Where to stay in Madrid

We are staying at an airbnb about 1 block south of Plaza Mayor....so everything in old town is walkable, metro nearby or other places want to visit. We are taking express bus to Atocha train station from airport and then walking from station to apartment. There are lots of places in this area that make everything very accessable.

You don't say what category or price range you are interested in. Here are two budget possibilities: a year ago we stayed at Hostal Acapulco on Plaza del Carmen which is between Puerta del Sol and Gran Via. Good location. The Acapulco was clean, small, didn't have breakfast, and inexpensive. On another visit several years earlier we stayed at Hostal Cervantes which is located a few blocks west and up the hill from the Prado. Again, super clean, small, and no breakfast. Both of these have been, or are, in the RS Spain guidebooks. Remember, hostales in Spain are not hostels. Have a great trip.

We're staying here in October:

http://www.artriphotel.com/en

I chose this hotel based on price, TripAdvisor reviews and positive comments on this Forum.

The Plaza Santa Ana area is central and a fun area. Calle de Atocha gets narrower and less heavily trafficked as you approach Plaza Mayor. I stayed at Hostal Martin (not hostel--hostal is a small hotel) twice but the last time was in 2005. My experience is obviously not current so read the reviews. It still gets a 8.4 on booking.com and 4/5 on TripAdvisor. I can't believe you can stay in such a great location so cheaply in the NYC of Spain, but there it is. You might want something more upscale, but regardless of what hotel you choose anything in that general area, 43 Calle de Attocha, is an ideal location. Walk to the Prado, Sol, everywhere a tourist would likely go. Right in the neighborhood is Café Central jazz club of you like jazz. Antonin Martin metro station is right nearby too. I think anything near Plaza del Sol, the opera, or Plaza Mayor is also great. Madrid is extremely walkable. Calle de Huertas pedestrian boulevard runs from Plaza Mayor to the Prado, and this street is sort of a nightlife place at night. Research it for the most current information but Gran Via can get kind of seedy after dark, or at least it did years ago. A lot of people say madridman.com is a good resource.

Best area or district are relative words. A lot depends on what you like to do. Our last couple trips to Madrid, we stayed at hotel Europa right at the Puerta del Sol. On another visit we stayed at Meliá Castilla in the business district. Pick a hotel near the most places you want to see. TripAdvisor list many hotels with reviews and photos that may help you make your decision.

I've stayed at the Europa twice, it's modern, comfortable, great location. You can get there from the airport and the train station on the cercanias. The metro station is just meters away. If you use the cercanias instead of the metro, it's less crowded, faster because it makes fewer stops, and there's escalator/elevator from platform to street level. With the metro (same station) you have to walk up one flight of stairs - less convenient with luggage.

A second vote for Hotel Europa.

We are active mid 50's not so much into museums. In 2015 we stayed in the area south of Gran Via and north of Puerta del Sol. We found it was perfect. Later this year we are going back to Madrid and will be staying in La Latina, south of Plaza Mayor, based on the recommendation of my daughter who studied abroad in Madrid last year. Tons of bars, restaurants, shops, good metro connections. We are going with another couple and have an apartment through mad4rent.com who have been excellent to deal with. Have fun in Madrid!

Best area is a bit of a personal preference, and anywhere near city central with a close metro stop is good. I have stayed at the Hotel Indigo on Gran Via, good location, great hotel, maybe more than I usually pay, but I used IHG points and some nights were on Business. Going back in February, probably will stay there again.

I'll second the Hostal Acapulco. A great deal (I paid €57 per night for a single), in the heart of Madrid. The room is small, and while my reservation was handled in English with no problems, the various people on duty at the desk while I was there spoke minimal or no English. These are the only potential problems. There is no breakfast, but next door is a place serving all kinds of breakfast (from continental to full with eggs and bacon).

If you're prefer an American-style and size hotel room, it won't suit, but for me it was great, and I'd certainly look to stay here again. A further bonus is that it's only a few minutes walk from several different Metro stations (Sol, Gran Via, and Callao), so I often didn't even have to change lines to get places. However, it's on a quiet street.

http://www.hostalacapulco.com/ (if the website is in Spanish, press the British Flag for English).

I was there last October for three nights, and stayed at the Hotel Mora.
http://www.hotelmora.com/
It is a budget one, but was super clean with very helpful staff.
It's on a big main road, but I was at the front overlooking that road, and didn't hear any noise at night.
The room and its ensuite BR were small, but very clean and comfy ,with loads of pillows and towels.
I looked at staying at the ArtTrip Hotel, but when I was there I walked over to that area, and it is quite sketchy at night.
Hotel Mora is right across the street from the Prado Museum and a big park, and you can walk to Atocha Station too., and to the other big museums.
I would stay there again.
In the street behind it are lots of cafes, bars, little shops.

I'm staying in an AirBnB in Las Letres district as it puts me near the train station, the museums, and the park which are my priorities for my trip in November. As mentioned previously, 'best' is relative to what you want and same goes for area/district.