I'm planning my first ever trip to Madrid, Spain this spring and am trying to find a place to stay. I've traveled alone to London and Paris and usually stay in flats or aparthotels, and I'd really like to do the same in Madrid. Caveat is that I'm not familiar with Madrid's neighborhoods. I've looked at three flats at VRBO but I'm not sure of the locations.

http://www.vrbo.com/177293

http://www.vrbo.com/311583

http://www.vrbo.com/279688

I'd also be open to aparthotels if anyone has any suggestions. As a single female in her 40's, I'd like an area that is relatively safe and near the attractions since I'll only be there 4/5 days.
Gracias por la ayuda.

emily,
For a larger selection of rentals in Madrid, look here
http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/Spa...-Area/r392.htm

Ive rented from both VRBO and UK Rentals, and find UK Rentals has renters that are more often English Speakers if you are uncomfortable using Spanish

My two favorite areas are
1) Retiro Park
2) Plaza Mayor Area

Often good rentals want at least 1 week, but you can find some good ones for less. Another option are the many fine hotels that are rather inexpensive

the last apt is very central but on a busy pedestrian street... it is an area of MANY bars and restaurants.
Looks like there is a restaurant in the building.
the other two seem central, but without the exact address it is hard to check the street.
I always take a look at the street ( google) and the building to get the feel of the area.
We rented a couple of times from Spain Select, but it may not be your budget.
If you can get the address for the apts. you are interested in, I'll be glad to comment.

The address I have for the three flats are

1)calle torrecilla del leal 30

2)calle Barbieri 3,

3)calle del Príncipe 16

The first is in vibrant, non-touristy and multicultural Lavapies. I don't think you would feel safe here at night.
http://www.travelinginspain.com/madrid/lavapies.htm

The second is on a nice street just north of central Gran Vía, in the Chueca area, Madrid's Gay district.
http://www.gomadrid.com/gay/

The third - C/ del Principe, 16 - is in the middle of everything and would be my first choice. Very close to both the heart of the city Puerta del Sol, vibrant Plaza Santa Ana and majestic Plaza Mayor. Lots of nice tapas bars, cafés and restaurants in the area, and all the nightlife you could want is close by in Plaza Santa Ana and the Huertas/Madrid de las letras district (bars, clubs, jazz, flamenco etc). The apartment is just off Plaza Santa Ana:
http://www.gomadrid.com/sights/plaza-santa-ana.html

The major museums are all within short walking distance. You are also close to the fabulous tapas bar/restaurant area in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina: http://www.gomadrid.com/tapas/zona-tapas-la-latina.html

Some recommendations for tapas bars etc in this area from one who lives in Madrid: http://tapastalk.wordpress.com/tapas-bars/

kimhe, thanks for your input. And emily71, thanks to you too for posing the question. I learn so much here, and get so many great trip ideas from others. I love not having to reinvent the wheel, and am most appreciative of being able to benefit from your respective efforts!

We were in Madrid in November for 4 nights and used spain select an apartment agency. We were very satisfied with them. We also enjoyed our apartment on Calle Mayor. Here is the link to our apartment. http://www.spain-select.com/en_US/re...s/callemayorii

Unfortunately, the Santa Ana apartment is not the one pictured, so that one is out.

I did find some listings on Spain-Select but they are a bit pricey and I'm not sure if any are near the center.
http://www.spain-select.com/en_US/re...bedroomsList/1,

I was also wondering if anyone had stayed in the Esperahotel Gran Via 65 or knew the area. The price looks right and though it is more like a hotel, at least I'll have my own kitchenette.

http://www.apartamentos-granvia.com/en/

Estoy muy loca trying to find a place to stay that is in my budget and near enough to the sites. Thanks.

Calle Mayor and Carretas are as central as you can be.
We stayed in both buildings.
GranVia apt. is not a bad location/
Madrid has a very good public transit.

Esperahotel on modernistic/cosmopolitan/early 20th Century Gran Via 65 is a great location, very central. Close to the Royal Palace and Puerta del Sol, and only some 10 min walking from Plaza Santa Ana/Plaza Mayor.

Gran Vía 100 years anniversary last year was a major event in the city: http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do...&TR=C&IDR=1431

Thanks everyone. Since this is a important birthday trip, I decided to splurge and go with the Calle Mayor flat. Never worked with an agency so I hope they don't bait and switch me to another flat. It looks like the bedroom doesn't have windows so hopefully the noise won't be so bad and I've lived in big cities so I'm use to cars and sirens at night. Thanks all.

for future reference, you could also try looking for apartments on Airbnb or Loquo (the spanish craigslist) for that matter its also possible to find private rentals on the regular craigslist. enjoy your trip!

The Calle Mayor flat seems to be as good as it gets!

