Dr. Gabriel J Martinez-Diaz, M.
Google
My experience at Tardeo was, unfortunately, one of the poorest service experiences I have had—particularly for a venue operating inside a five-star hotel.
The customer service was consistently inattentive and dismissive. There was a blatant disregard for our table, contrasted with noticeably preferential treatment toward tables with older guests and larger groups, creating an uncomfortable and obvious sense of physical and situational discrimination.
Key service failures included:
• Repeatedly forgetting drink orders
• No offer of water refills
• No offer to divide plates or provide additional utensils for shared dishes
• Minimal table check-ins and poor situational awareness from both host and waitstaff
This was especially unacceptable given that the venue was not busy at the time of our visit—there was no operational justification for the lack of attention.
For transparency, items ordered included:
• Espresso Martini
• Paloma del Sol
• Mini hamburguesas de vaca gallega
• Quesos españoles artesanos with membrillo
• Taco de carnitas with chicharrón
The food itself was fine, but service is the backbone of any luxury experience—and here, it failed entirely.
For a hotel that markets itself as five-star, this level of service should seriously call into question the remaining four stars. The host and service team would greatly benefit from emotional-intelligence training, stronger observation skills, and accountability for equitable service across all guests.
What makes this even more disappointing is that other restaurants and areas within the hotel—and nearby establishments—provided drastically better service, highlighting that this was not a Madrid hospitality issue, but a Tardeo-specific one.
Based on extensive international experience in luxury hospitality, this visit has solidified my decision never to return.
