We just got back from 3 weeks in Spain--mostly Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. Our last night we spent at Hostal Aguilar in Madrid and it was fantastic. Big rooms, huge bathroom, complete with bidet and full tub with shower, very comfortable mattresses and a balcony. The a/c was great and the owners are really nice and helpful. Some of the staff speak English. The location can't be beat--between Puerta del Sol and Santa Ana. We had a quad room for 68 Euros, which was actually two connected rooms, perfect for a family. I had a look at the doubles and they were plenty big. There are phones, lockboxes and TV's in the rooms, internet access in the lobby, and huge sitting rooms with a TV. I'd definitely stay there again.

I'll revive this thread since I stayed at Hostal Aguilar this week and last week. I'd been there once before and really liked it and so my friend and I stayed there again on this trip. The rooms are very large and clean, and they have a private bathroom with a tub and a shower and a bidet (although there was not a bidet in the single room). All the rooms have air conditioning as well as television with remote control. Two of the rooms I was in (one of the doubles as well as the single) had a desk and chair.

It seems that some of the staff speaks English (I speak Spanish so I didn't talk to them in English, but I did overhear them in English with some Americans). There are vending machines in the lobby with drinks and snacks as well as one computer with Internet there. It was 50 euro cents per 15 minutes to use the Internet.

To enter the rooms you used a key card, not an actual metal key as you might in other places. There is a safe in each room which costs 1 euro (I imagine each time you want to open it). The hostal is on the second (really third) floor, and there is an elevator. The entire building itself apparently is an old "palacete" or mansion that belonged to some rich man many years ago.

The location is great. It's less than ten minutes to walk to Sol or to Plaza Santa Ana or to the Prado. The staff was very nice, and even before we arrived they answered our emails within a day. I'd definitely stay there again. You can see their web site at www.hostalaguilar.com

Thanks for the heads up on this hostal. The price is right and the location is great, too. I think this would suit my family well.

La Historiadora .. Always good to know these places in order to advise travellers into Madrid .. What was the room rate ( roughly ) ? So nice to have met you recently ..Let's do it again ! Steve

The single rate was 43 euros and the double rate was 55 euros. If you look on the Hostal Aguilar web page, the rates are listed. I don't know if they change them according to "high season" or "low season" or if they remain constant throughout the year.

Glad I could be of help! I think it's always useful to read comments from people who have stayed in a certain place, especially when the visits are more recent.

And, it was a pleasure to meet you, too, steve robinson (as well as all the other attendees)! I really enjoyed the MM get together and I will be sure to let you know when I visit Madrid next!