Madrid airport recommendations
 

We plan to spend two nights at the end of a trip to southern Spain, using the day between for a quick overview of Madrid. Suggestions for hotels near the airport would be appreciated.

There are several hotels close to the airport, some of them offer a complimentary shuttle service.
I often have to stay over night in Mad because of bad flight connections. I always stay in the Typ Diana hotel. It is very close to the airport, has a free shuttle service,nice modern rooms, and is not very expensive (ca. 60 Euros per night).

I found and booked it throuhg this website:

http://reservations.airporthotelguid...10217194R.html

However, if you do want to visit the city of Madrid I recommend you stay somewhere closer downtown so that you can visit the main attractions on foot. The airport is not that far outside the city (ca. 20 min taxi ride). You can also take the Metro but that involves changing lines 2 or 3 times.
If you want to visit the Prado or Thyssen Museum then I recommend staying on Gran Via near Plaza del Cibeles. I stayed in the Hotel Gaudi on Gran Via, A 4 star hotel with new rooms, a great location and a fantastic breakfast buffet.
If you would like more info on Madrid and Spain feel free to PM me.

The Madrid airport is quite convenient to the city. If you have limited luggage and aren't travelling at an ungodly hour, the Metro to the airport is quite efficient (under 20 minutes from central Madrid), and I don't think you really need to stay near the airport.

We have a 6.20am flight to AMS, connecting to Atlanta, so better stay at airport if we need to check in at ~5am!

That Tryp Hotel at E60 that fm747 suggests seems like the deal. As long as the airport buses DO run pretty regular that is!

The same booking website has that Hotel from E60 to E118 for the exact same room for 2 people on about 6 different plans! Odd.

http://reservations.airporthotelguid...urrency_id=USD

Glen

The problem from that hotel may not be getting to the airport but into the city. You would need to take a bus or taxi to leave that area as it does not appear to be a metro right there.

They do not mention the shuttle-bus on their own website and notice very few hotel shuttles when I wait for the 2,40euro buss that runs every 10 minutes into Colon (they have 5 stops on your way to Colon). That hotel comes up almost every Wednesday on the sol melia sites "Specials and Offers" then "last-minute deals" for 50euros if you are staying a fri,sat or sun. It is now on special offer all days until 31 May for 50e on their site-

www.solmelia.com

Taxis are so inexpensive in Madrid and at that time of the morning you will get there so fast that that hotel will only really save you 10 minutes from City centre. There are 3 new tunnels that head out towards the airport from the north and north-east side of madrid. If the hotel calls a taxi it will be waiting for you at the time you requested. A good tip for Madrid as they only reserve the best taxis with air and seats in good condition.

Taxis are metered in Madrid with rates posted in window (same rates all companies) They add 4.20 euros to or from the Airport and any buss or train terminal such as Colon.) At that time City Centre to Barajas around 18euros, north central such as Castillana, Serrano Chamartin 16 euros and probably from that hotel 10 euros. Just add the fee to the meter and you cant get ripped off. Assurme you are flying with KL so it would be Terminal 1. so the only spanish you will need .... "terminal 1, barajas, por favor" and hotel name in other direction.

Other hotel company I like in Madrid

NH http://www.nh-hotels.com/servlet/pag...chema=PORTAL30

If you are set on the airport area the hotels are:
Best Western Avión
Best Western Villa de Barajas
Diana Cazadora
High Tech Madrid-Aeropuerto
NH Express Barajas
NH Express Barajas II
Sofitel Madrid Aeropuerto
Tryp Alameda Aeropuerto
Tryp Barajas
Tryp Diana

Tryp 611 Alcala is also close with taxi under 10minutes. they have a metro station there as well as a buss that goes to Ciudad Lineal, a very typical residential zone or city within a city, a buss from there goes all the way to the very centre of Madrid, Puerto del Sol which would be at 1 Alcala(seeing the Madrid most tourists never see and the bull ring on the way). The metro runs under Alcala and then all the way to the centre (20 min)


The 5 star Melia castilla and the probably 200 hotels around it are probably only 10 to 12 minutes to Airport as well.

I've easily caught cabs from central Madrid to the airport for flights leaving at 7 am. I've stayed in Madrid about half a dozen times but probably don't know it as well as MADFlyer. MADFlyer - would another option for SeAAtle to stay in what I think is the Salamanca district, for example at the Hesperia Madrid, or the Miguel Angel Occidental. I seem to recall that these hotels were en route to the airport from the centre of town, but were closer to city sights than airport hotels.

Yes, anything north of the Gran Via and towards the east work very well. Most people are not used to 24 hour cities like Madrid.

That raises another point, if traveling on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday morning be sure to reserve a cab as you might spend 10 minutes finding one at 5 am as you will be competing with those leaving the "early" night clubs before moving on to the "after" night clubs. They don't really put that in the guide books but Madrid is the true city that never sleeps.

There are literally hundreds of 3 to 5 stars hotels in that zone.

You are a wealth of info MADFlyer ... we owe you that drink if you are about! ozstamps at ozemail.com

OK, I cancelled the Tryp Diana that I thought was a great deal at the E60 for 2 rate via the link fm747 posted. You are correct it is showing E50 for 2 on Monday March 21 when we need it.

Same E50 for 2 rate also shows for Tryp Leganés*** and
Meliá Avenida América**** ...... which they say is 10 mins from Airport.

MADflyer - here is our situation, if you have some advice.

We arrive on Aleris at Atocha Station at 17.50 hrs Monday March 21. We booked the First Class tickets and got 50% off the return which amazed me! Was a fluke of some kind I am sure, or a promo we were not aware of:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399760

Your flight info was excellent but Hotel cost was E165 which really negated that!

So we need to get from Atocha to a Hotel, have an early night, and then EASILY get to airport to arrive Airport around 5am for a 6.2am flight. So Hotel does not need to be grand as we are just sleeping. Yes we are flying KL.

Maybe there is a hotel in this E50 type range that allows us to reach is easily by pubic transport with suitcases from Atocha AND ensure we can get to airport easily next am?

You seem very knowledgeable on this area, so thanks in advance for any input you or others can offer. :D

I booked for March 16 and 17 Sieteislas Hotel Madrid, Valverde 14
28004 Madrid - for E70 + tax, as it seems central to Prado and stuff downtown, and for week nights rates do seem pretty high there. It had some great client reviews, so seemed fine, price was great, and they all said rooms were large, which for downtown in Europe you can never assume as we all know!

Glen

That is a perfect choice. It is very central and just off the Gran Via. Just for your information. Central Madrid has gone through a tremendous upgrade during the last 5 years. That hotel is a new addition to what was at one time a very seedy street. That said, it sits just one block up from the Gran Via and there is a side street 2 buildings up that cuts over to one one of the most popular (trend) shopping streets in Madrid, Fuencarral. (One of Madrids best bakeries lies on that side street, san onofre 3) Stick mainly to the Gran Via when going west from that location over to the West toward the Plaza Espana.

Type in the address on this site and you will see a area map and the hotel when it was being refurbished 2 years ago. This site will bring up fotos of every building in Madrid so that you can check out any location as well.

http://fotos.qdq.com/

The Melia Ave America is under partial refurbishment now and I think the gym and pool are closed and that is why they are offering low rates. Melia is the luxury hotel line of SolMelia. Most are 5 star hotels while this one is only 4* and unfortunately there free shuttle to the Airport doesnt start until 7 am. They are right where the expressway to the Airport starts so it probably only 7 minutes the way most drivers drive at that time of the morning.

A note... Leganes is not an airport hotel.

Well, you wont do better than 40euros even at a hostal. Atocha is just 5 minutes south of the Prado. If you are there the 16th or 17th you could just pick one while there or even try to get a deal to come back to the Siete Islas.

The map for the Diana is confusing. It says it is in Barajas, but puts it somewhere else on map. That is a little villiage that was there long before the Airport expanded. The Metro line 8 goes to Barajas from station Nuevos Ministerios and it is one metro stop after the Barajas Airport Station. I just dont know that area as I stick to the inner city with taxis to the airport for the most part. It is cargo side of Barajas and that is why it still takes time for taxi to get around the airport.

I know the Tryp Alcala 611 has a metro almost at its door and then is max 10 minutes to terminal and it can be booked for 50e as well now.

Rates under 50e are almost unheard of and even the hostals are around 40e, that can also be a charming option with many having private baths and are more like 2 star hotels. Many have been bought up by hard-working Chinese families and are quite well run.

I do not think you will have trouble finding accommodation that night as the choices are endless. There are many hotels right at Atocha and then up towards Colon and Serrano.

One other note: the last two times I have stayed at NH properties, they have given me 250 FD miles per night! I don't know if that was on purpose or not.

Nh
 

Yes, NH is in the FD programme. They are my personal favourites actually and they do give 250 FD per night at hotels , 300 at collection hotels and then even 200 at express hotels.

They have a sale for easter from the 18th of March on and they would be my definate choice.

The National on Paseo de Prado very near to Atocha train station is just 84,11 5*
The Jose Abascal, their flagship hotel at 84,11
The Prisma Suites where I have stayed often are just 67e that night.
NH Parque Avenidas for just 46,73 which is right near the expressway to airport.
The Barajas Express is only 46,73.

These apear to be 40 to 50 % discounts over normal leisure rates

MADFlyer ... you keep on finding the deals! ;)

As mentioned we just need a place to crash and sleep on Wed March 21, that ideally is easy and inexpensive to get to from Atocha, and equally easy to get to Airport from the next am.

How close to Atocha is "NH Parque Avenidas for just E46,73 which is right near the expressway to airport". Will we need to cab it, or is their some kind of public transport? (We arrive around 6pm - which I guess is rush hour if we are thinking cabs?)

Do I need to book that online ... not sure what their site is.

On your post that Hotel does seem like the best deal?

Or might this suit use better for access from Atocha: "the Tryp Alcala 611 has a metro almost at its door and then is max 10 minutes to terminal and it can be booked for 50e as well now."

Thanks again for your expert local input! ^

Glen

Found the NH website.

Also saw this which does look good if it is not to hard to get to from Station? :

NH Barajas
Catamarán, 1, Barajas
Distance from airport - 3.00 km
Distance from train station - 8.00 km
Distance from downtown - 11.90 km

Nights: 1
Rooms: 1 Standard queen size bed 46.73 EUR
Type of Board Room

I would imagine it is 8 km from the north train station of Charmartin and about 13 from Atocha. I really dont know how close it is to the conference centre as there is a metro station there. Otherwise rush hour starts at 6 to 7 and then lasts until 8 or 9, but taxis add mostly for distance in Madrid and only partially for time. This is as traffic jams are the norm in Madrid. But not at 6 am heading out from the city!

There are litterally hundreds of hostels around Atocha and up towards Sol. They are comprable to 2 and 3 star hotels and many quite charming, but not my expertise. I think doubles run 35 to 50e. The NH hoteles and Sol Melia are easy for booking in advance though.

NH Parque Avenidas apears to be near metro Ventas and the same metro line heads out to the "611" about 15 minutes further.

You can not take luggage on Busses in Madrid any longer. They are only allowed on the Metro. So you want to get near a metro and anywhere north of Atocha and you will be fine.

I would stay in the center and either use the airport bus which drops you off close to some nice hotels or take a cab.

I have only been to Madrid once and really liked the Park Hyatt, granted we had a four day free stay, but it was nice to be in town.

There are some sol melia properties nearby too. I really that hotel chain.

lala