Hotels in Madrid
 

Can anyone comment as to the best hotel to stay in in Madrid?

Has anyone stayed at the Inter-Continental? How does it compare?

My favorite is the Park Hyatt Villamagna.

Other great hotels there include:

The Ritz
Westin Palace

And Villa Real may be the best deal in town!

There is also the "trendy/chic" Hotel Bauza downtown, which I hear is quite good, but know little if anything about, having never visited it!

Incidentally, I think these are all better than the IC, which is also now being renovated.

Have a great trip! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Doc is right, the Villa Magna is better, and just opposite the IC, but also more expensive
It is a Hyatt Property.

The Palace and Villa Real are also opposite each other. The Villa Real is smaller and cozier, but both are better located if you are going for fun (Prado etc.)

Zorro

[This message has been edited by Zorro (edited 04-22-2001).]

The Westin Palace used to be the Sheraton Palace, right? If so, I do recommend it as an excellent hotel in the right spot.

Furhter north, the Melia Castilla is quite nice.

If money is no object, The Ritz. Right across from the Prado Museum. If you want to stay in a central location close to shopping areas by the Gran Via, then the Crowne Plaza facing the Plaza de Espana. I've heard the Villa Magna is very nice and is in the same caliber of the Ritz.

The Villa Magna is unavailable on the dates that I will be there http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Thanks for all the advice.

My vote is for Villa Real as well. The rooms are really nice, most of them with a sunken mini-livingroom, which is really nice. Although I did fall down the 3-step stairs repeatedly, for some reason.

I like the Tryp Reina Victoria Hotel.

It's where the Matadors stay when in town. Right on Plaza Santa Ana qwhich is great if you want to enjoy some Madrid nightlife while you are there (which is fantastic, by the way).

Walk up rates are much lower than booking if you go there in July or August.

I will be going in May, any recommendations on what sites HAVE to be seen? Especially in this season?

I strongly disagree with the recommendation of the Reina Victoria. I stayed there two years ago and I didn't even stay the night. The room was dismal, very noisy and the whole place was obviously coasting on it's heritage. Additionally, Plaza Santa Ana was, at that time, filled with drunks and drug addicts. I would agree that the area is ground zero for the nightlife, which I enjoyed as well, but that can be a disadvantage as well. Just my opinion.

As far as "must-see's" Madrid is a great town to wander around but does not have what other great European City's have, IMHO. The Prado, obviously and there are others. As far as I'm concerned a day-trip to Toledo is a must, very beautiful and easy to reach, very memorable. -jp

[This message has been edited by JonNYC (edited 04-23-2001).]

Madrid is a delightful city. I second the Prado, and the royal palace. I not only sesond the Toledo suggestion, but propose the Escorial palace which is a day trip. It is magnificent. Don't bother with the Valley of the Fallen unless Franco's tomb is of interest to you.

I notice that the hotels shown above are quite expensive. Somewhat more modest is the LLIABANY. Near the Puerto del Sol, it is very central and reasonably priced. Enjoy yourself whatever you do!

Prado! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The Palace is my favorite hotel on earth.I lived there for 4 months and became family.If you want boutique trendy then the Santo Mauro is good.The Intercontinental is well located but is souless,zero personality.The Ritz has a great garden restaurant if the weather is good.The Villa Magna is big and ugly though the rooms are good.The VillaReal is across the street from the Palace opposite the Parliament building.Small but nice.

I would just like to thank everyone who recommended the Westin Palace. It is now in the top 5 properties I have ever stayed at. I have now been there 3 times.

Does anyone know which room in the hotel is the best to stay in? Each time I have stayed there I've been upgraded to a suite because i'm Starwood Platinum. 336 seems to be the best one I've been in or seen.

Sol Melia chain has better properties in MAD than many.