a short walk from the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, historic monuments, Plaza Mayor, Botanical Gardens, shopping, and countless restaurants and tapas bars. Access to the metro station and Atocha train station is also within a short distance from the hotel. The Westin Palace Hotel itself has been restored to its original grandeur (1912). It is elegant and the rooms are comfortable. We did not encounter any problems during our stay. In fact, the staff was friendly and attentive to our needs. Our accommodations included breakfast, which is served in the La Rotonda restaurant named for the beautiful stained glass dome. The breakfast buffet was plentiful and adequate. Overall, The Westin Palace Hotel was a great choice for our stay in Madrid and as a home base in order to explore El Escorial, Segovia, Toledo, and Avila...more>>

December 29, 2009

Fantastic Hotel>> My husband and I stayed at the Westin Palace recently and had a wonderful experience there. The hotel is situated perfectly, next door to the Prado, across the street from the Theissen and the Ritz. It is a tradiional "grand hotel" in the pure European style. Our room was spacious, the bathroom large with plenty of counter space and a separate commode and bidet. The concierge was unbelievably helpful with restaurant recommendations. The bar was a relaxing respite after a long day of sightseeing or dinner. We looked forward to going "home" every night! 

December 19, 2009

Beautiful Hotel, Perfectly Placed for Sights and Nightlife » My husband and I love Starwood hotels so when we planned our trip to Madrid we were looking forward to staying at the Palace. Luckily there was a good deal directly on their site, including breakfast so we booked that. We arrived at the hotel at 11am and had no problem checking in immediately. The hotel doesn't look big from the outside, but once you're walking around to find your room, you realise how big it is. There was also a lot of construction around the hotel so the taxi had to drive around several times trying to find the best way to drop us off.The room was nice, enough space for a couple of nights, nice decor, a pretty view and complimentary bottled water (but that could just be the SPG floor). The bathroom was spacious and there were 2 sinks which i always prefer. The bed was typical Westin and super comfortable. Had a few issues with the turndown service, especially since you eat dinner so late in Madrid, they would continue to knock/walk in and we would still be there. I think they need to do turndown later in this city.The breakfast was excellent and in such a beautiful room with a big stainglassed atrium. The selection was nice, cooked-to-order eggs, regular eggs, meats, cheeses, breads, even churros one morning. Sometimes the service was a bit spotty to get coffee though, but overall, great breakfast.The location is the best part. You're right acoss from the Prado, as well as the smaller museum (although still big!) that I'm now forgetting the name. It was perfect to just walk outside and just exploring. Madrid is very walkable in general and this was a great base. I also liked that the nightlife was 5-minute away, but not so close that you would hear anything noisy at night. There aren't restaurants right outside the door, but again, literally 5 minutes away there are streets of tapas bars and restaurants.Check out was easy as well and we got a cab right away. I would highly recommend this hotel for a city break. Had nice personality reflecting the city, but also very high-end and without the super-high price tag

December 17, 2009

Really nice hotel>>>My husband and I enjoyed 4 nights at the Palace Hotel and loved every minute of it. Because we booked our "executive" room on Priceline we were concerned that it would be too small. But it was a nice sized room and we were grateful that it was located in the back of the hotel facing a quiet, small street since there was construction right in front of the hotel's entrance. (All of Madrid seems to be under construction!). The rooms must feature the Westin chain's famous "heavenly" beds because ours was soooo comfortable. The bathrooms are equipped with 8-inch round "rain" shower-heads with a water temperature-control dial; a magnified make-up mirror and hair-dryer. They also provide robes and slippers. The hotel is very well located near the major museums and Retiro Park and it has a wonderful lobby and restaurant/lounge area where you can enjoy an afternoon or evening tea in beautiful surroundings. The only complaint is a less than stellar concierge desk. Except for one gentleman who was very helpful in suggesting and reserving dinner reservations for us they tended to respond to our questions with minimal information so you'd move on. This is a superb hotel that's well situated for culture, sightseeing and access to the beautiful park

December 14, 2009

Great check in experience. compliments to the check in host.

