Any recommendations for hotels in the heart of Madrid? My husband and I are planning a trip in July 2011 and would like to book our hotel for 2 nights in Madrid. Would like to keep it under 150 Euros

Look for a good a/c room.

We stayed at the Hotel Prado located in a very convenient area of Madrid. The hotel is small with clean comfortable rooms. I don't know about air conditioning, however. I beleave that we used booking.com. The hotel is a favorite with Fodorites.

Pat

Check Hotel Preciados. Traveller reviews:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUse...os-Madrid.html

http://us.preciadoshotel.com/

I also recommend Hotel Prado. Stayed there for 5 days this past summer (late July early August). The heat was brutal but the A/C in the room worked great. In July/ August the rates go down significantly, I had a rate of approx 70 euros and they gave me a deal of full breakfast for 5 euros. Can't beat that!

We really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Room Mate Alicia on Plaza Santa Ana.

There are lots of very helpful hotel reviews in Maribel's guide to Madrid at www.maribelsguides.com.

I also vote for Hotel Prado. My family and I recently stayed there for 3 nights in late October. We got a fall package deal which included breakfast for approximately $110/US. 10 minute walk to the Atocha Renfe station and the Prado museum. There are so many great restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel including Casa Gonzales and Casa del Abuelo. Plaza Santa Ana is a few blocks from the hotel as well where a lot of great restaurants are located. You can't beat Hotel Prado for price and location.

There are lots of hotels in Madrid; you can try http://www.hotelscombined.com/. Site has tons of filters; prices, neighborhood, distance, etc. I booked my hotel (Rafaele Pyramides) there last year; 96 for 3* triple with breakfast included. We visited Madrid last July; weather was brutal (37C); very hard to walk during the day. But after dark city became alive; cooler temps; lots of lights and full restaurants. Sometimes city runs free outdoor concerts during the summer. What I would call "heart of Madrid" (Puerto Del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Royal Palace, etc) is very busy at night and would rather not stay there. Area around Atocha station is not bad; now there is a 2 euro direct bus from airport to Atocha. Prado & Reina Sofia museums are in the walking distance.

I recently stayed at the Hotel Vincci Soho on Calle del Prado, which I recommend. My rate was 110 euro/night, great location between the Prado and Plaza Santa Ana.

I would also suggest you lok through www.booking.com loads of reviews, which are not falsified as the review has had to have booked and stayed at the establishment, via the website.