I have just returned from another holiday in Madrid (my third) and have had a great week in an apartment that somebody recommended to me here a while ago. I still don't know exactly what it was called but the link was http://www.inicia.es/de/elprado/ and it is on the corner of Huertas and Jesus, not far from the Prado Museum.

The owners were very helpful and offered to pick us up from the airport but even with a toddler the Metro is so quick and easy to navigate (after the London tube..) that we declined.

We paid 350 euros for 8 nights and had a good apartment in the middle of everything, which was secure and air conditioned.

I heartily recommend it and would definitely go back there again.

We flew with Iberia from London Heathrow to Barajas and the service was suberb. The flight attendants had recieved the meal requirements we had ordered and there was even a child seatbelt attachment on the seat for us. The legroom was certainly greater than what the UK budget airlines provide.

Thanks MadridMan for all your help in providing all this info...

Derek