***
 
My stay at this hotel was without incident. The staff was very accommodating from the moment I arrived to the day I departed
RAJEEV SHARMA (401) OSAT 9: The great welcom & beheavor of hotel employes & upkeeping of the rooms.

****

The reception desk informed me upon my arrival (at 1:00 am) that I had mistakenly made my 3 night reservation for the wring dates, and did not have a reservation for a room that night. The gentleman was kind & changed our reservation & gave us a wonderful room at the same rate as my original reservation. The concierge made excellent meal recommendations during our stay also, and told my husband where he could go to watch a college American football game that was very important to him. The location, hotel & service were outstanding.

December 9, 2009

It is a very beautiful hotel and I was impressed with every facet, including the staff. Thank you

We're just back from Madrid and cannot thank you enough for assisting us with the booking at the Westin Palace. The hotel was magnificent in all regards; a great staff and as nice a facility as we have ever stayed in as well as  a wonderful place to enjoy Madrid from! We had one small change in schedule, and x helped us with that. The Westin group is lucky to have people like you and x attending to their customers! If we get to Atlanta we shall come by and visit you.

December 3, 2009

Thank you very much for hosting the famtrip that I was accompanying last weekend! It was a real pleasure staying at your impressive property, we appreciated your generosity very much.Further on I thank you for the very professional and interesting show around done by Aysha, the great service, the delicious food and drinks and not to forget the healthy welcome treatment.We had a great time in Madrid and I definitely will recommend your property to my clients whenever possible.Muchas gracias otra vez. Saludos cordiales

November 30, 2009

The staff was on top of everything. The housekeepers were excellent and accomodating of small requests for an extra towel, etc. The bell staff were terrific and always had a smile.

******

Finished our two week trip in Madrid and couldn't have picked a better place to stay. Beautiful, comfortable room, helpful and accomodating staff, really well located. Certain doesn't fall into the "charming" category, but if you're ok with larger, well run hotels, this is the place

November 25, 2009

Thank you for all your help. Our stay was made incredibly more pleasant due to your recommendations and assistance. We appreciate you sharing your special places like Juana la Loca. We can only hope to have such a knowledgeable and helpful concierge for all our future westin experiences. You are why Starwood is great.

November 15,2009

We had an incredible stay at the Westin Madrid. The staff was amazing, at the concierge desk, L was right on for his restaurant recommendations and help make our stay at the hotel enjoyable. The rooms were comfortable but the beds squeaked a bit when you sat on the side of them, otherwise the beds were comfortable. It is a great location, quiet around the hotel but you can quickly walk up into the Huertas neighborhood where there is a lot of activity.We would stay here again on our next trip to Madrid
***

Beautiful & beautifully maintained & staffed hotel in exactly the right place for me

November 12, 2009

We recently spent a lovely weekend at your hotel in Madrid, and having visited two and a half years ago, we were looking forward to the visit. This time around, however, we were toting along George, our 19-month old son.  Traveling with a small child is difficult, but your staff could not have been more helpful, friendly or accommodating.  Those "on alert" in the lobby, especially R, were swift and eager to ferry the pram up and down the main staircase, the hostesses at the restaurant were cheerful and welcoming, and the maids on the sixth floor were quick with a smile and a wave for George.  Unfortunately, George fell ill over the weekend, but again, your conscientious staff rose to the occasion, granting us a rather late (6pm) checkout, offering to fetch medicine and whatever else we needed.  We are immensely grateful for this and would like to extend our sincere thanks to your wonderful staff.
We hope to be back soon. On our next trip however, hopefully everyone will be in good health so that we can fully enjoy your spectacular city and hotel!
Best regards

**
Your AP in Madrid at the Palace was wonderful to us -- we showed up without a reservation (we had planned to stay at the X but it was run-down), found us a lovely suite, and thereafter looked after us every time we passed through the lobby. She is a gem.

