Holiday Inn Madrid

Advantages: Nice staff, clean, kettle in the room
Disadvantages: The local area, rather expensive

...This is yet another hotel stayed in when travelling with work. It's a four star hotel (Ciao has it listed as a three star) and is located in the business district in Madrid. The Estadio Santiago Bernabeau, the home of Real Madrid football club is also very close by if you are interested in football. Public transport is very good-metro station and bus stop near by, the bus is one Euro into central Madrid and unlike London they have plenty of bus lanes and regular services-every 5 minutes. And no over-crowding or rubbish strewn everywhere! The hotel itself is a typical sprawling 1980's concrete block. The surrounding area is a bit dodgy at night and opposite the hotel is a boarded up cinema. In fact the whole area is pretty much a concrete jungle and I would be careful with going out after dark as it's pretty deserted once...

Katieshaz 16.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of Holiday Inn Madrid, Madrid

Exploring the Province of Madrid

Advantages: Splendid architecture and surrounding nature
Disadvantages: destinations are scattered and hard to reach by public transport

...Many tourists who plan a trip to Madrid like to combine it with some excursions in the surrounding area. Nearby Toledo and Salamanca, for example, are places that most of us may have heard of, if only from an Ernest Hemingway novel or from Cervantes' famous account of Don Quixote de La Mancha. But this wouldn't be worth an FTC review, had I not some more exclusive places to tell you about. On the third day at the latest, every first time visitor to Madrid will feel worn out from the dry climate in the Spanish capital. At an air humidity often below 30%, one longs for some fresh air and nature. The Province of Madrid, as well as surrounding Castilia is full of attractions worth a day trip. So where to go? There are two very popular day trips for Madrid tourists: 1. To the cities of Salamanca and Avila in the province of Castilia...

From_The_Continent 26.04.2001 (28.04.2001) · Read review
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Review of Madrid (Spain)

The Real Hustle

Advantages: Interesting, Some good things to try out (not in a criminal way)
Disadvantages: Gives criminals ideas ?

...~~~ What's it About ? ~~~ The Real Hustle involves 3 con artists carrying out scams on unsuspecting members of the public. The type of scams vary from being card tricks on the street to selling property which doesn't belong to you. The skill involved also varies greatly. Some of the things which are done take years of practice and others just relying on people's trusting nature and their eye for a good deal. The shows is on BBC 3 and usually runs for around 30mins. The show has been expanding in recent years, heading to America and other countries. This is probably so they're less well known. All of the money which is earned is given back. ~~~ Who's in it ? ~~~ *Paul Wilson* - The star of the show. Paul is the one who peforms all the high skill cons and is extremely talented with cards and all that related stuff. He...

Wils0408n 08.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Real Hustle

Madrid.

Advantages: no expensive,alive city,delightfull city,people
Disadvantages: maybe annarchical,traffic.

...First of all I must advice you that i,m spanish but i willl try that you understand me.Sorry for my primitive english Madrid is the first city in Spain(the second one is Barcelona). There´s living there around the 4.500.000 natives(much of them are not madrilians because(like London i suppose) there are a "mix "of people it,s a cosmopolitan cityin wich every stranger are wellcome.Much of them comes from South America(Spain is for these people the Modern Native country).Its situated just in the center of spain.Some interesting places too in frontier with Madrid are Toledo,Segovia ,Avila.. The city has a culture reflected on old monuments like Museo del prado,Palacio real,Pza de la villa,Catedral de la almudena(there is not the best cathedral of spain;there is much better I have to recognize it but it,s very handsome too...

kalimero 10.03.2005 · Read review
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Review of Madrid (Spain)

Madrid

Advantages: Couldn't see any
Disadvantages: dirty, busy, grey, dull, congested

...I have just returned from a short break in Madrid. I had been told in advance that Madrid was a brilliant city and that I would love it. I suppose everyone is different, but I could not find one thing I liked about it. I found it to be grey, dirty, run down, extremely busy, traffic constant almost everywhere...I really did not take to the place at all. The only good thing about it was the people, as always I found the Spanish people lovely and obliging, and more than willing to help out with language difficulties. I was only there a short time, two days and did not have time to vist any places of interest, such as Museums or art gelleries, but I would normally be happy enough just wandering around new surroundings , taking in the atmosphere and ambience...however I found I felt terminally depressed in Madrid. All the streets looked...

strawberrylady62 27.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of Madrid in general

