We stayed at Carmelo's apartment for three nights and had a fantastic time in Madrid. Carmelo was very responsive and arranged for his son Marcos to meet us at the apartment to give us the keys and answer any questions.
The apartment is a compact studio in a great location in the Malasaña neighborhood. It is right on the Plaza del Dos de Mayo, an extremely lively square that is buzzing into the early hours of the morning. However, because the apartment is in a building that is set back from the square, it's surprisingly quiet at night. This made the apartment a perfect base for exploring Madrid, as it's right in the heart of the action (there is an incredible number of bars, restaurants, shops and galleries in this neighborhood) while still being a peaceful place to get a good night's sleep.
The apartment is on the ground floor facing into a courtyard. This helps keep it both dark and cool. The outdoor temperature was in the 95°F/35°C-range some days but the apartment was always a very pleasant temperature, even without air conditioning.
I would definitely recommend this apartment and Carmelo for anyone looking to rent a small, comfortable studio apartment in a superb location. We were very happy with the host, the apartment and the value for money.
Chris