**
The executive suite was beautiful, the location was ideal, the bar was very nice, the room service breakfasts appeared as scheduled and were correctly prepared - in short, the facility and the service were closer to 5-star than most of the Westin properties in which we have previously stayed.

**
Great customer service, excellent rooms and the staff was always offering to assist in any way needed

November 11, 2009

Kind and friendly staff, a nice hotel with all amenities, clean rooms and also quiet (which is - unfortunately - not always the case in big cities).

November 4, 2009

I am writing to tell you my wife and I are so incredibly thankful we stayed at your hotel the nights of October 17-20. It was beautiful, the room and amenities, the location, the service was great and the breakfast was elegant and delicious.
Even more impressive was the kindness of two of your staff during a very stressful time. We arrived on Saturday. At check-in, our room was not quite ready. Your desk manager suggested we go have lunch and our room would be ready in about an hour or so. We checked our bags at the hotel, kept our passports in my backpack and wandered up the street towards the city center. We stopped at a cafeteria for lunch, strolled the shops and were enjoying the city and its culture. We then noticed my backpack zipper had been opened and my passport wallet had been stolen along with some cash, birth certificates and my wife's permanent resident card. We were sickened by this and immediately came back to the hotel. Your staff, especially PZ & GH could not have been more helpful. We were totally stressed and had no idea what to do. We don't speak much Spanish and really had a hopeless feeling. P got us calmed down, said they would stand by us and help us through this ordeal and began to find phone numbers for us. I don't know how we could have handled this situation without her help. She was a Godsend. She wanted a little time to pull numbers and directions together, suggested we go to our room to unpack for a few minutes and she would have more information for us. We came back down and G took over for P. He was incredible. He said he would go with us to the police station to file the report, to help us find it and interpret for us, as well as find the names, numbers, addresses and details for both the US and Canadian embassy's. He pulled forms down on the various web sites in Spanish so we could get prepared for Monday's stress of trying to get passports from two countries and travel letter's for the US. We had to leave on Tuesday and it seemed that there was no way it could be done. With P and G' help we made it. Without them, it would have been near impossible. No one can understand the stress that you are going through in this kind of event, but P and G did. I presume your other staff would have helped also given the opportunity. I would have never expected anyone to go out of their way as much as these two did. G even offered his own cell phone for us to call back to the states.
Madrid was a lovely city. One jerk ruined it for us, put us through hell for three days but the blessings we found with the kindness of P and G and others was simply exceptional. These are the kind of people that hopefully can progress through your management and maybe, one day, become a GM like you. They have the right customer service attitude that comes from the heart.
Thank you for having the kind of staff that you can be proud of. Please thank them as well and know you have earned the eternal gratitude of, an ordinary couple from San Antonio, Texas.
May God bless you and your staff. Thanks again.

**

The sparkling wine and chocs for my birthday were really appreciated and the courteous service at Reception and at Breakfast

**

We have stayed at this hotel in the past and as always, the staff was excellent - courteous, quick to respond to our needs, etc.

**

Very comfortable and clean rooms and reception areas.Great beds! Loved the Opera brunch on the Sunday. Food and service at breakfast was excellent. The concierge Ricardo gave us excellent advice and booked several outings which proved to be very memorable. Service in bar and Rotonda area also proved to be very courteous and swift.

November 3, 2009

When I informed your staff. they assured me that they would do everything they could to retrieve my bag. In less then 30 minutes, your staff determined the exact cab we arrived in, contacted the cab company and made arrangements for the return of my bag..Not only was I impressed with the security measures in place, I was most impressed with the professionalism and genuine caring nature of everyone at your hotel. While I am sure that you are fully aware of your staff´s capabilities, I wanted to personally inform you of my experience and convey to you and your staff my sincere thanks for a job well done"

***

Good-size room and amenities, friendly staff, good location

First rate hotel; excellent service

The quality of the rooms, the personnel at the front desk and the concierge service were excellent. 

***

Dear Mr Lannoy. Thank you for your warm welcome and for a wonderful stay in a city my husband and I now adore. We loved every minute spent in Madrid and the Palace. You must consider yourself a luck man to be living here and running this great property. Ps : Congratulations on your team. L at Concierge is a great asset.

