Los Jeronimos

My husband and I have now stayed at Los Jeronimos twice (for a week two years ago and for two weeks, last year); we're about to return for another two weeks. It's not a hotel (you can only check in on week days during certain hours and sometimes have to wait to be let in); very few people who work there speak English (but everyone has been happy to let us practice our Spanish); the apartments we've stayed in have been commodious and very clean and comfortable -- with great terraces/balconies. It's easy to walk to grocery stores, to the Prado, to the Retiro, and to interesting nearby neighborhoods -- plus we've found several great neighborhood restaurants as well. Yet it's quiet and friendly. The little downstairs cafe even came to have our morning coffees ready without us ordering (and after a while our evening glasses of wine, too!). The one time we needed help (I managed to lock all our money and documents in the safe without setting the password -- entirely my fault --) someone came over to help us open the safe. in fact we shouldn't have bothered with the safe: the neighborhood and building are not in the least threatening. Indeed, we found ourselves happily imagining that we lived in Madrid. We do prefer to explore places on our own, so the lack of hotel-like features not only doesn't bother us, it feels right to us -- and this might not be what everyone wants. For us, though, it's perfect -- and we hope to continue staying here when we are able to visit Madrid.