Looking for QUIET Budget Hotel in Madrid near Public Transportation

Suggest the following: Hostal PhillipeV Hostal Montecarlo Both are in the same building at 15 or 17 Gran Via. The subway is 50 feet from their door. Both are good and have quiet rooms - ask for one of the interior rooms that does not face the street. I have stayed in both and enjoyed the stay each time. Both clean and well maintained. Also, check the www.madridman.com site. He has an extensive listing of rooms.
Remember, the word "hostal" does not translate to a college style "hostel" It is usually a hotel with out the pool, restaurant, etc. and a good bargin.

Hi Katie, We didn't have a problem with noise at Hotel Acapulco last year. For us, it was a good budget choice. We've also stayed at Hostal Cervantes near the Prado. Check out the website for MadridMan (http://www.madridman.com/)--he might have some good recommendations!

Hostal La Macarena (silserranos.com). This was recommended to me by a friend who had lived in Madrid for 30 years. Her family had stayed there when they'd come to visit.

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. My problem is that most of the reviews I read through for the budget hotels have at least one person saying that they could hear everyone going on in the adjoining rooms (including for Hotel Acapulco, although I'm glad to hear Sharon didn't experience noise issues there) . I'm a SUPER light sleeper but my travel companion is extremely budget conscious, so we're trying to meet in the middle. I'm going to look into the hotels you mentioned and and looking through MadridMan's site right now.

We stayed at the Hotel Europa which is a remodeled European style hotel with a very attentive staff. It's in Rick's books (at least 2009 version).I am a light sleeper and had no problems here. It is located on a pedestrain street and has a cafeteria restaurant attached and a patio bar for people watching. Very close to shopping and lots of tapas.

Another vote for Hotel Europa - I stayed twice, once with an exterior room (looking out on to Plaza del Sol) and once with an interior room. I had no problems with noise at all (except my snoring roomie), and trust me there were plenty of people to make noise. Not sure what the rates are in July, but I thought it was affordable for the location. Sol metro stop is steps away (literally).

Ear Plugs :) Seriously, at any hotel you can get a loud room or your travel companion may snore. I travel with ear plugs and more then once they have saved a night's sleep!

There's no noise issue at Acapulco itself as far as I'm concerned. The noise you'll hear, especially on Friday/Saturday night is street noise from young people cutting through Plaza del Carmen to Gran Via from Puerta del Sol. And you can hear it all night long...until 6 am on weekends. There are lots of places you'll hear street noise in the city center, so bring ear plugs if that bothers you (as Carol said). Otherwise, enjoy it as a cultural experience. The bottom line is that Madrilenos like to party all night, and when you're staying near where the action is, you'll hear it. Hostal Acaplco is great...balconies overlooking the plaza, cheap, very clean, and great location. Just use earplugs if you're such a light sleeper...you can't go wrong with this place.

I can't rave enough about Hostal Gonzalo near the Prado. It was 60 euro a night but the cleanest quietest and best run hotel I have stayed in in Spain. The Metro and Atocha are nearby as well as the airport bus on Ceibes(sp?) plaza. Its listed in Ricks books and you do need to reserve early. For real a quiet room ask and see if you can get a room in the back. It was quiet enough I could leave the window open all night.