November 2, 2009

Ms IB, as she usually does, when we stay at the Westin Palace, was terrific in her attention to the details that made our stay memorable. According to my wife, she can not envision being in Spain without our week stay at the Palace. This time it coincided with my birthday and I was sent a bottle of champagne and cake. You can not ask for more than that regading quality of service.

October 29 , 2009

Thank you for your email and we were very happy to host our meeting at the Westin Palace. The client and all the guests enjoyed their stay and the meeting ran very smoothly indeed.Once again many thanks for all your team's help and I look forward to working with Starwood Hotels in the future.

October 22, 2009

The hotel was beautiful. Our room was large and the king size bed was heavenly. The breakfasts were elegantly served and generous. When we arrived, my husband realized he had left his laptop in the cab. The person checking us in immediately contacted the cab, as the doorman records the no. of each cab bringing guests, and gave us a voucher for a complementary drink at the bar to make my husband feel better. Luckily, his laptop was returned to him.

October 29, 2009

The room was well appointed. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the hotel building itself was beautiful and helped to make our stay in Madrid memorable

October 21, 2009

Excellent service, never a problem with the room or services. Fantastic room, very good service and wonderful sales staff that assisted me with the planning and execution of our business meetings.

October 20 , 2009

I just wanted to write a short note to thank you very much for a very enjoyable stay at your beautiful hotel last week. Although our visit was brief, we enjoyed our stay tremendously and wanted to complement you on your staff who check us in efficiently very late on Thursday night with a friendly smile to the excellent Concierge service and courteous bellmen.  Our room was quiet and spacious and the services and amenities of the Hotel met our needs. Once again, many thanks and hope to have the opportunity of visiting you again sometime in the near future.

October 20, 2009

We were very pleased with our choice of hotel and will certainly use the Westin again for the next event we run in Madrid. All the best.

October 20, 2009

Thank you for all your help during conference!  Your staff was professional and courteous and you were a delight to work with!  I truly appreciate your dedication in ensuring the lunch service was completed in the very tight schedule we had and for always getting things done quickly.It was a pleasure to work with you.

October 20, 2009

Hi F, First I would like to thank you for all your invaluable help in looking after our group whilst in Madrid, it makes life so much easier to deal with someone who has their "finger on the pulse"!

October 20, 2009

Thank you very much for making our recent visit most enjoyable and memorable. I will be sure to suggest the Palace for business and pleasure in Madrid.
Regards

October 16, 2009

All around, one of the very best hotels I've ever seen - all the staff were extremely courteous and acomodating!

October 16, 2009 : Beautiful hotel. Great location.

October 16, 2009 : Great staff, great location, luxurious without being "stuffy.

October 16, 2009

The hotel was fantastic. Very friendly staff, awesome rooms, beautiful views. One personal touch that I particularly appreciate is the fact that any staff member I passed on your premises would say hello or good afternoon or some sort of greeting. Whether it was a concierge, maid, or any other staff member. I enjoyed meeting everyone, even if only for a brief moment.

October 16, 2009

Helpfulness of staff, excellent rooms and location, very good place to do business, central location, knowledgeble and friendly staff.

October 16, 2009

This was an exceptional hotel from the lobby to the fabulous bed and linens! The concierge service began from the US to Madrid. This service was excellent with concierge service in the hotel up to 11 PM. The breakfast at the Palace was fabulous and the staff was superb. This was truly a five star hotel.

October 14, 2009

First of all please forgive my writing in English as I want to better express myself.I want to thank-you very much for making my wife's first visit to Madrid memorable. She loved the room and the view, the hotel, the kindness and helpfulness of the staff and the excellent bowl of fruit you sent us. Your staff, as usual, outdid itself, and quality of the hotel and its location are suberb. Once again my heartfelt thanks.

October 14, 2009

When checking out, we could not carry heavy suitcase since there is a stair between elevator and front desk. One young male staff immediately came and help for us to bring our heavy luggage. This day is the first stay for in Spain and we are very impressed with his kind & thoughtful attitude and with his kindness, we could continue the wonderful trip in Spain!

