A female’s point of view...

During my ten years of traveling and “winging it in Spain, I’ve put together a list of moderately priced hotels that provide a secure place to sleep after an enjoyable day of sightseeing in this part of the world. My criterion for selecting a hotel is that it must be very clean, safe (of course), inexpensive, centrally located and above all, have a toilet and shower in the room. It being Spain, I have have also included whether hotels have rooms with balconies since balconies are such a special feature! Please keep in mind that the sizes of balconies vary from one foot to the size of a full terrace.

Convert Your Pesetas, Ladies!

All rates quoted are in Spanish pesetas but to make life easier we’ve provided a link to a currency converter. This will allow each Journeywoman, no matter where in the world she lives, to do her own conversions. In order to offer directions to each hotel, I’ve used the train station as a starting point. Happy choosing, everybody...

In Madrid she suggests...

Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a strikingly modern city with Puerta del Sol at its heart. All the hotels listed here are in great centrally located neighborhoods unless specified otherwise.

Hotel Anaco
This hotel has 40 rooms all with toilet & bath or shower. English spoken, direct-dial phone, TV, modern hotel with combination of old-fashioned rooms and newly remodeled ones. There are six with terraces. Expect air-conditioning, 2 elevators, 6 floors, restaurant, bar and parking (1,250 ptas). Ask for one of the five terraced rooms on the top floor, which cost exactly the same as the other rooms.

Metro: Gran Via. Located 1/2 block from metro stop off of Gran Via. Look for the sign at the subway saying Tres Cruces.
Rates: 6,900-7,900 ptas single; 8,900/9,900 ptas double (old rooms.); 9,900-10,900 ptas double (new rooms.); 13,325-14,675 ptas triple; call for quad rates. Breakfast (7:30-11am) at 500 ptas pp & can be served in the rm. Visa, MC, AX, DC.
Address: Tres Cruces 3,28013
Tel: 011-34-9-1-5224604
Fax: 011-34-9-1-5316484

Hotel Monaco
This hotel has 34 rooms, all with toilet & bath or shower. English spoken, direct-dial phone, TV, charming chic (former bordello) hotel with marble hallway floors, grandiose comfortable rooms with fabulous decor & decorative bathrooms, 6 rooms with balconies, #121 & 123 (with mirrored ceilings) are the best. Expect a bar, elevator, 5 floors.

Metro: Chueca or Gran Via. From metro Gran Via, walk up Calle de Hortaleza, make a right on Calle de San Marcos about 3 blocks to Calle Barbieri.
Rates: 7,400 ptas single; 10,400 ptas double; 12,000 ptas triple. Breakfast (8am) at 800 ptas pp & can be served in the room. Visa, MC, AX, DC.
Address: Calle Barbieri 5, 28004
Tel: 011-34-9-1-5224630
Fax: 011-34-9-1-5211601

Hotel Mora
This hotel has 62 rooms all with toilet & bath or shower. English spoken, direct-dial phone, satellite TV, historic building with renovated modest comfortable rooms, 20 rooms with balconies, some with great views of the Prado Museum and gardens, soundproofed, air-conditioned. Expect a restaurant, bar, elevator, 4 floors. Located directly across the Paseo del Prado from the botanical gardens.

Metro: Atocha
Rates: 6,713 ptas single; 8,853 ptas double; 10,023 ptas triple. No breakfast served. Visa, MC, AX, DC.
Address: Paseo del Prado 32, 28014
Tel: 011-34-9-1-4201569
Fax: 011-34-9-1-4200564