I just stayed at the Hotel Praga in early July. It is your average European hotel that could have been decent. I checked in around 4 pm after a long flight. Check in was prompt; however, when I entered my room I found it had never been cleaned from the people who stayed before me. The bathroom was filthy and dirty towels were thrown all over the place. Bed was not made and trash was all over the room. I went downstairs to get another room and I was told there were no more rooms so I had to wait for it to be cleaned. The staff did not apologize or even act like this was a problem. I then asked to use the phone at the front desk to make a call. In the middle of my call, the receptionist--Srta. Cocha-- hung up the phone while I was in the middle of using it!! I was absolutely furious at her rudeness and she did not even apologize. This hotel is not worth it. It costs ten euro to take a cab to Madrid. I would recommend paying a little more to stay closer to the city.

We stayed at Hotel Praga at the start and end of our tour around Spain. The hotel is of fairly good quality although I would say it is a 3* rather than 4* compared to those in the UK.

On the first day my parents were mugged a very short distance from the hotel. From what I've seen from other reviews, this isn't an isolated incident. Be careful if you do decide to stay there.

The 23 bus can be caught just outside the front door of the hotel. For 1 Euro you can travel to Plaza Mayor. The buses can get quite packed, so if you are travelling in a group you might be better off hailing a taxi. Fare is about 5-6 Euro.

I wouldn't bother trying to walk anywhere unless you enjoy very long walks. The hotel is situated a good distance away from the center of the city near to the Athletico Madrid Soccer stadium.

I stayed in the Hotel Praga for two night. Overall the hotel was clean, recently refurbished and comfortable. Located off the tourist trail means a bus ride to the centre of Madrid, or as we did, a 10 minute walk to pick up the Metro.

The main road through the neighbourhood is packed with small shops, and tapas bars. The two bars we tried were excellent. We were the only tourists there, struggling with our dictionary to make sense of the menu. At least the waiting staff were friendly.

Shame the same can’t be said for the Hotel Praga reception staff. On checking in and on departure the same member of staff advised that breakfast was not included, even though he had taken a photocopy of the reservation confirming that it was. Breakfast itself was reasonable self service.

My room faced into one of the light wells which meant no views and slightly dark. However on the upside it was peaceful, being away from the Madrid traffic.

I might stay here again, although I would probably seek somewhere closer or with easier access to the centre of town next time.

If you're looking for friendly service from the front desk, you won't find it here. After a long plane ride, we just wanted to check into our hotel room. So being greeted by hotel personnel who barely acknowledged us did not start our vacation in Madrid on a good note.

Fortunately, the hotel rooms are indeed nice by European standards. Returning each day to a clean room and a modern marbled bathroom with a good shower just about makes up for the rudeness at the desk.

We got a room that faced the street. It's a great way to take a peak at the hubbub in the area, but if you're trying to take a siesta I hope you're a deep sleeper. Drivers in Madrid like to lean on their horn until traffic starts moving, consider yourself warned. If you get a room on the opposite side, you won't get a view, but you won't be assaulted by the traffic noise. Each room comes with a mini bar and fridge, a small safe in the closet and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

The hotel is not centrally located, but there's plenty of taxis and Bus 23 is right out front to take you to the main plaza. The convenience of a market just down the street is also a huge bonus. There are plenty of tapas bars in the area to grab a bite to eat, but make sure you plan your late lunch and shopping in the area wisely since siesta time can shut down stores from about 2 to 5 p.m.

Don't expect much from the continental breakfast at the hotel. It consists of watery scrambled eggs, boiled bacon and hot dogs, cold cuts, cereal and dry rolls. But then again it is free (as part of your stay there). What you can rely on is a mean, freshly made glass of Sangria at the bar. Salud!