Introduction

This is not my first visit to the Riu Plaza de España. I previously stayed here in 2022 and rather liked it. I think what impresses me most about this place is just how enormous and imposing the hotel is!

Location

The Riu Plaza España is located in the centre of the Spanish capital, close to the royal palace and perched on the busy Gran Via, a major throughfare that runs from east to west. From the airport it takes about 40 minutes by train to reach the hotel, changing once at Nuevos Ministerios station on the way.

Check-In

Three weeks before my visit to Madrid, I receive an email from the hotel inviting me to select a room. The email contains a link that shows a picture of the hotel’s facade with the location of the available rooms that fit the category I booked. Once you click on a room, you have a virtual tour of it as well as a picture of the view you can expect. If you’re not happy with what you initially booked, there is also the possibility to upgrade right there on the page. And then a few days before my arrival, I receive a further email inviting me to check in. Quite frankly, though, I wouldn’t bother with this second mail, because you still need to complete several forms when you get to the hotel.

The Service & Staff

The staff at the hotel are all friendly enough, but that’s just about it. They tend to be a bit curt and efficient with guests. However, given the number of rooms in this place, perhaps that’s the only way to handle all requests and the near constant queue at reception.

Balcony Junior Suite

My room is on the 20th floor. And honestly, I’m a bit confused. I thought I’d booked the same room type I had last time. But that is very obviously not the case. The Junior Suite’s front door opens into a foyer. Opposite the main entrance is a balcony overlooking Plaza de España which runs the full length of the three roons that make up the suite. The door on the right leads off to the living room. It has a sofa that doubles as the second bed, a working desk, its own TV and air conditioner, and a door to the balcony.

To the left of the foyer is the master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe that links the bedroom to the bathroom.

The master also has its own air conditioning, TV and a door to the balcony. The view from the room is brilliant, overlooking the Plaza de España from high above. It’s quite fascinating to watch the continuous stream of people that hardly ever comes to a stop, even in the dead of night.

The bathroom is large and spacious. It features a separate bath and shower, and the toilet is separate too.

And that, of course, brings us to the Knight of Malta shower test. I think I found it, the holy grail of showers! This is a solid 10/10 – really superb. Very good water pressure, easy temperature regulation and really absolutely no spillage at all! I love it!

Amenities

In terms of amenities, the suite has a fully stocked minibar and a kettle in the room’s foyer. The hotel also provides two bottles of complimentary still water which are replenished daily.

In the bathroom there’s a complimentary vanity kit like the ones they usually hand out on flights in Business Class. It contains quite a few useful things, toothbrushes and toothpaste, a comb, emery board, etc.

There are also two bath gowns and plain but comfortable white slippers.

Dining

Breakfast is served on the fourth floor, and it’s quite an operation they have. Admittedly, it looks more like a canteen than a hotel restaurant, but again, given the sheer size of the hotel, that may be unavoidable.

The selection of food at the breakfast buffet is very good and features a lot of my favourite Spanish goodies, as you can see assembled on the plate below…

Rooftop Brunch at El Edén

When the building that is today the Riu Plaza de España Hotel first opened in 1953, it was the tallest hotel in Spain and, for a short time, also in Europe. And the views, especially out the front, really are quite spectacular.

There is a rooftop bar on the 26th floor of the hotel called El Edén that serves a morning brunch daily from 11h00 to 13h00. If you’re not a resident at the hotel, access to the rooftop is via the entrance at the back of the hotel on Calle Maestro Guerrero.

The brunch is served on a charcuterie board packed with all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes. Included in the price is a hot beverage and a glass of orange juice or a Mimosa. In addition, there are three savoury and one sweet option to choose from for a hot dish. This time, I go with the tortilla with mushrooms, served with onions, feta, and smoked salmon.

Conclusion

The Riu Plaza de España is a good mid-range hotel in the centre of Madrid. The decor of the hotel, including that in the rooms, is functional more than it is elegant. But the establishment is very well maintained and well run. Other than that, the location on the Gran Via is ideal because of its close proximity to Puerta del Sol and central Madrid.