Great location with air conditioning in a quiet street. Paula’s studio is situated in a prime location a few blocks from both Sol and Opera subway stations. It is about 2 blocks from Plaza Mayor and from Mercado de San Miguel with lots of restaurants, wine stores, shops, boutiques, stores and pharmacies.
Paula and Pilar are great hostesses, incredibly responsive and helpful.
The apartment is located on the fourth floor and has a Multilock, and there is a lock on the main door of the building so we felt quite safe. The building has an elevator so it’s convenient for bringing luggage up and down. It is located on an inner street so it’s quiet at night. I have previously stayed closer to Plaza Mayor but it was very loud at night and in the early morning. Paula’s place does not have this problem.
The place is small when the pullout bed is open, mainly due to the ceiling angle, but has enough space for 4 people to sleep and also to eat at the table. There is a large double bed behind a wide bookshelf which provides some privacy. The pullout bed is not as comfortable as the other double bed, but this is to be expected from a pullout bed. The ceiling is at an angle so if you are tall you have to be careful not to bump your head when you walk close to the outer wall. There is lots of closet space to put away clothes or store you luggage.
We did not cook at the apartment but the kitchen seemed well furnished with cooking pots, plates and cups. You will need to wash the dishes or run the dishwasher every day even if you don’t eat in the apartment because there are few coffee cups and glasses. You may need to buy some laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent if you are staying more than a couple of days.
The refrigerator cools well and has plenty of refrigerator and freezer space. The dining room is big enough for four, but if you sit on the end toward the outer wall you’ll will need to mind the ceiling height.
The living room area is adequate for two to four people to sit and watch TV or just hang out. The smart TV gives you access to apps such as Netflix and local programming including Real Madrid championship soccer matches. Paula and Pilar left for us maps or the city, information on key highlights and tourist information, all of which were quite helpful. They also left some snacks and some coffee for us, which was much appreciated.
The bathroom is small but has everything you need including towels and body soap. There is also a small washer/dryer unit but if you plan to wash clothes you may want to bring extra washing machine detergent since they only leave you a couple of pods.
Almost forgot!! The place has two air conditioner units, one over each bed (double bed and pullout double bed). This was wonderful since Madrid is VERY hot during the summer, even at night.
I would certainly go back to Paula’s place next time I’m in Madrid, especially if it’s only two of us. You cannot beat the location and the fact that it has an elevator and air conditioning.