October 12, 2009

Classic hotel with Westin touches .The Westin Palace combined the elegance of an old-world hotel with modern touches and comforts of a Westin. The bathroom is huge and modern, as compared to many hotels in Europe. And the heavenly bed is always comfortable. Great location next to the MuseoPrada, Museo Thyssen, and botanical gardens. Walking distance to most other tourist attractions. The staff was helpful too. I stayed here for 12,000 points per night, which compared to other SPG hotels, is a great deal.

October 9, 2009

The hotel was very comfortable, centrally located to the places we wanted to visit, staff was very helpful and food in the hotel was very good.

October 8 , 2009

We spent three nights in September at the Westin Palace. This is a great hotel in a wonderful location. Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable. The proximity to the museums allows you to come home in the middle of the day and have a short nap beforeyou go to explore the next place - and there are lots of things to explore! We enjoyed their breakfast buffet and were very much satisfied with both the variety and quality of the food

October 7, 2009

Everyone at the Palace Hotel has been professional and kind to us. Today I walked up to the Concierge desk and asked a question that I suppose no one else has ever asked. LN helped me enormously and completed the task of translating a recipe of gaspacho that the restaurant B gave me last night: I will think of Mr L always as I make this recipe. You are fortunate to have L in your employ.

October 6 , 2009

Great hotel in a great location. I´ve stayed here three times over twenty years and it has retained its commitment to exceptional service. Well appointed, very comfortable rooms. Superb staff

October 4, 2009

We spent 3 nights at the Palace ( don't call Westin, mostly of Madrid's taxi driver don't know the hotel under this name). Our impression is extremely positive great luxury building in the center of Madrid in an old fashion atmosphere, small elevators, marble floor old stile TV are mixed together with a large restaurant built under an impressive glass dome. We book early and found an interesting fare with a delicious breakfast included. Our room, a de luxe one, was spacious and impeccably appointed, nice bathrobe too. Staff is extremely friendly and almost everyone speaks English. Concierge are great too. If it fits your budget is a great experience

September 30, 2009

Great location on the edge of old Madrid from which we could walk to galleries or restaurants. We were given directions to go out to eat on our first evening by a very helpful concierge, who also lent umbrellas when needed

September 24, 2009

The Style you really feel like been in a real Palace with all that confort and luxury you dont feel like leaving at all. It is really a beautiful, elegant hotel   

September 21, 2009

The staff and concierge were tremendously kind and helpful. Also, the bowls of complimentary fresh green apples on the floors were decorative and a fantastic way to promote a healthy lifestyle. The fitness area was also sufficient for a solid workout.

September 13, 2009

Withing walking distance to a lot of attractions. The concierges were very knowledgeable on what type of restaurant we requested - we asked to go to non touristy restaurants and tapas bars and they were spot on each time. Stayed there 5 nights and on the third night I had to call for a doctor within 30 mins the doctor arrived and the concierge went to the pharmacy to get my medication - could not have asked for more. we went to a flamenco show and they reserved the front table for us - it was great. the glass dome in the dining room is a must to see and the bar had an old world feel. The room and bathroom were large and you could open the window

September 10, 2009

The staff is always prepared, the hotel is spectacular and we love the area. While I am not a platinum spg member anymore as my job has changed we still love to stay there even though we don't get the upgrades we use to. It is a great property and we certainly would love to stay there more if the opportunity arose

September 09, 2009

Dear Marc, I hope you are doing well!  I wanted to write a note to say thank you for your hospitality.  My parents were speaking very highly about your hotel. I truly appreciate you taking such great care of them at your hotel. Warm regards

September 08, 2009

Marc, appreciate you taking the time to reply and the gesture of good will made below. I always try and stay with Starwood where ever i travel and the customer service levels are always extremely high. I think on this occasion i was just a little unlucky but the way you have responded to my issue shows a great level of customer service once again from Starwood.

