Charming apartment in the heart of Madrid. I would typically rate it at 4 pts out of 5, but as Javier was not transparent about the noise, I would rate my particular stay at 3/5. I would give it another chance as Javier is solution-oriented and is looking for ways to improve, and if noise is not an issue for you, then this place is 5/5!
4/5 general rating:
The apartment is cozy, located very centrally, close to many beautiful neighborhoods and landmarks within 20 min walk. Apartment is clean, well equipped with basics, and suitable for 1-2 people for a short trip. The central location comes at a downside of being quite noisy, especially at night and the weekend (party people in the streets, cars & trucks, etc…) . Earplugs were provided by Javier which worked out very well for me. Self check-in and check-out makes it convenient since we arrived quite late. Javier is communicative and responds quickly, which helps if problems arise. We had an issue on the first night which Javier was quick to resolve, and reimbursed us for the inconvenience. Big thanks to Javier for that!
Not transparent about noise (-1pt)
When I booked the apartment 3 months before the stay, I asked Javier particularly about noise and he told me there is nothing to worry about especially at night (“very calm”). 3 days before arrival he informs me that a guest has complained about the noise. Having experienced the noise (and neighborhood) myself, there is no way these were isolated incidents. The apartment is located in a party area with people walking down the narrow street all night long. So I would have wished for more transparency from the start.