Which area to stay in Madrid?
 

Hello everyone,

We are planing a trip to Madrid and we'll stay around 4 days. I know it is a huge city thats why we would like to pick a hotel wisely. Most hotels are located around Gran Via since I guess it is more touristic than other neighborhoods. So even though it will be our first time in Madrid, we want to go to places where locals go , yet would like to stay in central as well. A friend advised Serrano in Salamanca district but is it so far from everything? or would you prefer Las Letras or Gran Via or Puerta del Sol areas?

Thanks

Las Letras is my absolute favorite,great for visiting the museums,lots of streets are pedestrians only,Retiro park!Easy walk from airport bus to hotels.
I dislike the area around Gran Via and Puerta del Sol-way too crowded/noisy.

Check out the hotels in and around Plaza Santa Ana.

I second the good advices above. Around Plaza Santa Ana/Las Letras in the heart of the city. Very popular with tourists but also genuinely Madrid and close to "everything": http://www.barrioletras.com/

We stayed in Plaza Santa Ana and were quite pleased with the local. I got a great deal on Hotwire and stayed at: ME Madrid Reina Victoria.

On my second visit to Madrid I stayed in a hotel near the metro stop San Bernardo and I was immensely happy to be outside the touristic zones. (The first time I stayed in the museums neighborhood.) In fact, until that second visit, I had not realized how very beautiful many of Madrid's upscale and residential neighborhoods are. Restaurants were better there too. The metro is so zippy, I never felt I was too far from anything at all. Since it was warm-ish during the time I was in Madrid, I would have taken the metro to some places anyway because it was too hot to walk.

So while I did not stay in the Salamanca, and have no opinion of it, I am just saying that if you have the urge to stay somewhere not-the-usual, might be good to follow your instincts. Just make sure you have metro station nearby.

Salamanca is en upscale district just north of Retiro....expensive stores, art galleries ,
well off locals live and shops in the barrio.
it is not touristy. We usually stay there ,but for a first time visitor you might prefer
to be closer to the "action"near Santa Ana.

I second the opinions of chapla and robert regarding Las Letras. Recently Ive stayed at Westin Palace, Villa Real and Catalonia las Cortes. In Sept I'll be staying at NH Palacio de Tepa.

Bookmarking.

"In Sept I'll be staying at NH Palacio de Tepa" Great hotel. Just make sure you get a room on the upper floors.

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Robert, thanks for the tip, will try!

For a first visit I'd stay as near to the centro of Madrid whether it be Santa Ana Plaza or Puerta del Sol just for the convenience of being able to walk everywhere and not relying on the Metro. I stayed neared the Plaza Mayor and Prado and could walk to just about anywhere I wanted. While Salamanca is upscale and very chic I'd rather stay in La Letras for a first visit.