Madrid: Hotel Urban or ME Madrid?
 

Heading to Madrid in August for just a few days, looking for someplace cool with a fun bar. Both of these look interesting--is one significantly better than the other? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

The big plus is that the Urban has a rooftop pool-small but in the August heat,it sure would help to cool off.Great views from the top but not much of anything from the rooms.Has an interesting bar.........
ME is fabulous-overlooks Plaza Santa Ana-I went for drinks there once in March and it was packed with locals but in August it probably will be packed with tourists or not packed at either place!

Both will be packed with locals this August (due to the crisis).

The Urban is (pardon me) small, a bit outdated and far too touristy most of the year. The ME is by far the best of the two options. Another great option, should you be inclined to cross the road to the other side (Paseo de la Castallana), would be the DRY Cosmopolitan Bar at the Hotel Gran Meliá Fénix, one of the best in the city.

robert-Why would they be packed w/locals,crisis?Locals leave the city during August.............
I don't consider the Urban dated.............it's a Derby hotel! The glass bar is really unique!
I think you have the hotels confused!Gran Melia is quite some distance from these 2 hotels and not even close in the fun factor!

Yes, the Derby has some nice properties, but the Urban doesn't fit in my list of the top 5-star hotels in Madrid. It was an interesting concept with it first opened, and the superior rooms are decent size, but the standard rooms tend to be on the smaller side.

I guess if you like sitting in glass enclosed bars, it's perfectly fine, but at least at the DRY you can sit outside at midnight.

Some locals still head out for the mountains and beach in August, but fewer than before the crisis took its toll. And more people drink beer instead of wine because the price of a glass of wine has nearly doubled over the last two years at most places in Old Madrid, where a decent glass of tinto will cost €2 more than a Caña.