#10OCA6 - Apartamento en Vista Alegre

The apartment was great for my visit to a friend who lives nearby.

While having some pots / pans to cook was great, without any basic spices (salt, pepper, oil) you really can’t cook anything. You need to buy them if you want to cook.

La atención recibida

La falta de enchufes en la habitación principal

The location is quite nice, close to the metro station, about 30mns from downtown Madrid. It is a Latin American enclave with nice outside eateries across the public park from the metro station.

This is a growing trend on platforms like Booking. You're not dealing with individual owners aiming at getting a side income. Here you are dealing with corporations (Booking Madrid here) owning numerous properties with the sole aim of making money out of it, i.e. optimizing costs (you won't find a free tea bag in there, strict bare minimum: sheets and towels and a couple of plastic plants for decoration) and maximizing profits. The instructions you receive to enter the building read like setting up the space shuttle for lunch. I whatsapped the support lady that this is never gonna work. It will, don't worry she replied, just follow the instructions. Evidently, it didn't work and we're stuck out of the building and the support people mysteriously vanish at this point. After one hour, we managed to get hold of someone who told us to use the electronic key, to which I replied that it shows as expired. No problem, just use the app! Now introducing the App from Hell, named Yacan Smart. If it were working, it'd open the door remotely. Obviously hastily designed by a bunch of stoners in a frat house and sold for cheap to undiscerning corporations like Booking Madrid, the App from Hell just does not work. Booking Madrid knows it all too well as they make it clear that they will charge anywhere between 30 and 50 euros for support (i.e. remotely opening the door for you) outside working hours. The other thing about the App from Hell is that it is linked to the cell phone of the person who made the booking, meaning that everybody has to hang around together like a flock of sheep in order to get back into the flat. The App from Hell is also linked to the flat's internet, which goes down once a day around 11am, meaning that you have to re-set all the electronic keys that don't work anyway. We eventually managed to get a good old physical key delivered to the flat at, miraculously, no additional cost.

La ubicación y muy buena coneccion con autobuses y metro

LA UBICACION, EXCELENTE

ESTUVE MUY A GUSTO

Ok

Location was ok

Dear Booking.com Team, I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with my recent stay at Vista Alegre Madrid, booked through your platform. My experience was far from satisfactory, and I feel compelled to bring the following issues to your attention: Misleading Location Information: The listing indicated that the property was 7 km from Ifema, but upon arrival, I discovered it was actually 20 km away. This misrepresentation caused significant inconvenience and disrupted my travel plans. Hidden Charges: I was charged an additional €185 above the listed price, with no prior explanation or communication about these extra fees. This lack of transparency is highly disappointing. Cleaning Charges: Despite paying €125 for cleaning services, the property owner informed me that I needed to clean the house myself. This is unacceptable and completely undermines the purpose of paying for cleaning. Key Access Procedures: The process for accessing the keys was overly complicated and poorly communicated. I spent over an hour trying to use the application to gain access, which could have been avoided with clearer instructions provided in advance. False Promise of Airport Transfer: I was informed by Booking.com that the price included a transfer from the airport to the accommodation. However, upon arrival, there was no one to pick us up, leaving us to arrange transport at our own cost. This is a clear breach of what was promised. I kindly request an explanation and resolution to these concerns. Accurate property descriptions, clear communication, and transparency are essential for maintaining customer trust. I am deeply disappointed with my experience and hope to see meaningful action taken to address these issues. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to your prompt response. Best regards, Ephata Nanyaro

It was clean in and a great location.