One of Spain‘s holiday hotspot hotels has been flagged by tourists as having the ‘worst breakfast in Europe’.
Hotel Atlántico, a four-star hotel nestled in the heart of Madrid, has received scathing reviews from diners on TripAdvisor.
‘The rooms are nice and comfortable. Sadly that’s where it ends,’ one dissatisfied guest wrote.
As well as complaining about lack of sleep due to hearing ‘every creak and step in this place’, the guest who stayed in Hotel Atlántico in May 2025, had strong feelings about the ‘bad tasting’ breakfast.
‘The breakfast is the worst I have come across in all of Europe,’ they warned. ‘Do not have it.’
Describing the food in more detail, a second guest wrote: ‘My only complaint is the poor quality of the breakfast experience; self-service machine coffee, wet slices of ham, tasteless slices of plastic cheese and slightly stale bread one morning.
‘One member of staff only each day and they couldn’t keep up with everything that needed doing.’
‘Plenty of Cava though,’ they added, ‘so not all bad.’
Hotel Atlántico (pictured) is a four-star hotel nestled in the heart of Madrid
The Spanish hotel has been flagged by tourists as having the ‘worst breakfast in Europe’
One guest described it as ‘wet slices of ham, tasteless slices of plastic cheese and slightly stale bread one morning’
Other ‘disappointed’ reviews pointed to the ‘poor selection’ at breakfast and its ‘weird layout configuration’.
More diplomatic TripAdvisor users suggested skipping the substandard breakfast entirely.
Instead, they recommend eating at one of the many cafes available a stone’s throw away from the hotel on La Gran Via – one of Madrid’s most popular shopping areas.
There were a range of other opinions on the breakfast with one guest describing it as ‘very good’ while Mick from Ayrshire in South West Scotland labelling it as ‘ok’.
‘The lack of chopped fruit and plain yogurt limited out healthy options compared with hotels on our travels,’ Mick, who stayed at the hotel with his family in September 2024, penned.
‘Otherwise all the staff were friendly and helpful and I would recommend this hotel if you want a central venue in Madrid,’ he added.
Despite mixed feedback, Hotel Atlántico advertises itself as having an ‘excellent breakfast according to clients’ on its website.
A double room at the central hotel will set punters back around £250 for one night. Breakfast costs an additional £10.
The four-star hotel is located on La Gran Via. Some guests have suggested skipping the hotel breakfast entirely and opting for a café on the busy shopping street instead
Reviews of the hotel breakfast are mixed with one disgruntled guest describing it as the ‘worst I have come across in all of Europe’ while others said it was ‘OK’ or ‘very good’
Eva Garcia, Hotel Atlántico’s Assistant Director, responded to one user’s scathing review of the breakfast buffet by ‘apologising for not exceeding your expectations’.
‘We have a buffet style breakfast with hot and cold meals (different types of eggs, sausages, bacon, cheese, cured ham, ham, turkey, cakes, jam, honey, yogurts, different types of bread, fruits, vegetables, coffees and juices, and also Cava),’ she wrote.
‘We strive to ensure each and every guest experience is satisfying. The rate is 12 euros. Please consider the value for money.’
MailOnline has approached Hotel Atlántico for comment.
