Kristen H.
Yelp
An unassuming black sign marks the entrance to the Aloft Madrid Gran Via, a narrow hotel located off the side street of its namesake: a bustling avenue filled to the brim with department stores, vans selling touristy paraphernalia, and hordes of people (especially during the #eurosummer). After taking a short elevator ride (side note: the elevators are quite small) up to the hotel lobby on the third floor, we were warmly greeted by the receptionist, who checked us into our two rooms and pointed out some of Madrid's most famous landmarks, including the Royal Palace of Madrid.
The hotel lobby is fun and inviting, with a young vibe - there are old-school arcade machines, funky furniture reminiscent of a modern spaceship, and a counter featuring a coffee machine (which is surprisingly good for free hotel coffee) as well as fun sushi-shaped gummies.
We had booked one room with two twin beds (though they seemed more like full-sized beds), and one with one queen. Both rooms were fairly spacious, sparsely but tastefully decorated, and had sleek, modern bathrooms stocked with high-quality products! Additionally, the entire hotel is air-conditioned, which was a nice respite from the sweltering Spanish summer heat, and you can adjust the room to your liking. There's also a coffee maker and complimentary boxed water in each room, which is a nice bonus!
The gym is on a lower floor, and it is small but well-lit, and has various cardio/weight machines as well as free weights.
We enjoyed the hotel's breakfast (which came provided with Marriott Bonvoy status) during our stay - it is a buffet-style layout complete with traditional breakfast favorites such as scrambled eggs or toast, but there are also Spanish dishes such as jamón ibérico. For those that crave sweets, there is also a wide variety of pastries such as muffins and croissants, and yogurt and fruit with toppings for the more health-conscious.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at the Aloft - everyone was kind, knowledgeable, and efficient, the amenities were more than we could have asked for, and the location is stellar. Book well in advance for a great value!