We had a wonderful stay in Madrid! The loft was really beautiful, Xuan has a fantastic sense of style and the facilities are very good. We were very comfortable here! The neighbours are also lovely people. The cute little gecko on the patio was a lovely surprise, too! :)

The loft has no air-con (which we knew), but the layout means it stays lovely and cool in hot weather. The bathroom has no door or curtain (w/c is separate) so please be aware of this if you are somebody who places a high value on privacy.

The location is excellent, right next to the Mercado de Cebada. The quality of the produce in the market was so good, I'm still dreaming about the cherries! It's also very accessible for the Metro, which we found very convenient and easy to navigate to explore the rest of Madrid. There are great bars nearby too, but we could hear no outside noise from the apartment. It's also very close to the El Rastro market on Sunday mornings. We had to buy another suitcase for our purchases!

Locals are extremely friendly and helpful, although few speak much English so it's definitely worth practising your Spanish beforehand. I will say, if you are in any tourist or busy areas, be very careful of pickpockets! My friend's purse was stolen in Templo de Debod, and the next day someone tried again on the Metro at Sol. If this happens and you are not Spanish, go to the police station on C/ Leganitos, nº 19 (near Plaza de España). They have interpreters and tourist assistance, and are very good. Unfortunately it did mean we didn't feel like going to any tourist areas after that, so please be careful and carry your bag in front of you. Having said that, La Latina felt very safe.