How To Choose A Hotel & Save Money in Madrid

The largest concentrations of hotels can be found around Atocha Railway Station and the Gran Vía, and though bargain seekers will find great pickings there, I downplay these two popular, but noisy, districts in my search for the best places to stay. The central areas near Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, which provide a comprehensive cross-section of accommodations, also tend to be on the boisterous side, as you would expect in such busy central locations. However, you can't get more central and you won't find a wider variety of day and night amenities right on your doorstep. It's also not far to stumble home to after raiding the department stores or painting the town red!

The smart Plaza de las Cortes, just above the Paseo del Prado, offers select and slightly quieter hotels, as does the Argüelles area just west of the Plaza España. A number of newer hotels sit away from the center, especially on the streets just off the Paseo de la Castellana -- a particularly popular choice for business travelers, thanks to the proximity of the AZCA center's international offices and easy metro access to Barajas airport (15 min.) from expanded and modernized Nuevos Ministerios station.

The cosmopolitan Chamberí and Salamanca districts, above the Malasaña district and Parque del Retiro, respectively, offer some of the most exclusive hotels in the city, while the residential zone of Chamartín, home of Madrid's other main railway station and great hub of Plaza Castilla, features a variety of leisure- and business-oriented hotels, within a 15-minute metro ride of Puerta del Sol.

Madrid also has a small number of apartotels. These combine the best of hotel and apartment facilities, designed for more self-sufficient visitors looking for the freedom to cook. Units come equipped with basic kitchen facilities and maid service is usually provided. The hotels typically have a restaurant on-site. The minimum stay is a week, though if time is no object, monthly or even longer stays are available. Puerta del Sol, Chamberí, and Argüelles (in Plaza España) all offer apartotel accommodations.

Saving money on lodgings in Madrid

We list a number of affordable, attractive and friendly budget lodgings on this website, everything from hostels to guesthouses to places that are usually expensive, but have low cost single rooms available.

But sometimes getting a good deal has less to do with picking the right place to stay, and more to do with timing. With the exception of really, really high traffic periods (see our list of top events in Madrid, in the Planning section of this site), you will pay the least by booking at the last minute. That takes courage, of course, so here's the strategy we suggest: book a hotel reservation that you can cancel. Then, about a week or less before your trip, do a search for prices again. If they've dropped—and they usually will have!—you can rebook without penalty.

But what about the websites that tell you you're going to get a better rate if you lock it in early? They're lying to you. We've done studies on this site and found that you get a better price at the last minute in 90% of the cases. The 10% of the time it doesn't work out is if there's a big event or holiday taking place in Madrid.

Budget Buster: The Cost of Parking in Madrid

This is a serious problem. Few hotels have garages because many buildings turned into hotels were constructed before the invention of the automobile. Street parking is rarely available, and even if it is, you run the risk of having your car broken into. If you're driving into Madrid, most hotels (and most police) will allow you to park in front of the hotel long enough to unload your luggage. Someone on the staff can usually pinpoint the location of the nearest garage in the neighborhood, often giving you a map showing the way -- be prepared to walk 2 or 3 blocks to your car. Parking is noted in the hotel listings where it is available and with the corresponding neighborhood garage fees; where no parking information is listed, no parking is available.

Our advice? Don't bring a car into Madrid. Use the city's excellent public transportation to get around, and if you plan on driving to other parts of Spain, rent a car as you leave the city.