A hop, skip, and camera click away from Plaza Mayor is this cozy down-home, two-star hotel, appropriately named after its monumental neighbor. This hotel is worth the few extra euros for its bonus services, accountability, and warm welcome. It's where we put up our relatives when they pass through town.
Art Deco bedspreads sprawl on beds very big by Spanish standards. Wood floors, modern lighting, and balconies (or, barring balconies, large windows) lighten every room. In the bathroom, we found new hardware and fixtures and his-and-hers sinks.
Rooms have flat-panel televisions. If you're traveling solo, we recommend bypassing the "individual" rooms, which are quite small.
Our favorite rooms were the superiors, which run €15 more per night. Corner rooms are framed by floor-to-ceiling windows with Plaza views are worth shelling out extra. Downstairs is a large café-like sitting area where the buffet breakfast (for an extra €7) is served.
» Elizabeth Gorman
Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.
About the Hotel Plaza Mayor neighborhood
Huertas? Santa Ana? Oddly enough, the neighborhood itself doesn't seem to know. But whatever its name, one thing's certain: this tiny (but central) stretch of city just south of Puerta del Sol is jam-packed with people, attractions, and excitement. Also known as Barrio de las Letras (or "Neighborhood of the Letters), it was once a hot spot for literary gents of Madrid's Golden Age. Remnants of 16th- and 17th-century literary life still abound around Plaza Santa Ana, including the Mueseo Cervantino, once the printing site of the first edition of Don Quixote, and the Ateneo library. Also leftover from it's literary past are the theaters and bars that have always made Huertas and Santa Ana lively and popular. Though digs in this popular hood can sometimes be on the pricier end, there are deals to be had for travelers who crave a lively bar scene.
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