No. I decided not to. I didn't see any saving of money by renting an apartment, and I'm only staying in Madrid a week this time.

Instead I'll be staying at the Tryp Ambassador for 40 Euros a night. While this one wasn't on the list of Madrid hotels I'm dying to stay at, it seemed like a good deal to take advantage of with the exchange rate being what it is. Really good rate for a 4 star. How bad could it be! At least I'll have some money left over to eat.

I had been considering the Chueca IV apartment on Friendly Rentals, and I may rent that one someday when I have more time. For me, renting an apartment for less than a month doesn't make much sense with all that's involved.

I think most of the problems come from the owners rather than the rental agencies. Many owners are not always forthcoming with potential problems, and the agencies get caught in the middle when these things hit the fan.

By the way, striped shirt, I really enjoyed your rant on Tripadvisor about the Seville apartment. It was very entertaining.