Room Mate Mario

A young, hip and immensely friendly hotel with a big slice of Pop-Arty attitude, just round the corner from Madrid’s buzzy Opera district

Stepping in from the street, to be greeted by an enormous black and white photograph of a quizzical-looking bulldog, you sense that you’re going to have fun whilst staying at Mario. Madrid style-guru Tomás Alía was given free rein in the hotel’s decoration. He opted for a whimsical style in which bold colours, funky wall panels, low lighting and floral motifs have been blended to create a series of spaces that have a hint of Warhol, a dash of Carnaby street and a big splash of designer derring-do.

You’ll be greeted with an easy smile by an up-beat staff member in the jazzy reception area. Stripey-carpetted corridors with low-lit perspex panel lighting (a bit like a Rothko painting) lead to Mario’s extrordinary bedrooms, decorated with uplifting colour schemes and a cocktail of Pop-Arty ‘head walls’ - floor to ceiling panels behind the beds. The hotel has a growing following among thespians, musicians and switched-on business folk alike.

Highs

• We loved the Room Mate philosophy: to make you feel as if you were visiting a friend, in this case the eclectic, arty and humorous music-lover Mario
• Mario’s bright, easy-going staff were chosen for attitude rather than professional qualifications, helping create the home-from-home mood
• It's a great area, close to the Teatro Real, the Plaza Mayor and the myriad bars of La Latina district
• Surprisingly quiet for a city-centre hotel
• Free WiFi throughout the hotel, a real plus for the lap-top brigade

Lows

• Breakfast is the only meal on offer at Mario - but the fabulous Chic restaurant is just across the street, and La Viuda Blanca a few doors up
• Space is at a premium in the shower rooms (no shelving for your toiletries); ask for a room with bath
• Some rooms don't have a lot of natural light
• Its a bit of a hike from this part of town to the Prado and Reina Sofia galleries; but you’re just yards from the metro
• Not for fuddy-duddies