Fernando's apartment was clean, comfortable, close to a store that has anything you might need (and is open 24 hours), and close to major transportation (though anywhere you want to sightsee in Madrid, you can walk to from the apartment). I enjoyed a week at his place and was able to even take two daytrips, one to Toledo and another to Segovia, which were both beautiful. One tip for foreign guests like myself: the street names are located on tiles on the corners of buildings, but sometimes aren't visible for a couple of blocks in. It is very easy to get to Fernando's, once you get off the Express Bus, walk to the train station, then head toward the big red building (the Reina Sofia), then follow the rest of Fernando's directions. You might not have phone service and WiFi might not be dependable (until you get to Fernando's, he has excellent WiFi connection) so I would definitely advise printing a map showing directions from the train station to Fernando's before you go to make arrival go smoothly. Other than that, Fernando will have everything you need--- maps, advice, even shampoo! Enjoy Madrid, it is a beautiful city, and at Fernando's, it won't be long before you can feel like you are experiencing the city from a local perspective.