Apartamento Plaza Mayor

We enjoyed sitting on the balcony and watching the people below. Apartment B has two balconies overlooking the central square and four streets. Inside, it's clean and spacious, with Wi-Fi, a small kitchenette tucked into a closet, a sofa bed, and a dining table. A wardrobe divides the room from a narrow but clean, comfortable double bed. The bathroom has a nice shower, bidet, toilet, and sink. It's a great place if you want to be right on lively Plaza Major, but look elsewhere if you want peace and quiet or have trouble walking. People are out late, and the cleaning service starts in the morning, though good earplugs solve that 'downside'. The old stairs and high ceilings mean there are lots of steps. You can pay to park nearby or park for free a bit farther away by the river. Breakfast is included at the bar downstairs. It's not a lot, but enough. Shops, bars, restaurants, and a bakery are right below, and a €6 punch card covers churches and museums.

We only stayed a night, and unfortunately Real Madrid won the Champions League that evening while there were First Communion celebrations in the main square, so we got no rest. The apartment itself was good, as were the service and location, but this isn't somewhere for a quiet break. If central is what you want, it fits; otherwise, I'd give it a mixed recommendation.

At 10 PM, the apartment was still 29.9°C with the air conditioning on, and it took 10 hours to cool to 25°C. The sofa bed was extremely uncomfortable, and the nightlife nearby meant noise continued until the early morning. We were put on the fourth floor, meaning the third floor plus a mezzanine, with no elevator. We hadn't been told when booking by phone, and the website doesn't mention it either. The only way up is a narrow, old wooden staircase. There was no evacuation plan available. A complete nightmare.

The owner was really friendly when we arrived, showed us how things worked, and suggested places to eat and visit. The room was bright, everything seemed brand new, the bed was very comfortable, and the view over the main square was fantastic. We had everything we needed to feel at ease. There was some nighttime noise from the bars, but we knew about that and had brought earplugs.