We are four ladies visiting Madrid for the first time in June, can anyone recommend which area or hostals to stay in to be near either bars, restaurants, museums or shops. Also any tips for places to visit or where we should definately be visiting and any cheap but good places to eat? Thanks

Hostal Jaen is a place that my wife and I stayed at. It has a flat with three bedrooms that would sleep four people very nicely. Check out the MadridMan website for more information. Click on hostals. Also, it has climate control, which will be needed in Madrid. You have to check it out. It is within walking distance of some very affordable restaurants and in between the Prado, Reina Sofa, and Thyssen art museums. Per night the cost is about 70 euros. That's less than 20 each! Good luck.

I would recommend that you stay on the city center, or el Centro, which encompasses Sol, Opera,Plaza Mayor, Huertas, Gran Via and Chueca areas. This area is filled with tapa bars and wonderful inexpensive restaurants. The museums, the Plaza Mayor and the royal Palace are within walking distance of each other. But taxis, buses and the metro are available and affordable.

A very nice hotel, where I stayed in my last visit 2000/2001 was the Hotel Suecia. it is in a very safe, and elegant area and very close to the Museo del Prado, the Thysen, and the Reina Sofia museums. It is also within a few blocks of Kilometro Zero , a.k.a. the Puerta del Sol. I was able to pay very little for it because I participated in a Hotel Discount Scheme called Bancotel . I believe it goes for 50 euros per night. If you go to the website you will see the participating Hotels. However, there are also wonderful Hostales available. Hostales vary in prices, but are generally more reasonable than hotels.

If you use the search function above, you will find many threads with excellent advice on accomodations, restaurants and things to do in Madrid, from members who recently traveled to Madrid.

June is a splendid time to visit Madrid. Hope you have a wonderful stay in Madrid.