Real Life Stories

Advantages: True stories, cheap, interesting to read
Disadvantages: Too many advertisements,

...Real is a magazine for women. It came out last year, so it is quite a new magazine on the market. It comes out every fortnight and costs only £1.50, which is not that bad a price at all. This magazine is now selling for £1 which is a real bargain, and definitely worth the money. The front page of the magazine is glossy and always has a different woman on the front. The front page also advertises some of the stories that are featuring in the magazine. I have issue 4 which is from the 26th of February to the 11th of march. I will now give you an idea from this magazine what it is like, to see if you would like it or not. There are 122 pages so there is plenty to read. First of all there is the contents page. Here you will find the following categories:- Regulars Travel Food Family Life Features Fashion Home and Shopping...

tabyorky 15.03.2002 (28.05.2002) · Read review
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Review of Real

ARE YOU A "REAL" WOMAN?

Advantages: Aimed at "Real" women, aimed at "professional" woman, markets to a wide age range
Disadvantages: Busy, fuss, crowded layouts. Too "serious".

...It?s a chilly, grey, dull day in dreary London today. As my husband popped out to pick up a paper I asked him to buy a magazine, with the criteria ?any one will do? that I don?t currently have. So he had quite a few to choose from! He came back with ?REAL?. When this was first published a few years ago, it was trying to compete with the high quality glossies and was printed as such. It?s published by H Bauer Publishing and was it?s first attempt at venturing into the upmarket women?s market. It hasn?t performed well in this market place and in the middle of August this year, Bauer Publishing sold the titled to Essential Publishing, amid rumours that the title would close. Whether Essential Publishing can ensure the magazine?s success where Bauer has failed remains to be seen. There are a couple of unique factors about ?REAL...

fantasybeliever 29.08.2004 · Read review
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Review of Real

City Centre Madrid Hotel On a Shoestring

Advantages: Very close to city centre and transport, Cheap.
Disadvantages: Can be noisy

...a visit to the Templo De Debod. Its an Eygptian temple that has been brought over from Egypt to Madrid as a present for the Spanish helping with a new dam. It has been re-built in the Parque de la Montana and is well worth a visit, its free to enter and look around. Of course another place to visit is the Palacio Real. This is very interesting and well worth a visit. It is still used (although not owned) by the Spanish King. Visitors are allowed to look around 50 of the 2800 rooms. The entrance can be hard to spot, it is on the south side of the palace and indicated by a blue "Entrada" sign. Whilst the Palace is impressive in size we were really amazed by the broad range of styles used to decorate the rooms. No two rooms appear to have been done in the same manner. Entrance costs 7 euros, although concessions can get in for 5.50. We also...

pigeon1986 15.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of Asturias Hotel, Madrid

madrid - ciudad bella

Advantages: Many things to see, Great underground subway, Nightlife
Disadvantages: Many "risky" places,

...Madrid... I have lived in Madrid for 17 years almost and I never regret having done so. Madrid is an excellent city that offers a variety of tourism for any culture. It has a great selection of good restaurants and bars that come from national selections to international/oriental gourmet but its all superb. The nightlife in Madrid is wonderful, having loads of bars and discotheques (many of them are huge). The best thing for me is the "football life" as madrid has home to one of the most prestigious clubs in the world "Real Madrid". Madrid is a city with many things to see and do and it offers a diverse range of activities and attractions, from museums to amusement parks. If you were to visit Madrid I would recommend 5 things "must see". -Plaza Mayor (many small typical spanish restaurants + shopping) -Santiago Bernabeu...

eminem1234 12.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of Madrid in general

Excellent base for exploring Madrid city centre

Advantages: Esxcellent location, spacious clean rooms
Disadvantages: Small reception area and lift.

.... The rooms are recently decorated and the beds were extremely comfortable. The room had a bright, modern décor and tiled floor but didn't feel clinical or sterile. The cleaning and housekeeping was to a very high standard and the bathroom in particular was spotless. There are a few restaurants, bars and convenience stores in the immediate vicinity and many more within easy walking distance. In the reception area there were plenty of maps and leaflets and staff were very helpful in giving directions where necessary. The main nightlife areas are a little further away (a couple of stops on the metro) but as the nightlife in Madrid goes on the early hours in the morning you are away from the noise and bustle. The hotel is located a few hundred metres from the Plaza de España (the western terminus of the Gran Vía, the main shopping street in...

anfi66 29.12.2007 · Read review
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Review of Suites 33, Madrid