Taking a trip to Madrid? You will be spoilt for choice for hotels at all price points. Compared to other cities in Europe, Madrid offers great value across the board. We opted to stay at AC Hotel located close to Avenida de America in the Cartagena district of Madrid - costing GBP 142 for two nights representing very good value for money.

Located in a old building that is a little drab…

….but with a reception that’s pretty, modern and pleasing to the eye.

Social distancing and mask wearing was still strictly enforced as of mid-November 2021 - as it was across Madrid in all social settings.

First of all, the rooms are particularly dark - although this was at midnight but made worse by combinations of dark woods in the room.

The bed is a standard queen size and more than large enough with basic white sheets flanked by two lamps - these are the only main lights which results in the room darkness.

As standard for all modern hotels, there’s a large TV on the wall although there was a mixed selection of local and international channels.

For a cheap room, there’s a surprising amount of floorspace and two separate surface areas - a small table for eating or drinking at as well as a dedicated desk with chair.

A large integrated wardrobe sits next to the bed with proper hangers which seems to be rarer and rarer in hotels now.

In the other half of the wardrobe there’s a Nespresso-esque machine (although I didn’t recognise the brand) and a refrigerator with free water in - and no mini bar. As a Covid-prevention measure, there is only disposable cups. I was expecting to see a safe in here too, but unfortunately there’s none I could find in the room which is a bit disappointing.

The bathroom is quite dated in its look but does feature quite premium marble-like tiles. The metal sink is a bit utilitarian but otherwise the bathroom features everything you would expect as well as a bidet.

Our visit was very brief, just two nights, but this was a good choice of hotel. It’s not luxurious but features everything you need for a short city break. The location although technically central in Madrid is not particularly close to the main areas such as Plaza Mayor or El Retiro Park however these can be reached from around a 40 minute walk or 20 minute metro train service. A decent option if you’re visiting this city if you don’t mind being a little further from the action.