Here are some previously posted Madrid suggestions which might be relevant, all within 10 mins walk from your apartment:

Have breakfast or lunch at Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes in down town Calle Alcalá, 42. One of the city's most emblematic cafés. Grab a window table and watch Madrid life on bustling Calle Alcalá. Take the lift up to the roof topp terrace (the azotea) for the most spectacular views of the city. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/cargarApl...ntificador=179

Watch the sunset over the Guadarrama mountains from the terrace at El Ventorrillo in the Vistillas park next to the Almudena Cathedral and the Royal palace. Great pollo al ajillo, some say the best in town. Map, video and some pictures: http://11870.com/pro/restaurante-ventorrillo

Have lunch or some tapas at Casa Granada, on the 6th floor of an apartment building just off local feel Plaza Tirso de Molina. Hard to find and a great terrace. http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Vide...ada-Video.html

Café Central, just off bustling Plaza Santa Ana, is a fabulous jazz venue with live performances from the best artists every night at 10. Entrance 15€. Good food also. Populart, a little further down the street, is also a great place. http://www.cafecentralmadrid.com/

Experience world class flamenco at one of the best tablaos. Madrid is arguably the flamenco capital of the world. Although the art form comes from the South (Andalucía), everybody has to conquer Madrid to get to the top. On their way there, or as an opportunity to try out new things and get an up close audience, many of them work the top tablaos. I recommend Villa Rosa, Casa Patas and Cardamomo - on or close to Plaza Santa Ana - and Corral de la Morería next to the Vistillas park (see above).
http://www.villa-rosa.es/English/inicio.php
http://www.casapatas.com/
http://www.cardamomo.es/
http://www.corraldelamoreria.com/en/index2.html

Medina Mayrit, an Arab bath-house just off Plaza Mayor in Calle Atotcha, 14. (Mayrit is the old Arab name (from the 9th century) of Madrid, meaning running water and referring to the water sources beneath the city). http://www.medinamayrit.com/

A stroll in the beautiful Retiro Park. http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/parquedelretiro.htm

Txirimiri in Calle del Humilladero, 6 gives you an idea of why the Basque kitchen is considered among the best in the world. In the midst of one of the best tapas/restaurant districts in town, in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina. Here you can wander from bar to bar and have a glass and a tapa at each place. Very affordable and lots of different places from very upscale to basic and bustling.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ri-Madrid.html

I never leave Madrid without having had the squid in its own ink and the famous cod at Casa Revuelta, also in the same district.
http://11870.com/pro/casa-revuelta

You should try the excellent salmorejo, a somewhat thicker variant of the tomato/vegetable soup gazpacho, in Según Emma just behind the newly reopened gourmet-oriented San Miguel food market. This is next door to your apartment: http://11870.com/pro/segun-emma
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...ma-Madrid.html

The Rastro flea market on Sunday, just as much about having some tapas and a vermut as about shopping: http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/el-rastro.html

The Chueca and Malasaña area, north of Gran Vía, is Madrid's most lively shopping district that "combine both originality and the avant-garde. Specifically, the section made up of little streets perpendicular to Fuencarral and Hortaleza streets is a shoppers’ paradise".
http://www.softguides.com/madrid_gui...ne.html#chueca

Always updated info about Madrid. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do

kimhe has lots of good ideas. Café Populart is the place we went to hear music. We walked from the Plaza Mayor apt. very easily. Spain Select was great to work with. I highly doubt they will bait and switch. We really liked the apartment. The bedroom was quiet enough. It backed onto the inside of the building. You could still hear noise from the street,but it didn't keep me from sleeping. The living room windows had inside shutters to close. We really loved the apartment. The location was very good for a first visit to Madrid. Hope you like it.

bookmarking

Thanks for all the help with the apartment. I think I have Madrid sorted but now comes the hard part of fitting in what else in Spain to see. The apartment looks much nicer than my own and I'd kill to have that kitchen.

The apartment is down the hall from the living room. Every morning I got up and used a handpress orange juice squeezer. It was great to have fresh oj and coffee every morning. There are places near the apartment to buy morning pastries or just go across the way to San Gines for the unbelievable dark, rich, chocolate and churros. Hope you enjoy the apt. and Madrid as much as we did.

good for you.
it is a great location in a great city!
Enjoy your stay.

<now comes the hard part of fitting in what else in Spain to see>

Fabulous cities in the South such as Córdoba, Sevilla and Málaga are just 1h 40 mins and 2h. 30 mins away from Madrid with the high speed AVE train, from city center to city center. The Córdoba train goes further to either Sevilla or Málaga.

Spring is the best time of year to go here, full blossom and some weeks before the summer heat sets in. May is special in Córdoba, once the most advanced city in the western world. The month starts with the "cruces" celebration, followed by the patio competition leading on to the flamenco inspired Feria by the end of the month.
Córdoba patio exposition and competition: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/patios.htm
The Feria in late May: http://www.andalucia.com/festival/co...pring-fair.htm

Sevilla, the queen of all the cities in the South, celebrates the famous annual Feria de Abril a little later: http://www.andalucia.com/festival/seville-feria.htm

Málaga on the coast, one of my three favourite cities in Spain:
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/home.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ci...-treasure.html

Thanks for all your help. Everything except for the trains and my last night hotel in Madrid is booked. Going to Granada and Seville for warmer weather to see the Alhambra among other things. Can't wait.