Maria was a great host! She was extremely helpful, stayed in touch through out our stay and gave us awesome tips for sightseeing and restaurants/bars. She was there to receive us and even helped us carry our luggage. The apartment is exactly how it looks in the pictures and it was clean and very well stocked (e.g. iron, hair dryer, well equipped kitchen etc.), she even had a nice bar (with Glenrothes 1998!). The area around has a lot of great bars and restaurants, very lively and welcoming. A word of advice- we did not mind the jovial banter from the bars close by at night (because that's what Madrid is all about- lively and happening and we were out late anyway), but if you are a light sleeper take some ear plugs with you. But as Hemingway said "Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night."

Highly recommended!
Thanks for a great stay Maria! Best, Nico, Aru & Anurag