Madrid Hotel
Dec 29th, 2007, 03:44 AM
#1
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Madrid Hotel
We arrive in Madrid the morning of Feb. 6 and leave for Lisbon on the morning of the 7th. We are looking to see as much as possible in our short stay in Madrid. We didn't plan on going through Madrid but that is how the plane arrangements worked out. I have two problems. Where to stay and what to see in our limited time. My thoughts are to stay close to the airport as our flight leaves around 10 the next morning.
I have no idea how far the airport is from Madrid center. Very often in the major cities I will use the bidding on priceline and research using bidding for travel. Is there a hotel there that makes sense? Or do you have suggestions? We will be traveling light.
We will also need a hotel on the way back again in Madrid.
Thanks for your suggestions Have been using this board for years and you have never failed me.
I usually do a lot of research but this trip has come up suddenly and I have to get six of us together coming in from three different location and need a little help.
I have no idea how far the airport is from Madrid center. Very often in the major cities I will use the bidding on priceline and research using bidding for travel. Is there a hotel there that makes sense? Or do you have suggestions? We will be traveling light.
We will also need a hotel on the way back again in Madrid.
Thanks for your suggestions Have been using this board for years and you have never failed me.
I usually do a lot of research but this trip has come up suddenly and I have to get six of us together coming in from three different location and need a little help.
Dec 29th, 2007, 04:11 AM
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You can get to the city center from the airport on the metro is a little under one hour. It requires one change of trains and is very easy to do. I don't know about taxi but tend to think that with traffic it might be almost that long. So if you have to catch a 10am flight you'd need to leave the city center around 7am. Feb 7 is a weekday so that shouldn't be a problem. I've heard that the metro in Madrid can be very desserted and maybe scarry early on weekend mornings. But even though Madrid "wakes up" later by US standards, I would think on a weekday at 7-8am it would be ok. I wasn't in it that early but every time I took it I was impressed by how clean and safe it felt.
In the city center I can recommend the Hotel Prado (www.pradohotel.com/) which was nothing fancy but perfectly ok and it was less than a ten minute walk from Plaza Mayor in one directin and the Prado in the other so very central. There were several metro stops less than 10 minute walk also.
In the city center I can recommend the Hotel Prado (www.pradohotel.com/) which was nothing fancy but perfectly ok and it was less than a ten minute walk from Plaza Mayor in one directin and the Prado in the other so very central. There were several metro stops less than 10 minute walk also.
Dec 29th, 2007, 05:02 AM
#3
Hi, brandsberg,
it seems to me that you have two choices - an airport hotel, or a hotel near to the sites that you want to see in Madrid.
if you need to be at the airport by 7am, the former may be the way to go - Madrid generally keeps gonig til the early hours so you could spend as long as you liked in the city, before getting a cab back to the airport and your hotel bed.
a taxi will take about 30 minutes, depending on where you are staying and the traffic - we were staying near the opera and there was a demonstration on the day we arrived, so it took longer. but there is no problems getting cabs at the airport. to get back, we took the airport bus offered by our hotel which cost about E12 each, whereas thwe cab was abpout e30.
for more information, have a look at www.maribels-guides.com. she is a mine of information.
regards, ann
it seems to me that you have two choices - an airport hotel, or a hotel near to the sites that you want to see in Madrid.
if you need to be at the airport by 7am, the former may be the way to go - Madrid generally keeps gonig til the early hours so you could spend as long as you liked in the city, before getting a cab back to the airport and your hotel bed.
a taxi will take about 30 minutes, depending on where you are staying and the traffic - we were staying near the opera and there was a demonstration on the day we arrived, so it took longer. but there is no problems getting cabs at the airport. to get back, we took the airport bus offered by our hotel which cost about E12 each, whereas thwe cab was abpout e30.
for more information, have a look at www.maribels-guides.com. she is a mine of information.
regards, ann
Dec 29th, 2007, 05:51 AM
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Depending on where you catch the metro, the trip, including changing to line 8 at Nuevos Ministerios Metro station, could take 45 minutes or longer. You should allow at least one hour from a central location.
A taxi can get you to the airport from a central Madrid hotel in less than 30 minutes on most days and should cost you less than 20 euros.
If you stay at one of the "airport" hotels, it will still take you from 20 to 25 minutes to reach your terminal at airport by bus, private transfer, or taxi, depending on which hotel you spend the night.
Since there is basically nothing to do at these "airport" hotels, you're far better off staying in the central part of the city, enjoy a nice lunch and enjoy the day instead of traveling back and forth on the metro, by bus, or taxi.
A taxi can get you to the airport from a central Madrid hotel in less than 30 minutes on most days and should cost you less than 20 euros.
If you stay at one of the "airport" hotels, it will still take you from 20 to 25 minutes to reach your terminal at airport by bus, private transfer, or taxi, depending on which hotel you spend the night.
Since there is basically nothing to do at these "airport" hotels, you're far better off staying in the central part of the city, enjoy a nice lunch and enjoy the day instead of traveling back and forth on the metro, by bus, or taxi.
Dec 29th, 2007, 08:36 AM
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brandsberg,
A taxi has always taken me from the airport to a downtown location (barring demonstrations¡) in under 30 minutes. To my favorite spots near the Prado, the trip takes usually a bit under 20 min. even in morning traffic.
I agree with Robert and would choose a convenient hotel near the sites you wish to visit.
A hotel in the museum triangle, the Paseo del Prado area, would be ideal if you wish to see some of Madrid outstanding art that day or just to get a feel of the city by wandering the atmospheric streets of Old Madrid.
On Feb. 6 there will be a MAJOR Picasso show (450 works! from the Picasso museum in Paris) at the Reina Sofia museum. But in the opening days, this exhibit will be extremely crowded. We plan to be in line on Feb. 6 well before it opens at 10 am.
