Let me start by stating that the apartments offered by Mario's group, including the one we stayed in, are of great value. There is ample room for families and larger groups. We loved the location in Malasaña, one of our favorite neighborhoods in Madrid, with lots of small boutiques, lively neighborhood bars and stylish restaurants.

The issue we have with this listing is the apartment we stayed in is not the same apartment we paid for. While the layout is similar, the decor of the apartment we booked is more sleek and stylish. I emailed our first contact, Renan (who always responded in a timely fashion & gave us the comfort that he cared), who assured me that the apartment is exactly the one in the photos. The night before our flight from the US, I noticed that the corresponding photos on the website have been changed to the apartment we were getting (even though the nice cover photo was the same). When we arrived, Mario, without explanation on what happened to Renan, became our host. Mario was efficient but lacked the hospitality we have been accustomed to with airbnb hosts. I didn't complain when we realized that we have been assigned a different apartment because I didn't want my family and friend who was traveling with us to worry that Mario's company might screw us in some other fashion if we complained. So we left it alone and made the most of our stay.

Advice to future guests: 1. The listings in this buildings are operated by a rental company and not by personal hosts. 2. There are two showers/toilet rooms that has a shared vanity area with 3 sinks (I specifically inquired about this and received a vague answer). It's fine with a family but could be uncomfortable if you are traveling with people who may not be comfortable sharing the vanity area. 3. Three of the rooms do not have windows - no big deal but be aware of this detail). 4. The kitchen is small 5. There are two tables in the dining room to accommodate larger groups but the arrangement is aesthetically odd. 6. The WiFi connection is great. 7. The apartment was clean 8. The showers are fantastic with body sprays, radio and "techno" lights. There is a soap dispenser in the shower but not a separate one for shampoo 9. There were ample towels, toilet paper, plates, glasses etc. 10. The shower areas could use bath hooks behind the doors. 11. There is a "Chino" two doors down that sells most of the things that you need...paper towels, snacks, water, shampoo etc.). 12. Everything was in working order, including the clothes washer.

This listing would have received a glowing recommendation from me if we had stayed at the apartment we paid for. I would have preferred if they would have been honest with me and given me options versus deceiving me with false information. Trusting the honesty of the host is crucial.