Hotel Infanta Isabel

This hotel has such a great location, it's just crazy! You're basically at walking distance from every major tourist point. However, it is a little hard to get to via car since the streets are limited to local and business vehicles. However, if you're staying at the hotel, they do provide valet parking for your car for 15 Euros per day- which is great as we nearly got fooled by a public parking lot charging 30 euros!

There are all kinds of local restaurants and tapas/bars right next to the hotel, all at a reasonable price. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because our room was non smoking, yet it smelled as if a chain smoker was standing inside the living room. Maybe we shared AC vents with another room? Not sure. Other than that, this hotel is one for the books and very much recommended!

My wife and I recently spent two nights at this jewel of a hotel and we both recommend it highly. It is located on the Plaza Mayor, a major square (where the Cathedral is, and an easy walk to the Alcazar; the Cathedral, by the way, is lit at night, and it's a lot of fun to walk around the square then and watch the people). The fast-train station is located in the middle of nowhere, but a quick ride on the number 11 bus lets you off at the Aqueduct, and from there it is a short (10 minutes, maybe 15 if you're encumbered by bags) walk to the hotel. Our room (at the very top of the hotel, accessible by a short walk up some stairs from the top stop of the elevator) was clean and comfortable and had a great view of the Cathedral (and as an added bonus, on Saturday and Sunday mornings we saw hot air balloons lifting off and floating over the Cathedral). Free Wifi was available in the room and in the lobby. Our room did not come with breakfast, which was available for 9 euros each but the two of us ate well for about half that amount by walking across the street to a great pastry shop and buying croissants and bottled water. The hotel employees were consistently friendly and professional. The one thing I would point out, though, is that some of the rooms (including the one we had) are not handicap-accessible, so if you have problems in that regard it would be wise to let somebody know when you book a room. This was not a problem for us, however, and did not detract in the slightest from what was a very fine experience in a lovely city.