호텔 알다 센트로 사라고사(Alda Centro Zaragoza)

Having stayed several times at this hotel's previous incarnation (the premises used to house the Hotel El Príncipe) I was eager to see what the new version would be like. The results were mixed. It's definitely a work in progress. I was required to pay in advance, but at least was e-mailed a link and allowed to select the card - this was convenient, as I booked with a personal card but paid with the company one. I am not generally a fan of 'self-check-in' hotels with no staff on duty and sure enough, the machine did not work, requiring me to spend additional time, after travelling all day, standing at the entrance and completing check-in by phone. The rooms are minimalist but adequate and functional, however I had the sense the chain have been let down by their builders who, perhaps, worked in haste. The TV was bolted to the wall at a weird angle, the closet door handles are the old ones, worn down by years of use and simply repainted, and the fresh paint job has already been stained by rust dribbling from the vents. The worst aspect was that the lift did not work the first two days I was there; I was on the 3rd floor, not too big an issue for me but for someone older it could be, and the sign posted next to the lift managed to be poorly written in 3 languages whilst also seeming somewhat sarcastic. ('The lift is broken, so don't use it, unless it is working, in that case by all means use it.') The best things about it were the cleanliness and the helpful lady on reception (when she was there, 8am-4pm). Also, I did like the general feel and style of the business travel room the rooms now go for. I might give this hotel another try, but there are many options in central Zaragoza.

El hotel parece recién reformado por dentro, algunos detalles se notaban de dicha renovación (manguera de incendios sin tabicar ni encastrar, se veían los ladrillos en el pasillo). Es un hotel céntrico y con buena ubicación, aunque es cierto que al estar en el centro de la catedral, puede que las noches sean algo "ruidosas". Ofrecen café e infusiones gratis en el hall de la recepción. Nuestra habitación fue una triple, con una cama doble de matrimonio y una cama individual. La habitación estaba en condiciones y limpia. Si es para una estancia corta, es una excelente opción.