I am at a conference in SL El Escorial in Spain and the organizers put all lecturers in the Hotel Florida (yes, I had no choice). Unfortunately, the conference center is undergoing renovations and so not all participants could stay there. Where should I start...

The rooms are not clean. I am very allergic to mites and started breaking out the first night. The rooms do not look anything like what is shown in the pictures. They are old, dark and small. The bathrooms are tiny and if you want to wipe your bum, you better be a young flexible lad to reach the TP.

The hotel has no features, the breakfast is the biggest joke I have ever experienced. A slice of toast, a tiny cup of OJ (not fresh) and tea/coffee. The service is immensely incompetent. Yesterday it took me 3 times ordering until I got what I wanted (yes, I am a native Spanish speaker). Today it was a whopping 5 times and in the end, after waiting for 25 minutes that left me with 5 to eat my food. Did I mention the toast was burnt? See photo.

Stay away. I see no reason to stay there again. Ever.

The employee at the reception desk was very unfriendly. A young man who just cashed our money without any type of greeting or thanks (we are Spanish, it was not a language issue). We asked him the timetable for the trains, he told us to look at the local newspaper. The rooms are very noisy, you can hear your neighbors talk. Everything needs to be cleaned up, repainted, renovated. Breakfast is served at the bar wich is not confortable at all for a family with children.

A stay at the Best Western Florida gives you a nice stay with ok sized rooms in a quiet town. Rooms size is ok, beds and tv are small, but ok. the rooms are clean and the staff is friendly and gives themselves time to help you, which is appreciated as a tourist.

You couldn't get a better location than this small friendly hotel only minutes from the Monastery of San Lorenzo. The twin room we stayed in was spotless and had a well-equipped mini-bar that didn't break the bank. The heating system was excellent. (A great relief as our visit was in February during the coldest weather and heaviest snowfall seen for thirty years).

We tried breakfast in the small restaurant adjoining the cafeteria and tapas in the latter and both were tasty, economically priced and served by a very pleasant camarero. This hotel was a much nicer experience than many four star establishments but the big problem is that there is no parking or garage. We had to park in a parking bay on the street opposite the hotel or in a public car park around the corner. Neither of these were a cheap option and the street parking required regular euro top ups.

However, El Escorial is well worth a visit if you like religious art and have an interest in tombs, as the Monastery is awash with both and it is only a short drive to Franco's burial place at the Valle de Los Caidos. Both proved to be a fascinating if eerie experience given the wintry weather and lack of tourists.

The town itself has many good restaurants, obviously catering to visiting madrilenos, and some quirky local bars and cafes. The plethora of graffiti which is becoming noticeable in many Spanish towns is a disappointment. I wouldn't plan to spend more than one or two nights here unless you intend to use this as a base to tour the other historical towns of Avila, Toledo, Salamanca and Segovia and then a hotel with better parking would be appropriate. However, there is a good rail and bus service directly into Madrid if you prefer not to risk the ever increasingly complicated road system which now surrounds Madrid.