My husband and I stayed at Alicia's apartment in Malasana for 5 days during our stay in Madrid. It was our first Airbnb experience, and it was great! Alicia was at the apartment when we arrived and showed us where everything was. She also had bought us some melon and ham, which was really nice, especially since we arrived a bit later in the evening, and where too tired to go out and eat somewhere.
The apartment is a studio size, as you can see from the pictures, there is a bed with a comfortable mattress and a pull-out futon that could sleep one or even two more. I think the place is best for 2 or 3 people. The place is clean, and there is also a washer/ dryer in the kitchen. The bathroom is nice with a shower, water is always hot. Essential is the AC in the summer, Madrid was really hot while we where there, but the AC is very efficient and cools the whole apartment. The building itself is secure and clean (it looks newly renovated) and it has a tiny elevator, which is useful if you have luggage, since the apartment is on the 3rd floor. The street is a small side street, we felt safe all the time, coming home even late at night, no problem. The neighborhood is funky, young and lively! There are tons of cafes and shops around plenty of good restaurants. We found a place called "restaurante vegetariano" close by and they have the very best gazpacho andaluz and ajo blanco i have ever tasted. They also serve "alhambra beer" which is my favorite beer in spain (so far). There is a small bakery on calle espiritu santo called "diadema" (http://www.yelp.com/biz/diadema-madrid), and they have great empanadas, the best tortillas espanolas, and the best apple strudel i have tasted in a long time.
Alicia was very helpful, she had collected some maps we could use and of course we could call her anytime if we needed something. Overall, a great experience, we recommend Alicia's place to anyone who wants to stay in Madrid.
Oh yea, public transportation is very close by, you have a choice of 3 subway lines in walking distance, and it was really easy to get to and from the airport to her place. Thank you Alicia!