Hi,
i'm new to the BB but i have been seaarching for days and checking out all the hostels. I'm taveling to Madrid on 9/3/2005 and i'll be leaving on 9/12/2005. this is my first time traveling to Spain but i've been dying to go since i was a little girl. i finally decided to do one city at a time and get to know most of the area instead of trying to go all over the place

anyway i did a search and found no topics on this hostel, Hostal Josefina (web: http://www.hostal-josefina.com/ ) . has anyone ever stayed there? i emailed them and i am tentatively booked, i have to call a day ahead just to reconfirm and they didn't ask for a credit card or anything. their address is:
Gran Via, 44, 7ª Planta
28013 MADRID, ESPAÑA

is this a good location for all the sites etc? i haven't even figured out all that i'll do but i definitely want to see all the sights. thanks for any help/advice! happy new year!

Gran Via is pretty central but you may want to try Hostal Dulcinea on calle Cervantes ( www.hostaldulcinea.com ). Jose & Maria who run the joint are classy cool people, nice as hell.
It's close to the prado, Reina sofia museum, the main train station if you want to take day trips and just minutes walking to Plaza Mayor and Puerta Del Sol. For partying purposes, Santa Ana is near and you can practically sleep walk to calle huertas where all the crazy bars are. The best part about Hostal Dulcinea...it's a great bargin.
Good Luck.

Vannie, I have also stayed at the Hostal Dulcinea and agree completely with JoeSambuca. I will also say that you are not in a bad location on Gran Via if you like lots of people and the feel of being on a major blvd. I have a feeling that you are going to get a few recommendations with this post!

Hostal Josefina is very centrally located, easy access to a lot of things, close to a metro stop, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor. I have never stayed there so can't tell you any more about it, but I have a friend that lives within 2 blocks of there that I stay with.

I stayed at Hostal Adriano before and loved it (especially if the long awaited elevator is installed!!) A little more than Josefina, but not much.

thanks guys,
i'll check out your recommendations as well. is the hostal josefina further from the sites thatn the other 2 hostels mentioned or is it generally in the same area?

In a big city way, all in the same general location. The Adriano would be about a 10 min walk from the Josefina, I don't know the other hostal, but the Prado would be about a 20 min walk from the Josefina.

It really depends on what you want to be close to, what your main interests are. The other recommended hostal puts you MUCH closer to all the art museums, they are mostly central located within a few blocks of each other, as well as Retiro park, Atocha station. The Adriano or the Josefina puts you much closer to Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, the Palace and I think a little more shopping. Again in a big city way, everything is close and easily walkable, with any of the selections you will be close enough to walk. Anything that is a bit further out is easy to bus or metro to.

When you get there, one of the first things I would get is a 10 trip metro card, good for both bus and metro. I'm not sure where all you can buy them, but I usually get them in a metro station.

this 10 trip Metro card that you mentioned, can this be used for a day trip to Valladoid or Segovia, etc or are there different tickets for those kind of trips?

Different, different bus companies. However the fares to Toledo, Segovia....are very inexpensive.

Try any of the hostals on Calle Cervantes. You will be near all the major museums and the beautiful Park -- it has magnificent statues, entertainment, many many trees (you will truly appreciate them in late summer), and a pond with rowboats that are rented even in January!

We stayed at the Hostal Gonzalo , over the holidays. It is only a few steps from the Calle Prado, but is very quiet. Javier speaks excellent English and does not even shudder when one abuses his language.

The beds are a bit short if you are 6'5" (like me), but the showers are wonderful -- sparkling clean, plenty of hot water and I didn't need to duck my head!

thanks zinc, i am a tall girl so i don't expect any of the beds to fit me comfy, lol.