Madrid has a huge, varied range of accommodation: luxury hotels in historic palaces, design boutique hotels, family-run guesthouses (hostales), youth hostels and apartments. The most important choice is the area: the old centre is compact, and staying in the right place lets you do almost everything on foot. It is part of the Madrid guide.
The best areas
| Area | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sol and Ópera | At the centre of everything, metro everywhere | Crowded, noisy, high prices | First visit, short stays |
| Barrio de las Letras | Between Sol and the Prado, bars and theatres | Night noise around Santa Ana | Museums and evenings |
| La Latina | Authentic atmosphere, tapas, the Rastro | Hilly streets, nightlife | Food, weekends |
| Prado and Atocha | Next to the museums and the AVE station | Quieter in the evening | Art, train day trips |
| Gran Vía and Callao | Central, shopping, musicals | Traffic, crowds | Shopping and shows |
| Malasaña and Chueca | Young, trendy, venues | Noise until late | Nightlife, LGBTQ+ travellers |
| Salamanca | Elegant, safe, quiet | Pricier, far from the historic lanes | Luxury, shopping, families |
| Chamberí | Authentic, residential, good prices | 10-15 minutes by metro from the centre | Long stays, living like a local |
| Lavapiés | Cheap, multicultural | Some streets a bit run-down | Low budget, young travellers |
| Argüelles and Moncloa | Quiet, near the Temple of Debod | Outside the old centre | Students, mid budget |
| Chamartín and Castellana | Near the trade fairs and the Bernabéu | Office area, not touristy | Business, football |
To get to know the districts better see Madrid neighbourhoods.
Types of accommodation
- Luxury hotels: Madrid has some great Belle Époque hotels, such as the Ritz (now Mandarin Oriental Ritz) and the Palace (now The Westin Palace), facing each other by the Prado, and many five-star hotels in the buildings of the Gran Vía and Canalejas.
- Boutique hotels: plentiful in the Barrio de las Letras, Malasaña and Chueca, often in renovated 19th-century buildings, with rooftop terraces.
- Hostales and guesthouses: small family-run places on the upper floors of central buildings, cheap and often well kept. Note: in Spain hostal means a guesthouse, not a youth hostel.
- Hostels: Madrid has modern, well-equipped hostels with private rooms and dorms, especially in Sol, La Latina, Malasaña and Lavapiés.
- Tourist apartments: common but increasingly regulated; the city has sharply limited new licences in the old centre. Choose only apartments with an official registration number.
How much it costs
Prices vary greatly by season and events. As a rough guide, for a double room:
- Hostel: a dorm bed from about 20-35 euros.
- Hostal or two-star: 60-100 euros.
- Three-four star in the centre: 120-220 euros.
- Luxury: from 350 euros upwards.
Prices rise sharply during the big IFEMA trade fairs, Pride, New Year, stadium concerts and big football matches. August and the first months of the year are the cheapest periods. Madrid does not currently charge a tourist tax.
Booking tips
- For a 3-4 day stay choose Sol, Huertas or La Latina and you won't need the metro.
- If noise bothers you, ask for an interior room (habitación interior) or a high floor.
- In summer air conditioning is essential: make sure there is some.
- Check for a lift: many historic buildings in the centre don't have one.
- Arriving by train at Atocha, the Prado and Atocha area is the most convenient; arriving by plane, any area served by metro line 8 or the Exprés Aeropuerto bus (see from the airport to the centre).
- Book well ahead for trade fairs and big events (see events).