NH Parla

Decorated in a chain-standard style with white and tan tile, dark wood tables and accents,
and light-colored upholstered seating areas, the NH Parla is modern, but mostly boilerplate. The
lobby is clean and minimalist, with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in a lot of
natural light, as well as vending machines and free newspapers.
However, the garden area is more a dirt patch surrounded by a handful plants than
an actual green space. Meeting rooms are standard, with little deviation from
the bland and minimalist norm, although the breakfast room is more visually interesting. There, brightly colored
chairs mixed with dark wood tables and wall paneling provide some relief from the bland
palette, and big windows brighten up the room. The hotel's exterior, though, looks more like an apartment building -- with red brick and black
iron fencing -- than a hotel. The obscure location and early breakfast hours indicate the hotel's popularity primarily with business travelers.

The NH Parla is right off the A-42
highway in a residential neighborhood outside Madrid, with a few shops and restaurants, as well as
public transportation, within walking distance. A rental car is a must for
visiting Madrid and its attractions from here. Central Madrid is about a
30-minute drive (or 50-minute bus ride) and even the closest attractions (such as Parque
Enrique Tierno Galván, Xanadu Shopping Center, The Magic Box) are at least a
20-minute drive away.

The sound-proofed rooms at the NH Parla are modern but simple and uninspired, decorated in grays
and reds, with dark wood furniture and a decent amount of space, although the
Standard Room with an extra bed is tight. Suites, though, are large. Gray or
cream blankets, a red accent wall, and red drapes don’t add any
excitement, but the wood floors and wooden desk are nice enough. Nooks are built
into the headboards for extra storage since there are no bedside tables, and
there are moveable lights mounted to the wall on each side of the bed. All rooms have air-conditioning and
flat-screen TVs, and some have minibars as well. There are also
rooms specifically for smokers, a rarity these days. Bathrooms are modern, with tan tile,
frosted glass countertops, and lots of light. Heated towel racks and signature toiletries are in all bathrooms, but those in suites also have robes, slippers, and double
sinks. Suites also benefit from having a separate room for each the sinks,
shower, and toilet.

Since the NH Parla mostly just has the
essentials, the highlights are the free breakfast, free parking, and fact that children under 11 stay for free. Although the breakfast is extensive, the hours to get it for free are exceedingly early in the morning.
Laundry/dry cleaning services are available, and the hotel has five meeting/event rooms. The hotel is also pet-friendly, with a 24-hour front desk and free Wi-Fi, but
there are daily fees for pets and only one pet is allowed per room.