An absolute disgrace -- filthy, smelly, cold. How can a reputable travel agency recommend such a place?

Pleasant Stay!

I stayed at the Hotel Gran Atlanta in Madrid from the 30th September to the 11th October. Through Otel.com I secured a good online deal of 60 Euros per day which included breakfast.
The hotel is situated in a quiet tree-lined street in a residential/small business area of what is known as the financial district of Madrid. There are a number of little parks in the vicinity of the hotel as well as cafés and restaurants which primarily exist to service the locals. The small supermarkets near the hotel were very handy for purchasing bottled water, toiletries and snacks. There are two internet cafes situated up a side street directly opposite the entrance to the hotel. If you don’t have your own computer I suggest you use these as the single terminal available at the hotel is rarely functioning and is also very expensive.
The hotel is situated approximately 500 metres from Nuevo Ministeros Metro. The Metro operates a line from Barajas International Airport directly to Nuevo Ministeros. Take the free shuttle bus from Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 and the Metro from Terminal 2 directly to Nuevo Ministeros. The cost of the ticket is 1 Euro. There are a number of exits at Nuevo Ministeros. In order to shorten your journey to the Hotel exit at the Orense exit (Calle de Orense). Walk up the Calle de Orense as far as the Calle Bascillca, situated on the left hand side. Walk across Calle de Orense and Calle General Moscardo, and along Calle Basicillca into Calle del Commandate Zorita. The entrance of the Gran Atlanta Hotel is in this street.
The room was clean and serviced on a daily basis. The single bed was adequate, and there was more than enough storage space. A feature that was appreciated was a pay safe costing 1 Euro. A bar fridge is stocked with various drinks and sweets. A list provided enables you to record the items you consume. The television has a number of channels, two of which are in English, namely CNN and BBC news.
The bathroom consisted of a toilet, hand basin and a bath with overhead shower.
The air-conditioning WHEN IT WORKED was effective. Unfortunately it only worked on 2 of the 11 days of my stay. Without the airco the heat in the room was very oppressive.
The hotel was surprisingly quiet in spite of successive tour buses arriving with loads of tourists who stayed for a few nights at a time.
Breakfast was perfectly adequate and consisted of the following self service buffet:
fruit juices, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, cold meats (ham and salami) and slices of cheese, croissants and pastries, toast, cereals, yogurts, cold tortillas, the "doughnut" dough bread popular with the Spanish and coffee.
English is not widely spoken by the staff but they are most helpful and assisted me with all my requests including the selecting and booking of tours, arranging for the tours buses to collect me at the hotel and also with helpful suggestions on getting around the city.
Although most of the residents of Madrid I encountered spoke little if any English, I experienced no difficulty in obtaining the services I required, whether a ticket at the Metro or ordering a meal at a Café, in spite of my not being able to speak any Spanish.
I was very satisfied that I had chosen this hotel, in this part of the city rather than one of those downtown in the noisier, more heavily “touristed” parts.

It seems that the personnel of this hotel does not understand English - I used the wakeup service 3 times, and 2 times out of three they woke me up at a wrong time.
The latrine and the whole room was smelly when I entered the room, so I had to ask the reception to have it washed.
It looks that ALL the single rooms have windows that face a narrow well inside the building that has almost no air circulation.
The personnel lied to me on the day of arrival when they promised to change me tomorrow to another room with a window to the street; on the next day, however, another person informed me that they have NO single rooms with windows to the street.
The personnel did not help us to call a taxi at 8:30 in the morning, and after waiting for more than 30 minutes at a taxi stop in front of the hotel we had to take the metro and got there very late for for appointment.

I stayed at the Gran Atlanta on two different occasions in June 2006, having booked a single room for 50 euros plus tax on the hotel web site. It would be difficult to find a better deal any where in Madrid. The price did not include breakfast, but many bars and cafes nearby offer quick service.

The hotel is located in a residentail and business area, well away from traditional tourist spots. The Nuevos Ministerios metro and commuter rail station is four or five blocks away, and there is a bus stop with lines to Puerta del Sol (#5) and Gran Via (#149) a bit closer.

My single room was large enough for one person. The single bed was firm and had comfortable sheets. The bathroom was fairly dated (a light blue tile predominated), but was perfectly clean. The towels were a bit thin and small, but for the price the room was sufficiently appointed. The air conditioning worked well, mini bar prices were reasonable (and the refrigerator was useful for my own beverages), and several international television channels were available. Cards around the hotel announced wi-fi internet service, but I did not connect.

The Gran Atlanta is a solid choice. It does not quite reach the level of a luxury hotel, but it's a great option for travelers seeking a good value away from the crowds.