kalpana

pls advice whether i should stay in city to catch 6 a.m flt to brussels or hotel near airport.if city whether aerocity service is reliable.any input on tryp diana/high tech madrid(100euro budget) whether they are the closest to the airport.i plan to stay 3 nights in madrid and this would b my 3rd night

OReilly

I've stayed in both hotels in the past few months. I prefer the Diane over the High Tech. They are both about the same distance. I think you should be able to get a rate of about 90 Euros at the Diane.

However, given your short stay, I wouldn't bother moving for the last night. Stay in Madrid and get up a little earlier to get to the airport.

lincasanova

there should be NO traffic leaving Madrid that early.. so probably not worth the change. you only gain 30 minutes sleep time and it takes much much more to actually to make the hotel change.

you can sleep at the airport area usually for 60 euros on talonotel or bancotel. or try www.gtahotels.com for a little more with breakfast and tax included.

www.rumbo.es sometimes has more variety of low cost accomodations than gta.

i like the auditorium and also puerta madrid hotels near airport. free shuttle to airport and auditorium has one to town.

kalpana

i think i need to clarify that im in madrid for 2 nights(hotel plaza mayor) then go to salamanca for 2 nights.then come back to madrid for the 3rd night before i catch the morning flt next day.so changing hotels is not the problem . im worried more on taking a taxi out at 4 a.m from the city.

lincasanova

in that case i would have no doubt.

the auditorium at airport area is a very large hotel and i believe their shuttle never stops upon request.

tryp diana is also a four star but lower quality than auditorium.

do not know hich tech. but it is new, so, should be good.

other hotels in area that are nice.. sofitel, novotel (more functional) and anything that says it is in the parque ferial juan carlos..

do NOT fall for best western´s AIDA hotel they SAY is near airport.not bad hotel.. but very industrial location AND it is about 25 kms away!

GBbabe

I just stayed at the Tryp Diana last week. Don't bother. It is so old and shabby, its sad. There were two large cracks in my room. No shampoo or little extras I expect to find in four-star hotel. The woodwork in the hallways is smashed and dented, and the hall carpet is worn through. But I was there one night from midnight to nine a.m. I may have missed other attractions, but the condition of the hallways and my room didn't make me expect anything better, so I didn't bother going down for breakfast.

I paid $70 through priceline. It certainly wasn't worth it.

lincasanova

at least you didnt pay more than their lowest price.. that would have been even more irritating!

it was one of the first airport area hotels, and it was rundown the last time i stayed there 10 years ago. i had no idea they hadn´t done anything since!

NEDSIRELAND

Don't pay any attention to the Hotels that offer free airport shuttle: They usually don't do that untle 7:00 AM.

There are a couple of Hotels on Avda. Logroño: 5-Star Hotel Barajas ans a Best Western Barajas. It's probably a waste to stay at a 5-star hotel just to sleep a few hours.

There's a new Hotel right at the Airport; but it would probably involve more walking and carrying your luggage than catching a taxi to the Terminal where your flight is, especially if it's (new) Terminal-4.

The area around the Convention Center is also quite convenient to Barajas airport, especially at 5:00 AM

lincasanova

a quick phone call to the hotel will clarify when their shuttle starts.
some are on request 24 hrs. and others, of course, may start later than you need it.

the last time i was at the auditorium hotel it was 24 hr. on request.

but anyway, it will only be a short taxi ride from any of those properties and there will be no problem getting a taxi unless there is some kind of strike ( which i think is highly unlikely).

the convention center is "Parque ferial Juan Carlos" if you see thatin the propaganda.

good luck.

Graziella5b

Hi Kalpana, how are you going to Salamanca by train or bus? ( May be you are driving?) the reason I am asking is that we shall be going early next year and I wonder which are the pros and cons of the train and bus.We are coming from Salamanca, and leaving next morning back to the States, plane leaving at ten AM. I though of coming by train ,staying in Chamartin area
I wonder how the Hansa Chamartin hotel is looking to-day, I also thought of getting into the Prado area by local train after checking in the hotel in Chamartin, leaving next morning by taxi to Barajas.
Does anybody know where the bus station is in Madrid coming from Salamanca?, I mean which is the most convenient. When I say more convenient I mean to enjoy a day in Madrid because I would choose the hotel convenient to the bus station. Tks,
Lincasanova, may be you can give good advice regarding this ....

Graziella5b

by the way, Kalpana, this year we also took a 6 AM
plane out of Madrid to Amsterdam. We enjoyed a lot our last day/night in Madrid even saw a fascinating zarzuela.
We had arrived in the morning from Sevilla by train,
we had the hotel call for a taxi the night before that took us in no time to Barajas. I think we left around 3.30 AM, we had to wait a lot in Barajas for the KLM\people to dispatch us.It was a Sunday so we had two
supplements but anyway it was reasonable.

lincasanova

if you are planning to DO something in madrid or see somethig because you are arriving in time ot do so, then i would stay near that venue area.. museum triangle, what have you.

getting the metro from the bus to airport can be tedious.. i would not do it.

but if you are not sure of what time you will be arriving and just want to crash near airport. i do like the auditorium hotel as it has bus service to airport, and beginning of madrid big bus exchange area with metro, which helps give you mobility back into the city if you want it.

also, i admit, i usually get it for 60 euros on talonotel/bancotel.. which makes it very interesting.

hopefuly you will not be in madrid during a large trade fair.

rooms triple in price.

i am not familiar with the chamartin area at all. sorry. hopefully someone local can clear up doubts and add some good ideas.

lincasanova

forgot to add this:

By Bus
AutoRes is the bus company that travels from Madrid to Salamanca.
After you arrive at the Barajas Airport, take a taxi from the airport to 'Conde Casal Bus Station' or the "Auto-res Bus Station." The journey will last approximately a half an hour. Alternatively, you can go by metro, from Aeropuerto take line 8 to Mar de Cristal (end of line 8). From there, take line 4 to Avenida de America. In Avenida de America change to line 6 and go to Conde de Casal. At the bus station, take an express bus to Salamanca, you have one every hour: From 07.00 to 22.00 hours (Monday to Satudary); from 08.00 to 23.00 hours (Sunday) .

By Train
Renfe is the the long-distance train company in Spain. Trains from Madrid to Salamanca depart from Chamartin Train Station.
You have 2 options to get there from the airport:
1. Taxi: At the airport take a taxi to Chamartin Train Station, journey time is a half an hour
2. Metro: From Airport take line 8 to Mar de Cristal (end of line 8). From there, change to line 4 in direction to Avenida de America. In Avenida de America change to line 7 and go to Gregorio Maranon. Then change to line 10 to get to Chamartin. There are 6 departures from Madrid (Chamartin) to Salamanca daily and the ride takes two and a half hours.
(Madrid departures at 8:45, 11:00, 13:45, 15:45, and 19:45 h)

kalpana

thanks for the great advice fodorites.i decided on going back to the city to stay and book the aerocity shuttle for 3.30 a.m.better than coming back from salamanca and searching for a link to get to the airport hotels late evening !
one more? which zone should i key in for plaza mayor for me to get the rate for the aerocity shuttle?there are abt 10 zones listed!!