Sercotel Gran Hotel Conde Duque

We arrived at the hotel late in the evening after a long journey and immediately faced a shocking situation: we became trapped inside the elevator. We repeatedly pressed the emergency alarm button and waited for assistance, but nobody came. After some time, it became clear that no one was responding to our calls. It honestly felt as if the emergency button was not connected to any real assistance service, or that nobody was monitoring it. When we realized that nobody was coming to help us, we were even forced to call the police because the hotel did not react to the fact that we were trapped and repeatedly pressing the emergency button. Eventually, my husband was forced to manually open the elevator doors. We found ourselves between floors, next to the elevator shaft, trying to get someone’s attention. We had to pull the doors apart and shout for help until other hotel guests finally heard us and alerted hotel staff. No guest should ever be put in a situation where they feel forced to risk their safety because emergency assistance is not arriving. We literally had to expose ourselves to danger, open the doors ourselves and call for help in order to be noticed. When a staff member finally appeared, we explained that I was having a panic attack and that we needed assistance. The response was simply that help would arrive in about 30 minutes. We were not offered water, medical assistance, reassurance, or any meaningful support while trapped inside a hot elevator. Even after the situation was resolved, no sincere apology was offered. When we later asked why nobody had even offered us water, we were told that we already had a bottle of water with us. What upset us most is that everything about this situation was unacceptable: the elevator malfunction itself, the apparent failure of the emergency response system, the complete lack of urgency, and the indifference shown by the staff. Being trapped is already frightening enough. Being ignored, left without assistance, and receiving no compassion afterward is even worse. This happened in a hotel in the capital of Spain, and it was far below the level of safety, professionalism, and customer care we expected.

Location is excellent, just a few minutes walk from San Bernardo metro station and an easy stroll to the highlights of Madrid. Some of the more negative reviews mentioned that some reception staff could be on the surly side and think we met her. Just could have been a bit more welcoming. Hotel room was on the smallish side but fine for a couple of nights when out most of the day. Bathroom and shower was better than expected. The AC took a bit of sorting out but worked well. The bar area was smart but it seemed to close earlier than expected but the breakfast was superb. Very well laid out, plenty of choice and lovely staff to maintain it.

I stayed at the same hotel group's hotel in Bilbao. Despite having no problems under the same conditions (as I had asked them before), this hotel in Madrid told us that we couldn't stay in the room we had chosen with my young daughter, that they couldn't provide a baby cot, and that we were obligated to change rooms and would have to pay extra. After traveling with our luggage and young child, we faced a very difficult situation at reception. No realistic alternative was offered other than accepting the extra fee. When I asked about canceling the reservation, I was told that it had to be done through Booking.com, even though the free cancellation period had already expired. This left us with no practical option and forced us to accept a cost we never agreed to.