I am not a frequent hotel guest - and even this stay was forced on me! I was on a road trip around Western Europe to celebrate my retirement, the date of which would actually be during the trip. Unfortunately, arriving in Badajoz to try to obtain parts for my tent, my car broke down, i.e. the cooling system blew. Hotel Badajoz Center was close to the site of the breakdown and, therefore, the place I made for when I couldn't get the Spanish telephone system to work for me. What a sight I must have been after 7 days on the road and under canvas (nylon?), hung about with bits of baggage (the more important of the things from my car), not dressed for an executive-class hotel (well, you wouldn't be if you were on a road trip), tired, unshaven and desperate. I was fortunate that one of the two desk clerks on duty, Pepa, was able to understand and speak a fair amount of English. So, of course, was the other clerk, Rocio, but to a lesser extent. So I had to try to explain that I needed help to contact my breakdown service and, obviously, somewhere to stay. Did they come through? Too true they did. Almost before I knew it I was being shepherded over to the foyer telephone where I could sit and wait for my call to be connected, as it was in less than a minute. They also supplied information as I needed it during the call. When it was done, I was quickly checked into the only remaining free room in the hotel. Relatively spacious, double bed, en-suite bathroom, big television and minibar in the same cabinet, free Internet access by means of (provided) ethernet cable, phone and a call from the ladies when the recovery truck arrived. It may have been that evening or the following day that I enquired about the cost of the (international) call to my breakdown service and was quickly told, with no hesitation, that there would be no charge. The room was a bit pricey that first night but I learned later that was because it was the only remaining room. And there I stayed for a week whilst my car was fixed. Even the room cleaners were friendly! Are there any negative things to say about it? Well, yes, but they are relatively minor. Prices for items in the minibar are on the high side. I used some, but was able to restock from a local store, so I didn't have to pay the hotel price. I mean 2.40 euros for a can of Fanta! They could do with providing a bathmat as the showerscreen doesn't keep all the water from the bathroom floor and it would be too easy to slip as one gets out of the shower. And on that same subject of the shower, handrails could be better placed or additional handrails provided for someone standing. The shower is the usual dual-function bath/shower and the floor of it is quite smooth, as is the bathroom floor. Is there anything else negative? Only one, of a slightly amusing nature. I am a smoker and I could not face hours in the room without being able to smoke. There were no signs and I have to admit that I didn't want to ask in case I received a negative reply. In the circumstances, I felt a bit like a tramp sharing a family's home. So I spent the best part of the week using cut-down juice cartons and then, on almost the last day, an ashtray suddenly appeared! I didn't use the restaurant because I had little idea of my financial state and I had had an estimate of the amount that my car repair would cost. I didn't use the pool, both because no-one else did and because I didn't have the clothes for it, but both looked good. I would be glad to go back and spend a week where I was in a better personal state. But the real jewels about this hotel are those two desk clerks, Pepa and Rocio. The hotel, indeed the whole hotel chain, should be glad to have them. Both are incredibly good advertisements for their hotel and, if their attitude and approach reflects the management's/owners' approach to their guests, then any hotel in the chain is one at which to stay.