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.