Malasaña by Sonder

The apartment had a kitchen and washing machine, and was renovated, clean, and nicely decorated. Check-in was all electronic, with a unique entry code for each of us, which made getting in easy. Extra towels were available in the lobby. The location was great, near central Madrid in an area full of bars and places popular with college-age people. It was expensive, but worth the money.

There was no one in the building, so if you have a problem, good luck. You have to speak to a bot, and it takes a while to answer. The bed and pillows were the worst quality I can remember, and the noise insulation was extremely poor. I slept just 2 cm from the lift, which I could see and touch from my window. Surreal. Don’t be fooled by the beautiful website photos, the place is very poorly built. If you’re 18 and travelling in a group of six on a budget, maybe this is for you. Everyone else, be warned. It was a waste of time and money, and it makes me think most of the reviews are fake. I travel around 100 nights a year.

The location was great, and shopping of all kinds was very convenient. The staff were friendly and helpful. My only discomfort was the shower pressure, which wasn’t strong enough for a relaxing wash after a full day of walking.

The apartment was clean, private, quiet, and well equipped, with funky decor. Everything was in such good shape that it felt like we were the very first guests. We also loved being able to walk to almost everything we wanted to see and do in Madrid. We really enjoyed our stay at Libere Madrid Malasaña and would consider other Libere properties if we travel in your service area again. Two things kept us from giving five stars across the board. The initial entry code wouldn’t open the front door while it was pouring rain. Luckily, someone coming out kindly let us in. We downloaded the app once we got into the unit and used the supplied code there, which worked on the inside door. Odd. Also, on our last morning there was no hot shower water. We let it run for a while, but it never got warmer than the air temperature. It was disappointing not to be refreshed before a full day of travel. We made do with cold water, holding our breath and getting it over with.