I have to share insights from my recent trip to Madrid, the Spanish Capital. Although I have been travelling to Madrid since 2006 and know the city well. This last trip was excellent as I spent a whole week just getting to know the city in detail.

On this post I am sharing all the hotels I have stayed in over my different visits and tips of the main sights to see. Starting off with where to stay:

Share your Spain Hotel Review

Maybe you didnt know about this perk with any hotel stay with Room Cougar. They are focused on getting video footage of every hotel room around the world. This dedicated website is helping travellers get detailed information ahead of booking. So these videos from actual paying guests are ideal ways to see what the hotel is really like. 

The bonus is that you get 50 usd per video that you add to the site.  The video has to be 1 – 3 minutes long. It´s very easy to do, just get the main highlights of the room and the view.  Then upload here: hotel room videos

Where to Stay in Madrid

As with all major cities, knowing which district to stay in for your city break is key. Depending on whether you are looking for nightlife, a shopping break or cultural attractions. 

On my recent trip, in October 2024 I stayed at Hotel Riu Plaza (seen above). Located on the Plaza España, next to Gran Vía in Madrid, this huge hotel has 550 rooms. The building has 27 floors and a rooftop terrace too. It´s is very centrally located. I uploaded my Madrid Hotel video here

Hotel Riu Plaza

The location was actually very good as it is walking distance to the main shopping area (Callao, Gran Via). It is also very close to Palacio Real and the Almudena Cathedral. So perfect to get to all the things to see in Madrid. It is on the same street as the theatre district on Gran Via. The Metro station is right outside Plaza de España. 

The room was spacious, clean and comfortable. Location was unbeatable. Depending on the length of your stay and the nature of your visit this is a good option. The view from my room was the header to this article. Spectacular. I could see the Temple of Debod and across to the Royal Palace. 

I found that the lifts was a little chaotic. Many guests take the lifts at the same time and 550 rooms is a lot of people. So sometimes you have to queue for the lift or wait a while. This doesnt seem too much of an issue but the longer you stay, the more tiresome it becomes. 

Walking up to the 16th floor after forgetting your phone charger…. hmmm. 

The breakfast selection was vast, however, the sheer amount of people in the breakfast room was slightly overwhelming. So if you have a one or two night stay this could work. A longer stay… then I would recommend going to breakfast very early before the rush. 

Eurostars Madrid Tower

On another visit to Madrid I stayed in Eurostars Tower Hotel. This is located in the business part of Madrid, in the North of the city. The hotel has over 30 floors. From the breakfast room you had a birds eye view of the city of Madrid.

It´s is ultra modern and for me the highlight in the room was the lighting control panel. Knowing which button to press for which light around the room as soon as I arrived was a real luxury.

This is a good option for business travel due to its location but wouldn´t be my first choice for leisure/tourism.

• Radisson Blu Prado – close to Atocha train station and the Prado Museum.  (photo above and below)  This was very well located for Retiro Park and the Museum District, Barrio de las Letras. The hotel has 52 rooms so it is small and the atmosphere inside I found calming. I would certainly stay again. The room was compact. However when I am in Madrid generally I spend most of the time outside and just go to the hotel to sleep. Price vs quality is competitive and I can highly recommend. 

• Zenit Abeba – Close to Diego de Leon Metro. Zenit Abeba is right at the heart of the Serrano Goya shopping district. In the smart district of Salamanca. A favourite of mine due to its perfect location for high end shops and smart sidewalk cafés. I have stayed in this hotel at least four times. With 90 rooms it is a medium sized property with all the installations you need for a comfortable but has a relaxed atmosphere.

• Melia Madrid Serrano – This is located in the Serrano Goya shopping district. Salamanca area.
• NH Abascal – Close to Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium and near to shops and restaurants.
• Tryp Madrid Chamartin – Good breakfast. Located next to Chamartin Train Station. Good for trips outside Madrid by train.
• Hotel Exe Plaza – Very Well connected for Metro and Cercanias at Plaza Castilla.
• Courtyard by Marriott Madrid Princesa – This is a huge hotel. Located close to Templo de Debod. Arguelles Metro station.

Things to see in Madrid

One of the main attractions in Madrid according to that Olympic speech is the Plaza Mayor. The suggestion made was to have a ´relaxing Café con leche´ in that typical square. Personally I recommend having a coffee in ¨Recoletos¨ myself.  This tree lined avenue in Madrid is often the location for books fairs or Sunday strolls. It makes a perfect setting to watch the world go by.

Plaza Mayor

Of course when in Madrid you must see the Plaza Mayor, it is a beautiful porticoed square,  but honestly choose to drink your coffee somewhere else, unless you don´t mind paying inflated prices in that location.Spain´s capital is unfortuntely known for it´s traffic jams and general hustle and bustle. It is not my favourite destination in Spain.I would highly recommend comfy shoes on to tackle the endless corridors in the Metro of Madrid.

This photo below is of Atocha train station, part of the Metro system. The unique garden inside is one of the more pleasant corners to see while travelling around Madrid. There are hundreds of turtles to see which make it a novelty for passers by to see.

Templo de Debod

Even though it´s a busy city, over all these different trips I have discovered things to see in Madrid. This Temple had to be saved due to the construction of the Aswan dam. You can see the Temple of Debod not far from Plaza España. This is particularly beautiful as the sun sets.There are many historic buildings in Madrid. (first photo at the top is the Plaza de la Vila) and here pictured below is the Almudena Cathedral. This beautiful buidling is located in the same area as Palacio Reial which you can visit. This was once the royal residence for the Spanish Royal family.

Madrid Museums

In my opinion one of the main reasons to visit things to see in Madrid is the Art. The collections in this city are vast. The Prado Museum is the Spanish National Art Museum and boasts most of the Spanish classics, currently they have over 7000 paintings exhibited. Paintings by Goya, Rubens and Velazquez can be seen here. The temporary exhibitions are usually really popular and queues are generally long. Get here early.

Of all the art I saw in Madrid on my weekend there my personal favourite was the Reina Sofia Museum. The art here is more comtemporary and I found this more to my own taste.  I didnt get to visit the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza which makes the third art museum in this triangle. This is on the list for next time.

• Book Madrid Museum Priority Tickets

 

Shopping in Madrid

I am always exciting about going to Madrid for the shopping! As this is the capital city you can find practically everything you want. My favourites areas are the High End Serrano district with it´s flagstore Corte Ingles store and impeccable boutiques. 

I also love Chueca. The main streets around Fuencarral and Hortaleza are fun with an ecclectic mix of independent and fashion stores.

More coming on a dedicated Madrid Shopping post….

 

You may also find useful the Hostal guide on Budget your trip´s website. For example this guide to Best Party Hostals in Madrid