We had a fine stay at Helena's apartment in Madrid. The first thing to mention, as it was what originally attracted our attention, is its location--in the historic Barrio de las Letras, so named for all the Spanish literary figures who once lived in this neighborhood, which is not only just a parallel block away from the Prado but close to most of the major museums, cultural landmarks, and tourist attractions of the city. As by chance our stay happened to coincide with an unexpected and unprecedented heat wave, we were above all most grateful for the air conditioning in the apartment. We only met our hostess Helena once but she was kind and informative. (Note: the apartment's kitchen is not of the "full service" type but serviceable for light meals.)