I am traveling to Madrid in early Nov. with my teenage son & daughter to visit my other daughter who is studying abroad for a semester. I am looking for a small, clean hotel or hostal within walking distance to the museums. On a recent trip to London we loved the family-fun Rhodes in Paddington because the owners were very attentive and gave us much advice & help. Looking to spend $150 (American) per night and would love if breakfast was included or nearby.
We've stayed at Hostal Cervantes two times--it's not fancy but a basic budget option--the location is excellent for visiting museums--it's very near the Prado and the Royal Botanical Gardens plus, the Thyssen Museum is not far away. They do not serve breakfast but nearby, at the end of the street across from the museums there are good coffee shops. Hostel Cervantes
We like Hotel Europa, dead center, Porta del Sol. Front rooms that face the plaza can be a little noisy but we like them. The back side rooms are very quiet.
Hotel Mediodia, across street fr Atocha Station and next door to the Reina Sofia Museum. It is convenient to metro and near Prado and Gran Retiro ( a large park).Brkfst is included and the rates are reasonable
Avoid Hostal/Huespedes Amanda 2. Easily the worst place I've ever stayed.
I highly recommend Hostal Bruna. Small, inexpensive, immaculately clean..across the street from the Prado, easy peasy walk from the Renia Sofia. Close to public transit.
Breakfast isnt included, but there are all kinds of places in the immediate neighbourhood.
We stayed in one of Rick Steves suggestions in June....Macia Plaza I believe. It was in the best location. We loved it. Very clean too.
Have you considered staying in an apartment? I, too, am traveling to Spain with my husband and son to visit our daughter who is studying there. We will be there in December. I was having difficulty finding lodging for 4 people, and someone on the traveler's hotline suggested I try a short term apartment rental. I have checked out www.desigmadrid.com and www.friendlyrentals.com. I haven't booked anything yet, but there are many options. Only thing is, I can't find any ratings for the lodging. Anyway, it's something you could check out. If you prefer a hotel, I know that the Hotel Europa does have a quad room. Happy travels!