Entering this swanky boutique hotel is like entering Madrid's latest nightclub, with staff dressed all in black, black walls and swirls of red lighting in the lobby. Rooms are spacious, with high ceilings and simple furniture, light tones contrasting smoothly with muted...

Now here's something special. There are many things to recommend about this place, but its internal courtyard is quite possibly Madrid's finest - with the best of Andalusian tilework, a fountain, a spectacular glass ceiling and stunning Islamic decoration all surrounded on...

Clean, friendly and with English-speaking staff, this is far and away one of the city's best budget options. Cheerful dorm-style rooms sleep from four to 12 people. This is a great place to plug into the backpacker network - it's busy, lots of students stay here and the staff...

Run by travellers for travellers, this is one of the coolest places in town if you don't mind all the clamour of the many daily and nightly comings and goings - there's no curfew and the dorms are tightly packed.

From the same people who brought you the outstanding Cat's Hostel, Mad Hostel is not far behind in quality and atmosphere. Like its sister hostel, this place is ranged around an enchanting courtyard and filled with a buzzing vibe.

This place is run by a family that works as a perfect team - the friendly son mans reception with a professional but approachable air; mum casts a strict eye over the room-cleaning with dazzling results; and Ronnie, the tiny dog, will greet you with a lick and lead you to the...

Hostal San Lorenzo is a terrific deal. The original stone walls and occasional dark-wood beam of this 19th-century building have been left exposed, adding character that is surprisingly hard to find in one of Madrid's oldest barrios.

The rooms at this well-run hostal (cheap hotel) are simple, even a little bare in decoration, and are saved only from anonymity by the occasional rustic touch and the air-con and heating in every room; there are also safety boxes, TVs and decent bathrooms. But better things...

Sitting just across from the Plaza Mayor, here you'll find stylish decor and charming original elements of the 150-year-old building - it's super value and far better than you'd expect from a two-star hotel. The bathrooms throughout the hotel are modern and marble-lined and...

Opened in 2005, this is one of Madrid's most stylish (and most professionally run) hotels and a fantastic place to stay. You get the feeling the interior designer licked his or her lips and enjoyed creating this masterwork of understated, minimalist luxury.

This hotel is a class act. Overlooking one of the most leafy and agreeable plazas north of the centre, the Gran Hotel Conde Duque combines supreme luxury with a slice of Madrid that tourists rarely see but Madrileños love.

Near the Puerta del Sol and busy commercial district, this stylish hotel has comfortable rooms with all the amenities (even a free minibar) and a pretty, historic facade. It's received rave reviews for having excellent service, and for being all-round good value for money.

Housed in a restored 18th-century building and with a wonderful facade-like mural on its north side, this charming hotel offers a touch of class to one of central Madrid's less attractive streets. The Puerta del Sol is a short stroll away, however, making this terrific value...

Minimalist and modern, the new Bauzá would be right at home in SoHo, New York. Neutral colours set a soothing tone, and rooms are bright and airy. There are darkish wood floors, light greys and blues, strategically placed pillars, open spaces and occasional flashes of...

If you like your hotels to be former palaces, this could be the place for you. The public areas of the hotel are exquisite - a discreetly beautiful palm-filled, light-drenched patio of sandstone and a sweeping staircase guarded by marble lions are the most obvious signposts to...

Completely renovated in 2001, this fine hotel has quickly established itself as one of the most luxurious in Madrid. The downstairs lobby is modern and stylishly minimalist with a light-filled interior courtyard, while the rooms are furnished in classic luxury style.

Set on a small, sunny plaza in the centre, the Cruz Sol is a clean hostel that makes a great base for seeing the sights. The newly renovated rooms have yellow walls and cheerful decor. They're not the largest rooms in Madrid, but they mostly face onto the street or the plaza...

This is the sort of hostal (cheap hotel) to come to if you like a homely feel and discreet owners, and you have no desire to enter into Madrid's considerable backpacker scene. The owners seem to regard everyone who arrives at the door with a degree of suspicion, but they...

All-new everything makes this place feel pricier than it is, as do the balconies outside every exterior room. The views are superb from rooms facing the street and you're so high up that noise is rarely a problem.

Hostel Metropol is the sort of place that's always full of young travellers. It's not that the rooms are great. In fact, they're simple and don't have a whole lot of character. But travellers congregate here for that special something that few hostels have - an attitude, a...

Everything here oozes exclusivity, from the address - an elite patches of Madrid real estate - to the mansion that is the finest in a barrio of many. The Santo Mauro fills three buildings of a former palace (one part of the hotel is a converted stable) and offers discreet...

A loyal following is attracted to this family-run hotel which has been plushly renovated in an old-fashioned style, right down to the suit of armour in the lobby and the comfy bar. There's also a rooftop area - a rarity in central Madrid - that makes a nice spot for breakfast...

This hotel offers style and service beyond its modest three-star category. Adding to the charm is the wine theme running throughout: rooms are decorated with an attractive grape motif and each room is named for a Spanish wine region.

It's not often that a swimming pool rates a mention above all other hotel features. In this case the hotel itself is outstanding, but the rooftop swimming pool has some of the best views in Madrid - it's a favourite spot for moviemakers and photographers looking for sweeping...

Hotel II Castillas is one place where a little bit of inside knowledge makes all the difference. Ask for a corner room and you'll be rewarded with a light-filled room with plenty of hardwood floor space and three windows - outstanding for the price in the centre of Madrid.

This beautiful hotel is set on a picturesque plaza and offers simple luxury in rooms that bear the traces of restrained elegance from bygone years. Although the building has had many manifestations, its first was as the 19th-century US embassy in Madrid. Many of the heritage...

Hotel Orfila is for those who value luxury with a more intimate atmosphere than you'll find in Madrid's grandest luxury hotel. The former home of the exiled Queen of Bulgaria, this small 19th-century palace is one of Madrid's most charming hotels.

Crowned by the emblematic Tio Pepe sign, this 140-year-old hotel is a Madrid classic, exuding kitsch elegance with touches like shimmering gold bedspreads and a decidedly 1960s look. As a total package, it's one of the best mid-range deals in central Madrid. Rooms are large...

The Hotel Ritz is the height of exclusivity. One of the most lavish buildings in Madrid, the classic style and impeccable service is second-to-none. Not surprisingly it's the hotel of choice for presidents and kings - among the guests to grace its halls are Jacques Chirac,...

If you'd been living in Madrid when they were building this excellent new hotel, you'd know that this long-awaited arrival occupies one of the prime patches of Madrid real estate because the scaffolding caught the eye every time you passed.