My girlfriend is going overseas for the first time in March and has a very long layover in Madrid from 7:15 am until her next flight leaves at 12:35 am. She is looking for a cheap room where she can sleep for a few hours during the day. What would be the best advice for her situation? Should she look to rent a room or hostel?

i would just sleep or hang around the airport. By the time she got into the city, checked into a hostal, slept, got back to the airport in time for her next flight, im not sure it would really be worth it. another thing to consider... my experience with lots of hostels in spain, including madrid, is that lots of times if you arrive in the morning, your room isnt ready. they take your stuff and hold it for you until its ready, normally in the afternoon. so if that was the case, then it really wouldnt be worth it. just a thought.

While not sure if it's been activated yet, there is a new law being process or being debated now that lodging establishments can ONLY rent out rooms ONCE per 24-hour period. That would mean if they rented you a room during the afternoon for, say, 3 hours then they couldn't rent that same room for that night. It's a dumb law in my opinion but let's see if it actually gets passed (if it hasn't already).

Also, there's a place near the airport called Los 5 Pinos @ http://www.los5pinos.com . There, a room can be had for 54 Euros - which is like $70 USD!! Probably not worth it. She might, however, want to metro into the city and sleep at one of the cheaper hostels (called "hostales" in Spanish - and not to be confused with YOUTH-hostels which are called "albergues juveniles") and take a walk around the city and have a meal before returning to the airport that night.

After the fact, would you please return to this/your thread and tell us what she finally did and where, if anywhere, she decided to stay? Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan