Room Mate Alicia

Hotel description

At last count, the Room Mate chain of budget boutique hotels comprises some ten hotels all across Spain, four in Madrid alone. All have their own personalities, but show a certain family resemblance, a certain breezy lightness in design, a whimsical and unpretentious approach. This one, Room Mate Alicia, is perfectly located for the night owls among us; the building, a converted century-old factory, is on the Plaza Santa Ana, in the Las Letras district, close to the museums and the Botanical Gardens, but closer to any number of restaurants and bars — and this being Madrid, the action tends to go on well into the night.

A hotel in this location wouldn’t have to offer much. Luckily, though, this one does — though you might not find yourself staying in often, what time you do spend here will be well rewarded. Rooms are handsomely contemporary, spacious enough, and double-glazed for soundproofing, which you’ll be grateful for come morning. The three junior suites come with stereos for entertaining and bathtubs with views of the plaza, and the split-level duplex suites add mini-pools and outdoor terraces. The hotel’s breakfast room turns into a tapas bar at midday, and quite handily competes with the restaurants in the surrounding area.