September 07, 2009

The location is great. Walking distance from major tourist stops. Breakfast was excellent and represented major savings. Very modern and luxurious. Bathroom is very pleasant.

September 04, 2009

Very good location, nice decor of hotel, attentive staff, exceptional concierge service, room ready when arriving from Canada is very appreciated

September 03, 2009

In short, my stay at the The Westin Palace Madrid was a truly refreshing experience! As a SPG Platinum member and having stayed at dozens of Starwood properties across the world, I have high expectations whenever I visit an upscale, five-star rated property like this one... and I'm very pleased to say that my expectations were not only met but also exceeded in many ways...

August 27, 2009

Mr. Lannoy, Thank you for your email and your prompt attention to this matter. I understand all of your responses and I appreciate each effort you have made to remedy the individual events. I feel much better now and I respect the high level of customer service you have brought to remedying these items. Best wishes for a successful year in Madrid

August 26, 2009

Thank you very much for the kind email. It truly was my absolute pleasure to deal with your wonderful team in the Westin Palace, Madrid for the event. My feedback was a brief reflection of what I feel. I personally look forward to repeat this experience with the Westin Palace whenever we are in Madrid again. I wish you all the very best

August 25 , 2009

Excellent bed and beddings. Courtesy of staff. Excellent location. No street noise despite being in very busy intersection. Very relaxed atmosphere in restaurant/breakfast area  

August 25, 2009

The hotel was beautiful, had wonderful accomodations, and a superb breakfast included with the room.

August 24, 2009

The personnel at the hotel were all very helpful and pleasant to deal with. The accomodations were great.

July 29, 2009

This note is to thank you for the fantastic effort you put in to make our recent weekend stay in Madrid a memorable experience for our family.
From our arrival on June 25th to our departure on the 28th, your staff did so much to welcome us and assure our comfort as guests. From the warm personal greetings from Ms LF, the extra courtesies you arrange for the comfort of our little daughters to the way almost every member of your staff we came across with, greeted us by our names.  Every aspect of our stay went so smoothly that our experience at the Palace Hotel can only be described with one word, perfect.
I wish you expanding success as you continue leading this remarkable Westin property. Surely it will do so in your care.

July 22, 2009

The hotel is very well run with a well trained staff. My wife stayed here with our son at the end of May and had the same good experience. Both times, upon arriving quite early in the morning they were able to accomodate an early check in. Something of importance when you have been traveling since the previos day. The breakfast and the staff that attend to it do a first rate job. Everyone is very pleasant and friendly. Moreover, everyone who we encountered has the can do attitude. We used the concierge extensively and they were very helpful. Our son is living in Madrid for the summer working for a bank, so some of our requests were more involved than just finding a restaurant. In the evening after returning to the hotel, we enjoyed going to the bar. The service there is wonderful, especially when the bottle is brought to the table to pour the drinks. The snacks are a nice additions too. It's just a very classy bar scene. Our only objection, while minor, was that houskeeping could have left us more towels. Only two towels for two people, both times. Enjoyed the stay, and would not even think about staying anywhere else in Madrid

July 22, 2009

We stay at many luxury hotels throughout the world and this was by far the best hotel we have been at. The hotel itself was spotless, the rooms were lovely, and of course the bed was heavenly. We had been staying at XXXX of late but have decided that our next hotel stay would be at a Westin

July 21 2009

Five star hotel with terrific location. Three great musuems, Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sophia, all within walking distance. The Prado and Thyssen were especially close, three blocks and across the street respectively...Great, friendly service from everyone...Particularly impressed by Ricardo at the Concierge desk, whose wisdom was invaluable- from internet cafe to great places filled with locals for Tapas. Rooms were very comfortable with every major amenity. I felt that we didn't spend enough time in Madrid- my enjoyment of the hotel was a major reason

July 22, 2009

The Westin Palace Madrid is an beautiful example of the grand hotels that were once the landmarks of early 20th century European and North American cities. You've done a very nice job preserving it.