Personally, I would stay away from Priceline. I just don't like their 3 and 4 star Old Madrid hotels (the Tryp chain, particularly those on the Gran Via) and their Castellana area hotels such as the Holiday Inn can be very far removed-not at all convenient.
For their Old Madrid 5 star, usually the very central Westin Palace, on a weekday, you would need to bid at least 150 if not more.
I have a section of budget hotels in Old Madrid in my guide, which you can download in pdf. I would use the same hotel for your return to Madrid so that you'll already be familiar with the area.
www.maribelsguides.com
And thanks for your kind vote of confidence, annhig!
A taxi has always taken me from the airport to a downtown location (barring demonstrations¡) in under 30 minutes. To my favorite spots near the Prado, the trip takes usually a bit under 20 min. even in morning traffic.
I agree with Robert and would choose a convenient hotel near the sites you wish to visit.
A hotel in the museum triangle, the Paseo del Prado area, would be ideal if you wish to see some of Madrid outstanding art that day or just to get a feel of the city by wandering the atmospheric streets of Old Madrid.
On Feb. 6 there will be a MAJOR Picasso show (450 works! from the Picasso museum in Paris) at the Reina Sofia museum. But in the opening days, this exhibit will be extremely crowded. We plan to be in line on Feb. 6 well before it opens at 10 am.
Personally, I would stay away from Priceline. I just don't like their 3 and 4 star Old Madrid hotels (the Tryp chain, particularly those on the Gran Via) and their Castellana area hotels such as the Holiday Inn can be very far removed-not at all convenient.
For their Old Madrid 5 star, usually the very central Westin Palace, on a weekday, you would need to bid at least 150 if not more.
I have a section of budget hotels in Old Madrid in my guide, which you can download in pdf. I would use the same hotel for your return to Madrid so that you'll already be familiar with the area.
www.maribelsguides.com
And thanks for your kind vote of confidence, annhig!
Dec 29th, 2007, 09:03 AM
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Thanks for the quick responses. I did download your guide and have started looking at the choices for hotels. All seems to be at least 50% higher that what is printed in teh guide but some time may have passed since the printing.
It looks like staying in Madrid may be the better answer.
Keep the suggestions coming if you know of decent hotels in Madrid.
It looks like staying in Madrid may be the better answer.
Keep the suggestions coming if you know of decent hotels in Madrid.
Dec 29th, 2007, 09:37 AM
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brandsberg,
The high rates you are seeing reflect your mid-week (rather than weekend) stay in February (rather than the lower priced summer months).
And for that particular week of February, I haven't found many bargain rates. I've done a spread sheet on the rates for that week as we will be attending a huge travel trade congress. The city's hotel rates are running higher than usual, due to this huge travel trade fair, Fitur, which ends on Sun., Feb. 3, bringing thousands of travel professionals from all parts of the globe to the city who will remain that next week to relax after Fitur and to enjoy the special shows at the Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia.
Example, the Husa Paseo del Arte which has low season and weekend rates often for 99 is showing rates of 160 post Fitur.
I see a superior twin, non-smoking room available Feb. 6 for 90 euros at the very central Hotel Plaza Mayor, well reviewed here and on Trip Advisor.
Check www.h-plazamayor.com
The high rates you are seeing reflect your mid-week (rather than weekend) stay in February (rather than the lower priced summer months).
And for that particular week of February, I haven't found many bargain rates. I've done a spread sheet on the rates for that week as we will be attending a huge travel trade congress. The city's hotel rates are running higher than usual, due to this huge travel trade fair, Fitur, which ends on Sun., Feb. 3, bringing thousands of travel professionals from all parts of the globe to the city who will remain that next week to relax after Fitur and to enjoy the special shows at the Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia.
Example, the Husa Paseo del Arte which has low season and weekend rates often for 99 is showing rates of 160 post Fitur.
I see a superior twin, non-smoking room available Feb. 6 for 90 euros at the very central Hotel Plaza Mayor, well reviewed here and on Trip Advisor.
Check www.h-plazamayor.com
Dec 29th, 2007, 03:00 PM
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brandsberg,
Yep, I've checked my spreadsheet, and during Fitur week (Jan. 30-Feb. 6) the Madrid hotel rates are at their very highest (plus rates have crept up for '08 in general).
I've also found a very decent rate of 119 with buffet brk. at the really lovely and newish 4 star Hotel Las Meninas, which we recently inspected and liked a lot, It's not in the museum triangle but instead in the Royal Palace-Royal Opera House vicinity, a very nice and atmospheric neighborhood if want to wander around Madrid de los Austrias. The Plaza del Oriente square is one of Madrid's most beautiful at night.
I found this rate at
www.hotelsearch.com
For our own tried and true, ace-in-the-hole hotel near Plaza Colón, we're paying 129 with a 5 percent cash discount, but no brk.
Again, hope this helps.
Yep, I've checked my spreadsheet, and during Fitur week (Jan. 30-Feb. 6) the Madrid hotel rates are at their very highest (plus rates have crept up for '08 in general).
I've also found a very decent rate of 119 with buffet brk. at the really lovely and newish 4 star Hotel Las Meninas, which we recently inspected and liked a lot, It's not in the museum triangle but instead in the Royal Palace-Royal Opera House vicinity, a very nice and atmospheric neighborhood if want to wander around Madrid de los Austrias. The Plaza del Oriente square is one of Madrid's most beautiful at night.
I found this rate at
www.hotelsearch.com
For our own tried and true, ace-in-the-hole hotel near Plaza Colón, we're paying 129 with a 5 percent cash discount, but no brk.
Again, hope this helps.
