Hotels in Madrid

If you have to spend one or more nights in Madrid, either because you want to do a bit of sightseeing or because your arrival or departure times mean that you can't use the airport shuttle, you have a number of choices.

  • You can choose a hotel near the airport. Most of them have their own vans and will offer transport for free from/to the airport any time of the day or the night. It is a good choice if your flight lands late in the evening, and you want to go back to the airport in the morning to catch our shuttle. We tried one of them years ago, hotel Osuna, and it worked out very well, but you can choose the one that fits your personal budget. There are booking web pages like: www.ratestogo.com.
  • If you have more time to spare and fancy enjoying a bit of the Madrid architecture and nightlife, you can try one of the hundreds of hotels in the centre. There are lots of cheap hostals and pensions, most of them clean and friendly, and very central, around Puerta del Sol and the Main Square, which are in the very heart of Madrid. One example is the Hostal Astoria. A cheaper option is a hostel like the Cat's Hostel this is dormatory accommodation but only costs €20 a night.
  • If you plan to travel by bus and arrive too late for the last bus, you could find a hotel near a tube station and continue your journey the next day. www.subwayhotels.com is useful for finding hotels near particular metro stations. One option is the Claridge Hotel, very close to Conde de Casal metro station on line 6, which is 2 stops from Mendez Alvaro, the bus station.
^

Things to see and do in Madrid:

Madrid Composite Photo

Madrid, as every big city, not easily covered by foot in one day, but depending on your priorities, you can choose to visit different areas, or just use the metro to move around.

Art Galleries

If you like art galleries you are in the right place, and if you donīt, the Prado museum is still something worth visiting. One of the best of its kind in the world, it has recently undergone a massive facelift to increase the number of exhibition rooms, a great architectural achievement. Other galleries include the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen Bornemisza, for contemporary art. They are all along the Avenida del Prado, the main artery that runs through Madrid. If you donīt have much time a stroll along Prado and Recoletos is probably the best choice.

The Old Quarters

The old quarters: Around the Main square. Full of life, tapas bars and tourists. Old buildings and souvenir shops. In this area you can find the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, worth having a look at.

El Parque del Retiro

"El Parque del Retiro" is Madridīs big lung. A huge garden complex right in the in the middle of the city. It has a large lake in the middle and a little hidden lake. At the edge of this lake is a beautiful glass building, the Palacio de Cristal.

Barrio de Salamanca

Barrio de Salamanca: The posh area. Beautiful avenues and houses with all the expensive designer shops. It is the other dimension of the city.

Interesting web page: www.madaboutmadrid.com

^