Raquel

I am planing to travel to Madrid with my sister from Dec 17 to Jan 15, 2003. I would appreciate any insights on long stay logging at a good price in a centric area of the city.

Leslie

If you don't mind staying in a hostale (2 star, small family-owned hotel), I recommend the Hostal Adriano, www.hostaladriano.com. For 50 Euro, you can get a room with 2 beds and private bath. The Hostal Adriano is quite close to both the Puerta del Sol and Plaza Major.<BR><BR>The owner, Alberto DiStefano, speaks fluent English and has been of great help to me planning my trip (although my reservation is in March). My reservation is only for 6 nights, however, you might be able to work something out for a long term stay.<BR><BR>

Graziella

Some years back we used to stay with our children in a fine apart hotel across from Plaza Colon, the name was also Colon it was rated four stars.<BR> From the studios on, all units had a well appointed kitchen+great service.The hotel had several places to eat, a cafeteria, a rest. and an self serving place in the basement.<BR>It was very convenient, I do not know if it is still there with same name but frankly for a long stay in Madrid I could think of anything better.<BR>( Iat the time Placido Domingo lived there)

olga

<BR>Yes, it´s still there, I stayed there last April on a business trip. Our studio for 2 people had a kitchen, bathroom, couch and tv area and a dining/working table and chairs. The beds were nowhere to be seen, until we realized they were folded up and disguised by woodpanelling into the wall! Very 70´s...<BR>The atmosphere was a little cold, too businesslike for my liking. <BR><BR>I have heard good things about newer apartment hotels like Los Jeronimos -near El Prado museum-, Arturo Soria suites, etc. but haven´t stayed at any of them. A good website that shows pictures and info on some of these is www.softguides.com (Madrid),they divide their hotel listings by city areas, quite useful.

Maribel

Raquel,<BR>I'll just second what Olga and Graziella have told you. The Apartamentos Col&oacute;n (above the restaurant complex Riofr&iacute;o and next to what used to be the Boccacio disco, right, Olga and Graziella?) are still there, but they haven't been renovated in a long, long while. They were new, I think, in the early seventies.<BR><BR>When we need to rent for a month in Madrid we use the properties owned by a group called the &quot;Espahotel&quot; aparthotels.<BR>www.espahotel.es<BR><BR>There are 4 different locations (we stay up at the Plaza Bas&iacute;lica in the northern business section to be near family), and they're all classified with 3 keys (apartamentos tur&iacute;sticos are classified with keys, 1-4, rather than stars) so are quite nice. I've seen all except the newest building right on the Gran V&iacute;a. The &quot;Jer&oacute;nimos&quot; that Olga has mentioned to you is quite comfortable and located right behind the Prado. Not a lively area but just a walk across the Paseo del Prado to all the tapas bars of the Plaza Santa Ana/Huertas area. The Espahotels kitchens are fully equipped with cutlery, pots and pans, dishes, coffee maker/iron/ironing board on request, and they provided daily maid service, twice a week linen change and even room service for meals. Also nice bath toiletries in their marble baths with great showers, A/C, phone, sat. TV, safe in closet, concierge service, etc. Much like hotel living, and they're filled with business people. They rent by the day/week/month. This would be an upscale and quiet location for you except that I don't know the current status of the expansion of the Prado, which was/is going on at the cloisters of the Jer&oacute;nimos church (it had stopped for a while). From there you can do the &quot;museum triangle&quot; and walk to Old Madrid. But I'm not sure what you consider a &quot;good price&quot;. <BR><BR>If the &quot;Espahotels&quot; are beyond your budget, you could try the 2 key apartamentos tur&iacute;sticos of the Edificio Pr&iacute;ncipe, on Calle Pr&iacute;ncipe 11, right in the heart of Old Madrid, near the Puerta del Sol, which is a noisier, more congested location, but the price is lower. They have a 24 hr. portero and change of linens/towels provided weekly, plus daily cleaning service, A/C, sat TV. safe. Phone service optional. I think they start at 74 euros p.p.<BR>phone: 91 429 44 70 <BR><BR>Other aparthotels such as the very nice but not central Arturo Soria, NH Suites Prisma and Confortel Suites Madrid (more like hotels) and the great Aparthotel Madro&ntilde;o (we've stayed here for shorter visits) in the upscale Salamanca residential/shopping district would probably be more exp. and not so good for sightseeing.<BR><BR>

Maribel

Raquel,<BR>A couple more thoughts...<BR><BR>On the www.madridman.com site, there have been very favorable reviews of an apt. on Calle Huertas, also in the heart of Old Madrid. The price is amazingly right (50 euros per day, 3 day minimun, 300 per week) and it looks lovely but seems always to be booked, as it's such a good deal. Take a look (if you haven't already) at<BR>www.inicia.es/de/elprado/<BR><BR>In the same area (corner of Calle Prado and Ventura de la Vega) are the Suites Prado.<BR>I've inspected these, and they have a kitchenette and separate living room. I mention them because they do accept Halc&oacute;n Viajes Weekend Plan coupons (sold individually at any Halc&oacute;n Viajes travel agency in Madrid) on wkds, during the last 2 weeks of Dec. and first 2 wks of Jan. (so the booklet indicates).<BR>Halc&oacute;n Viajes sells several prices of hotel coupons, but the ones required by the Suites Prado cost 75 euros per night. But when you make your reservation you MUST tell them you'll be paying with these coupons-each hotel has a &quot;cupo&quot; for coupon use, and it may already be filled. Otherwise, the suites are pricey-148 euros per night. <BR>The attic Suite #403 is very large, all open and perfectly for a couple.<BR>Might be worth a try. www.suiteprado.com<BR><BR>Your cheapest option, as Leslie indicates, would be to negotiate a long stay at a family-owned hostal, but you'd have no cooking facilities.<BR><BR>Hope this helps just a bit.

Maribel

Raquel,<BR>If you haven't yet made a decision (but I suspect you have), you might want to give this a look:<BR>&quot;Aparthotel En Busca del Tiempo&quot;, which is new and in the heart of Old Madrid, near the Plaza Santa Ana and around the corner from the Hostal Adriano on Calle de la Cruz. It's well priced and for others, it only requires a 3 night minimum.<BR>I just found it (courtesy of Madrid web site) but haven't seen it in person yet.<BR>www.enbuscadeltiempo.com