Prado Museum
by tweetycaro
Great museum, we walked through it for hours and didn't see everything. There's so much to see, 'the' museum for fans of Goya, Velazquez.
Only 3euro to get in and 3euro for an audio tour (which is worth the money). Free entry on sunday. Or buy a combination ticket for Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia, it's called Paseo del Arte, it saves you 3euro.
Paseo del Arte
by vivalasteph
Not only is this the name of the street where the big three museums are found, but also a discounted admission ticket to all three.
You can purchase one at any of the museums, or from a tourist office. Great deal, and you don't have to stand in line to buy a ticket at each. Go straight to the admission desk or window.
Cost: 7.66 euros
Hours of each museum are listed on the back of the ticket. The Reina Sofia, the Prado, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza are all must-sees. Each has fantastic holdings, and you can see the enitre collections without 'swimming' in too much art at one time.
Fantastic hotel, great food, perfect location
by TripAdvisor Member Pavement-Walker
Like most of the other contributors, we found this hotel to be wonderful. Quite frankly we did not realise just how good it was, having booked through Octopus and paying just over 70 pounds per night, including breakfast, for the two of us in the room in late March 07. Great rooms, good decor, lovely beds and bathroom. Great breakfasts - one could live off these alone, but there are so many wonderful tapas establishments pretty much around the corner. We found the staff to be VERY helpful, and would highly recommend this hotel.
Madrid is a wonderful place for a visit, and this hotel is perfectly located. As well as the museums mentioned in other posts, there is a large park, the Retiro, more or less behind the Prado. It seemed like all of Madrid was there between 5 and 7 pm, strolling around the paths, watching the Punch and Judy shows, going on the boating lake, enjoying the sound of the amateur salsa drummers who had positioned themselves against the marble walls of the monument to a past king, for maximum acoustic effect. And even more, the Botanical Garden is just to the side of the Prado, this has a small entrance fee and a well labelled arrangement of plants.
Good location, good hotel
by TripAdvisor Member dr_traveljoy
We stayed at this hotel for 2 days. Not a bad hotel at all, for the price.
We took the metro from the airport and changed at Nuevos Ministeros to catch the train to Atocha. From there it is about 10 mins walk.
The rooms were good, neat and clean, hardly anything to complain about.
We did not have breakfast at the hotel, instead went to a nice little place, opposite the hotel down the road- for a very affordable and wholesome choice of breakfast combos.
Cant comment on the service, we did not use any room service. our only interaction was with the front desk which was pretty good.
The location of the hotel is excellent. The Prado is just round the corner. You could also walk to Plaza Mayor, but we took the bus which is right at the doorstep of the hotel.
We purchased a 2 day tourist pass from the airport which cost us 6.80e each, allowing unlimited travel on any mode of transport. This is definitely a very good deal. Madrid is indeed very reasonable compared to other european cities.
Wouldnt mind staying at this hotel again.
ok not great
by TripAdvisor Member DCMiguel
Pros: quiet room. Spacious bedroom and bathroom. Nice but small flat screen TV. Great location - just a few blocks away from the Atocha metro and train station, and the best museums. Friendly staff who spoke excellent English.
Cons: No shampoo in bathroom, not enough kleenex. No extra blanket in room. The hotel is clean but no frills; felt like a 3-star hotel. Internet service cost something like $5 for half an hour.
OK but noisy
by TripAdvisor Member biglion678
Hotel very close to all the great art gallery's and major sites of interest. Our room was on the 5th floor and small for a double but clean and good quality. The room faced onto Atocha and even with double glazing was really noisy with late night revellers, motor bikes and emergency sirens...glad our room was high. Would use again for convenience and hope room available at back of building.
Great value for EUR 80 per night
by TripAdvisor Member Broadens_the_mind
Nice place, great location, friendly staff, good room. Booked 2 rooms via the hotel's own website at EUR 80 per night. When we came to pay they gave me a bill for EUR 160 per room per night but once they saw my booking confirmation email they rectified the error without a fuss. At those prices I'll be back!
Nice outdoor food at Plaza de Sta Ana, ten minutes walk up the road. Go see the banana trees in Atocha station... bizarre!
Forum Posts
Looking for hotel recommendations near Main Rail Station (Atocha)
by leoinv1
I will be staying in Madrid in early March and need to be near the rail station. Looking for a clean and quiet hotel that is not too expensive (within 100 EURO/night) within walking distance to the rail station (Atocha). Right now, considering Hotel Carlton that costs around 100 EURO per night. If I could find something cheaper but still good, that would be great.
Re: Looking for hotel recommendations near Main Rail Station (Atocha)
by Redang
Have a look at www.nh-hotels.com, maybe it helps
Re: Looking for hotel recommendations near Main Rail Station (Atocha)
by 26tyersal
Hotel Carlton is quite a walk from Atocha-google it !Go to booking.com and you will be able to see a map showing how close the hotel or hostal/pension is to Atocha.The closest hotels for you to walk across to Atocha are the HUSA Paseo del Arte and the Agumar.
Re: Looking for hotel recommendations near Main Rail Station (Atocha)
by leoinv1
>Hotel Carlton is quite a walk from Atocha-google it !Go to booking.com and you >will be able to see a map showing how close the hotel or hostal/pension is to >Atocha.The closest hotels for you to walk across to Atocha are the HUSA Paseo >del Arte and the Agumar.
Looking on Google Maps - seems that Carlton is just as close to the RENFE station as Agumar. I may be reading it wrong.