July 6, 2009

I just arrived to the office with intentions to write you an email.
Everything was absolute fabulous! The room was great! The champagne and strawberries superb!Thank you so much. You did help us have a very special anniversary.I must add that everybody in your staff where extremely friendly and attentive. We truly appreciate your gesture.
Warm regards from both of us

July, 6 2009

I spent 6 nights at the Westin Palace in mid-late June 2009. It was a great experience. The hotel staff all speak English, and are extremely helpful. The hotel itself is truly lovely, but not stuffy or pretentious. The bed had to be the best I've ever hadat a hotel - wow - so comfortable! The breakfast was included in the price of the room, and it was a huge buffet with everything a person could possibly want. I had to use the internet in their Business Center, and was pleased to find that the first 30 mins was free. The hotel also has a fabulous exercise room. If there were any negatives, it would be the hair dryer. It didn't have a nozzle and was small & cheap. (But it did work.) In the big scheme of things that was NOTHING.

I would absolutely stay at this hotel again

June 29, 2009

Excellent service and ambiente; very clean and well-equipped, state of the art rooms. In particular, the lobby lounge underneath the glass roof was a great experience, with utmost friendly and service-oriented staff...

June 23, 2009

We stayed here at the end of our driving tour around Spain. The moment you walked in you felt relaxed. The bed was the best of our trip. The hotel was beautiful and close to everything. The staff was very helpful.

