Hotel Exe Suites 33

Housed in a late 19th-century limestone building with iron Juliet balconies overlooking a narrow street, Suites 33 is wedged between some indistinct modernist buildings, making its classical look all the more prominent. A small set of stairs lined by black-and-white wainscoting leads to a narrow, green-and-white marble modern lobby with light wood paneling. This simple space highlights one of the hotel's main deficiencies -- there are no spaces where guests can relax and mingle. (The two chairs in the check-in area aren't quite up to the task.) Tourists -- couples, families, and solo travelers -- make up most of the clientele, although its location draws a few business travelers as well.

On a small street lined with Chinese shops near the Plaza de Espana, and within a five-minute walk of the hipster-infused Malasana neighborhood, with its lively bars and clubs, Suites 33 is conveniently located for visiting many of Madrid's main sights. The Plaza de Espana metro station is a two-minute walk from the hotel, and the western end of the busy Gran Via, lined with shops, restaurants, and bars, is also two minutes away on foot. Madrid’s Golden Triangle -- the cultural area bounded by the Prado, Thyssen Bornemisza, and Reina Sofia museums -- is about a 15- to 20-minute metro ride, while the Royal Palace and Catedral de la Almudena are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. The elegantly grand Plaza Mayor is about a 20-minute walk south, or a 12-minute metro ride. Atocha train station takes 20 minutes to reach by metro, while Madrid-Barajas International Airport is about a 40- to 50-minute metro ride, depending on the time of day, or a 20- to 30-minute taxi ride.

Rooms at Suites 33 are not fashionable, but they're spacious, and come with kitchenettes. (Guests need to request dishware and cutlery from reception.) Junior Suites and Suites have separate sleeping and sitting areas, which, minimally furnished with contemporary loveseats and glass coffee tables, feel a bit antiseptic. All rooms have a version of the same decor -- cream walls, marble-tiled floors, red bed skirts and armchairs, tan throw pillows, and dark-wood headboards and desks. Photographs of iconic Madrid sights hang above the beds. Amenities include desks, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, safes, individually controlled air-conditioning and heat, and kitchenettes with microwaves, mini-fridges, and electric stovetops. Tan marble bathrooms have large vanities, bathtub/shower combos, and toiletries, but are encumbered by huge exposed hot water heaters, and some of the tile work shows dirty grout. Rooms near the elevator can be noisy, and while some rooms include lovely Juliet balconies overlooking the street, these rooms pick up noise from late-night revelers. 

There's no on-site restaurant, and the hotel doesn't serve its own breakfast. Instead, guests trek one minute up the street to the neighboring Exe Hotel El Coloso for the breakfast buffet there, but the offerings are nothing special and, while inexpensive, aren't included in the hotel rate. The 24-hour front desk staff can arrange airport transfers and provide concierge services. Laundry and dry cleaning services are also provided, along with cribs. Parking in the immediate area can be difficult, and the hotel provides off-site parking for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, though the signal can be spotty.