Room Mate Mario, Near Teatro Real, Madrid - Explore & Book

"Stepping in from the street, to be greeted by an enormous black and white photograph of a quizzical-looking bulldog, you sense that you’re going to have fun whilst staying at Mario. Madrid style guru Tomás Alía was given free rein in the hotel’s decoration. He opted for a whimsical style in which bold colours, funky wall panels, low lighting and floral motifs have been blended to create a series of spaces that have a hint of Warhol, a dash of Carnaby Street and a big splash of designer derring-do.You’ll be greeted with an easy smile by an upbeat staff member in the jazzy reception area. Stripy-lino corridors with low-lit coloured-perspex panel lighting lead to Mario’s astonishing bedrooms, decorated with uplifting colour schemes and a cocktail of Pop-Arty ‘head walls’ - floor to ceiling panels behind the beds. The hotel has a growing following among thespians, musicians and switched-on business folk alike. Highs We loved the Room Mate philosophy: to make you feel as if you were visiting a friend, in this case the eclectic, arty and humorous music-lover MarioMario’s bright, easy-going staff were chosen for attitude rather than professional qualifications, helping create the home-from-home moodIt's a great area, close to the Teatro Real, the Plaza Mayor and the myriad bars of La Latina districtDuring our latest revisit, we found ourselves to be quite surprised by just how quiet Mario is for a city-centre hotelGreat value for a centrally based bolthole Lows Breakfast is the only meal on offer, but the fabulous Il Particolare Italian restaurant is just across the street and there are numerous other restaurants within walking distanceSpace is at a premium in the shower rooms (no shelving for your toiletries), and we’ve had reports that water pressure isn’t great; ask for a room with a bathSome rooms don't have much natural lightIt’s a bit of a hike from this part of town to the Prado and Reina Sofia galleries; but you’re just yards from the Opera house, the Royal Palace and the metroNot for those who enjoy more traditional, simplistic design" - Guy Hunter Watts