Can anyone who knows Madrid recommend a 3-4 star hotel in the city centre. My daughter is at a conference in The Auditorium in September and looking at their website this is an expensive hotel which is also out by the airport. I understand that the city centre is about 15 mins away from the Auditorium so thought it would be easy to get a taxi when we go to see her but it would be nicer to be able to walk out of our hotel into the centre. Would prefer something with a bit of character too. Has anyone got any recommendations please?

Glynis,
You could try looking here, to get a decent price and initial information:
http://www.es.laterooms.com/sr.php3?...=0&d=0&n=1&b=1

and cross referencing any candidates with reviews here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...id_Madrid.html

I use this process for booking places when visiting London, but unfortunately I've not much experience of Madrid hotels. If you want lively and central, many places around Gran Via should suit you.

La Casa Grande is a former Jesuit farm a bit further outside Madrid from the airport (probably only another 5 mins by taxi, so 5 mins from the airport) that has a few spectacular suites above all the banqueting facilities and museum.
http://www.lacasagrande.es/hotelmadrid/hotel1ing.htm

We stayed there on our last night of a fact-finding visit to Spain years ago and the manager gave us a peak inside the bridal suite of one of the wedding parties going on downstairs. Extraordinary amounts of character.

Hi glynis,

18 mths ago we had a short break in Madrid, booked up ourselves on easyjet and expedia. We stayed at the Emprador right on the Gran Via above a tube station so the run in from the airport was a doddle and we walked almost everywhere after that. The hotel is a four star not new but the rooms were very good and best of all it had a pool and restaurant on the roof.

I would recommend it.

Regards,

John.