Weare Chamartin Hotel

The Hotel Chamartin is a commuter hotel, predominantly used by guests arriving and departing from Chamartin train station, though tourists and business travelers pass through as well. The hotel is part of a mini-mall attached to the train station, so it isn't much to look at from the outside, but the renovated lobby is both bright and futuristic. Red leather ottomans dot black-and-white marble floors, green Calder-inspired light fixtures dangle overhead, and a series of brightly paneled escalators zip to the floors above. A terrace shielded by a barrel-vaulted wrought-iron ceiling offers sparse seating.

The Chamartin district is about an 18-minute metro ride north of the central city. The Hotel Chamartin is essentially attached to the busy Chamartin train station, making it a convenient choice for guests needing to catch early trains. There isn’t much in the immediate area aside from a bowling alley and a few unremarkable stores within the train station. It's an 18-minute metro trip to the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol, and most major sights are within walking distance from there, including the shops of Gran Via (a seven-minute walk), the Royal Palace and Catedral de la Almudena (a 10-minute walk), and the Prado Museum (a 15-minute walk). Cercanias commuter trains, which also depart from Chamartin, can be combined with the metro to reach Madrid-Barajas International Airport in about 30 minutes, depending on the time of day, a trip that takes about 15 minutes by taxi.

The Chamartin's rooms have been undergoing renovation, and quality varies widely between the remodeled rooms and those still awaiting renovation, a fact guest should note when booking to avoid disappointment. Renovated Standard Rooms have pink-and-powder-blue accent walls, which call to mind Miami Vice, set off against contemporary light-wood veneer furniture and laminate floors. These rooms are attractive, though some might find the almost Scandinavian level of minimalism too spartan. Beds tend to be soft, with black-velvet bed runners and throw pillows. All rooms include electric safes, minibars, flat-screen TVs, desks, and air-conditioning. Bathrooms in renovated rooms are spacious, with marble vanities, contemporary raised-square sinks, toiletries, black-tile floors, and bathtub/shower combos (or walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads). Room views are unremarkable, as most rooms face a highway or the platforms of Chamartin station, and receive noise from both, as well as from neighboring rooms.

Hotel Chamartin has an outdoor terrace, where guests can sit with a coffee. A breakfast buffet, with both hot and cold items, is included in certain room packages, and it's served in a dated-looking breakfast room. A 24-hour front desk provides concierge services, and free newspapers are also available in the lobby. The hotel features 10 on-site meeting and event rooms with catering and audiovisual services, as well as a business center, and, like much of the hotel, it's all undergoing renovation in 2015. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and laundry and dry cleaning services can also be arranged.