this hotel is absolutly beautiful. the breakfast is good (fruit, toast, meat, cheese, english breakfast). the location is perfect! you could not wish for a better location. the rooms are neat and will be cleaned everyday. the staff speaks poor english (but almost everyone in madrid does). the airconditioning was working, you can change the temperature yourself. would definatly stay here again.

The hotel is in a great location... right off of the metro (Gran Via exit) and close to EVERYTHING (go to the Plaza Mayor). I travelled with two friends and shared a triple room. The room was a bit small, BUT realize that we are Americans, so everything in Europe is small compared to what we're used to. The bathroom is as everyone mentioned... one wall of frosted glass with a squre filigree cut out that let's you see the person sitting down... if you catch my drift. It was conventional and worked for three ladies that had way TOO MUCH luggage. Noise was a factor in the beginning but after 10 days in Spain we realized that it's pretty much the same anywhere you stay (walls are thin). It wasn't terrible but we did hear party people coming in at 5am. We did the same thing to our neighbors the following night so, what can you do but say "Es lo que es" (it is what it is). We stayed there our first night in Madrid and went on to do a tour throughout Andalucia. Petit Palace Ducal was pretty inexpensive, compared to the other hotels. You do have to pay for breakfast, I recommend going somewhere else for breakfast if you have the time... if you don't have the time, go for it... just know it is a bit pricey but decent. Very different for Americans, you have to remember you're in another country, be careful with the coffee machine... it's like espresso... didn't drink the coffee, went down the street to Starbucks. There are pubs, restaurants, bars (Cervecias), shops all around. No need to worry about needing transportation. We actually used the metro to get to our hotel from the Airport (Barajas), the maps are straight forward and we got there easily (navigation wise), lugging our 60lb luggaage was a different story. My point is, use the metro. It is less expensive, pretty easy to use and takes you pretty much all over. The staff is as helpful as they can be BUT their English was like my Spanish... which wasn't very good. But between my bad Spanish and their bad English... it worked itself out. All in all it was great for the money. Bring your walking shoes and get ready for some Vino!!!

I travelled with two other girls, and Madrid was our first stop. Wow, were we impressed by this hotel! The only thing that threw us off a little bit is the bathroom door (whoever has stayed there will get what I mean!), but the breakfast was amazing, internet access was free, it was close to transport, food, sights, banks, everything! The staff was very friendly and helpful as well. It was a really great start to our trip and as we kept on travelling through Europe we only wished other hotels were like that.

Would not go through petit palace chain again.

3 days before I was due to travel with a group of 12 girls for my hen weekend they decided to relocate me to a hotel near the airport. After much anger down the phone to the hotel they did sort me out a hotel on the Gran Via which turned out alright. Petit palace ducal.

However the rooms were quite small. for 3 people they basically put an extra bed into a room for 2 people so a little crowded.

There was no tea/coffee making facilities, the shower leaked so we had a little stream running through the room and the air conditioning didn't work.. Luckily we went in April so it wasn't baking hot but to get some cool air you had to open the windows - not a good idea on the main street through madrid as lots of noise all day and night.

I am glad they moved us to the ducal hotel, as we walked past the Arenal and this looked terrible. Right in a small side street directly opposite a night club.

Wouldn't recommend this chain of hotels and definitely would try to avoid them on my next trip to madrid. However would say that the staff were very helpful and polite and did speak good english.