Madrid - hotel for one night post flight and pre train from Madrid Principe-Pio

I know Madrid pretty well, but not so much for the hotels. I’d look at the hotels on Plaza de España—right there for Princepe Pio and pleasant strolling down towards the royal palace or up to the temple of Debod. And since your train is after any hotel’s charcoal out time, leaving bags at a hotel there would be more convenient for a post-checkout, pre-train stroll. While it’s not the prettiest plaza, a recent renovation has made it less of a concrete yard.

“Easy to get to from the airport” is relative, and can depend on many factors. After that much travel, for more than 1 person, I’d just take a taxi. The flat rate from the airport is 30 or 35 euros.

As you are departing from the Principe Pio station, Scudder suggestion to stay by the Plaza de España is good. There is a 4-star hotel across the street from the train station, Hotel City House Florida Norte, but its location isn’t convenient for walking around since it is between the station and river. Right at the Plaza de España are the 4 or 5-star hotels Barceló Torre de Madrid, Hotel Riu Plaza España, VP Plaza España Design, and Espahotel Plaza España. They seem to offer what you’re looking for and are just under 1km walking distance from the train station.

Other than the statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza there’s nothing at the plaza de España. The Royal Palace, Templo de Debod and the Gran Vía (a main street with lots of stores). The Plaza Mayor and Puerta Del Sol are also only 1km away. Currently there is construction at the Puerta Del Sol but hopefully some of that will be done by February. The Plaza de Callao is 850m from the Plaza de España. It is a large shopping area and always busy. Very near the train station is the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida. It’s small, pretty, and doesn’t take long to see. but my guess is it isn’t visited too often by tourists. If you like the art of Francisco de Goya, it’s his burial place and has frescos painted by him. I will throw in the standard beware of pickpockets at the Plaza Mayor and any crowded location.

If you wanted to take the metro, get onto Line 8 (pink on the metro map) at the airport and take it to the Nuevo Ministerios. Switch to Line 10 (dark blue) and take it to Plaza de España or Principe Pio, depending on where you’re staying. It’s easy and inexpensive. It will take about 50 minutes to reach from the airport.

I'd concur with the Plaza de España recommendations.

I'd also note that if you want to take public transport and end up at a hotel close to Príncipe Pío, that you can take the Cercanías (the regional rail) straight from the airport without a change of line -- lines C-1 and C-10, which both start at the Aeropuerto T4 station, both stop at Príncipe Pío station. The travel time is about the same as the metro but it saves a connection en route.

After that much travel, for more than 1 person, I’d just take a taxi. The flat rate from the airport is 30 or 35 euros.

There will be two of us. Will we need cash to pay for the taxi or do taxis in Madrid routinely accept credit cards?

Will we need cash to pay for the taxi or do taxis in Madrid routinely accept credit cards?

I always pay for my taxis here with cards.