 22 Jun 2009

I just returned from a 2-night stay at the Westin Palace Madrid. This was my first trip to Madrid, and I booked my room over the Starwood website for a pre-paid visit (which included breakfast and a double-basin marble bathroom). This is exactly what I received.I took the metro from Madrid-Barajas airport in the early afternoon (EUR 2.00 one-way) to get to the Westin Palace Madrid. After 2 connections, you'll arrive at Banco de Espana metro and can walk down Paseo del Prado (on foot, 5-7 minutes depending) to reach the hotel. Very busy street. The airport-downtown connection is a smooth one. If you are in Madrid mainly for the museums, then the Westin Palace is definitely the hotel for you. And it's a leisurely stroll down Paseo del Prado to the Reina Sofia and/or Atocha train station.Upon arrival, there were 2 people ahead of me in line. After standing in line for about 5 minutes and wondering what he was doing looking at his computer anyway when there were people waiting to check in, I was suddenly cheerfully greeted by Alberto at the front desk who apologized several times I had to wait a few minutes before he could help me as he was finishing up checking in a large group of guests for a wedding celebration and that the group of wedding guests was inordinately a large one. I could understand. It was, after all, a Friday afternoon.I was given a premium room on a higher floor, and while my room did not have a view outside, I did not find the view of the inner courtyard and the domed ceiling of the restaurant displeasing. I had, after all, paid a less expensive rate for reserving early and didn't need to look out the window anyway. And the room largely made up for anything.Large comfortable "heavenly" bed; meticulously clean bathroom; no peeling off of wallpaper in my room or in the bathroom, separate WC with bidet; water pressure was excellent; shower head and separate hand-held shower head. The room was very quiet, and I appreciated the turndown service each night when I got back to my room. Chrome and steel were polished throughout. The only thing I habitually notice in Europe is if you are a single traveller, hotels tend to hand out one (1) towel only. I never said anything, but into my second day, the maids started leaving me two (2) extra towels, so that was good.Plush hotel carpeting throughout the establishment. I never saw something dirty on the floor in the public areas.Beautiful lobby and hallways. Old world European charm. Splurge and have an aperitif in the bar/restaurant area under the dome. Check out the small hotel museum.My rate included breakfast (7am-11am each morning). (remember: Spaniards don't breakfast like the Americans or British do). Excellent service; choice of both hot and cold foods was varied. Bacon, Spanish sausages, small pancakes, eggs, all sorts of fruit, cakes, donuts, breads, cereals, granolas, yogurts of differing varieties, fresh salmon (overseen by a sous-chef), coffee/tea and fresh orange juice brought to your seat and attentive service. Pilar was a very helpful, smiling server, and she gave me some good sightseeing tips for which I am grateful (and told her so), warning me to stay away from Puerta del Sol in a taxicab because so many streets were blocked off for road renovations in the square itself.The gym is located on the 7th floor. Very quiet when I was there on a Saturday afternoon. Unisex (small) sauna; impeccably clean men's locker room and shower areas with an abundance of clean towels, washclothes, floor towels, hairdryers. Nice upbeat club music.I appreciate more old-world hotels rather than more modern places. It's not my taste to be in a hotel where the doorman wears a black t-shirt with a white "W" on it. I never have found the service to be any better in those types of hotels.Prime location to the Prado (literally across the street) and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum (literally across the other street as well). There is a Starbucks on the side of the hotel facing the Plaza de la Cortes which gets crowded. Also a ZIPS store (a kind of Spanish soda fountain with counter service and you can purchase sundries, magazines etc. there as well).The hotel building is over 100 years old, and while I have read many postings of this hotel on this website where people complain so much and agree the elevators were a bit slow, that still didn't bother me (you use your roomkey to operate the elevator). Who really cares? As long as it worked (which it did). On my floor as well as on the floors above and beneath me, in the common area leading down the center staircase, two large platters held red and green apples (and those apples were huge).Not too inconveniently located from Puerta del Sol or Plaza Mayor. The hotel website says the hotel is 3 miles to the Royal Palace. I found it to be about 1.5 miles at the most -- I could walk it in 25 minutes at a leisurely pace; Puerta del Sol in 10 minutes past a myriad of buzzing bars and tapas places or taverns serving fresh Spanish jamon and wine; full of people.Concierge service: very pleasant and helpful. A younger concierge, Bart, was extremely helpful. The concierge has a good hotel map of the surrounding area; I purchased stamps there as well.I found the hotel to meet all my expectations. I did not partake of the minibar because I knew minibar prices are very high (to be expected, especially in Europe and even more so in a large, old-world hotel as the Westin Palace Madrid) anyway (and I had no intention of using the minibar even before my trip).Individual Siemens thermostats in the rooms. The thermostat was obviously quite new and worked very well and quickly (about 4 different comfort settings); no loud noises when the A/C was going. Double-glazed windows and heavy curtains. A/C cooled quickly and thoroughly.I have a little test for a hotel. I take the hotel stationery out of the desk and leave an envelope and several sheets of hotel stationery on the desk in plain view to see if the maid will notice to refill. While the maid failed my test by not replenishing the stationery, for the rest, I was very pleased with maid service. I even received a call late in the morning asking me if I needed anything since I had placed the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door the night before. Therefore, the staff does know when not to bother you, but just contacts you right in time in case you may need something (towards 12pm if your Do Not Disturb sign is still on the door). I requested toothpaste the night before, and it was brought up immediately to my room. If you don't pick up your phone, the maids will place a card on the floor in front of your room notifying you they noticed the Do Not Disturb sign and were just checking on you. Much appreciated.In sum, prime location, extremely clean, restful room, "higher end" prices surely, but I was not disappointed with anything. I am always pleased to stay in a Starwood property.For my first trip to Madrid (to visit the museums), I am happy to have stayed at the Westin Palace Madrid and would certainly stay here again just because I liked the hotel immensely. After having walked around the city center and seen other hotel establishments boasting 4 or 5-stars, I was not impressed (barring the Ritz across the Plaza de la Cortes) with what I could see those hotels may have offered for what I was getting. Knowing I had a nice room waiting for me after sightseeing was key to enjoying all that Madrid has to offer.You can walk to Plaza Santa Ana in about 10 minutes, Puerta del Sol in 10 minutes, Palacio Real in about 20 minutes; side streets do not have that many things at night, so you'll have to go elsewhere to eat, but I never once felt unsafe outside at any time of day or night.I recommend the Westin Palace Madrid and shall stay here again. And the personnel with whom I had come into contact were all friendly, efficient and approachable.Thank you Westin Palace Madrid. I enjoyed staying with you and shall be back.