Petit Palace Plaza Mayor

The Petit Palace Mayor Plaza is situated in a seven-story building with a hard-to-miss maroon facade. Its trendy, industrial-inspired decor shows up in dark tiled floors, silver walls, and pleather-upholstered seating in modern geometric shapes. In the breakfast room, molded, translucent plastic chairs pair with drum-shaped pendant lights and mirrored columns. The hotel has few extra amenities, but rooms are a clean, modern step above standard mid-range fare and many other Petit-brand hotels in the city. The excellent location and family rooms make this a hotspot for tourists, including families traveling with children. 

The Petit Palace Mayor Plaza is located on a beautiful historic street lined with centuries-old buildings and small shops. Plaza Mayor (one-minute walk) can be seen from the front door of the property, and Puerta del Sol is just down the street (five-minute walk), as is Plaza de la Villa (two-minute walk), home to the oldest building in Madrid and the former City Hall. Mercado de San Miguel (one-minute walk), located right by the Plaza Mayor, is a gorgeous traditional iron-and-glass market that houses wonderful tapas bars and a few great stores.

Sol is the heart of Madrid, both geographically speaking and in a figurative sense. “Kilometer Zero” (where all roads in Spain are said to start) is surrounded by shopping, dining, nightlife, and major tourist attractions. This means many tourists in Madrid never leave the neighborhood. Also, its central location is ideal for those who like to explore the city on foot. But Sol also suits those who prefer taking public transportation as it's one of the major transportation hubs in Madrid, with trains, buses, and several subway lines converging on the same spot, a six-minute walk from the hotel. Madrid-Barajas Airport is about 45 minutes via public transit or 20 minutes by car.

Contemporary guest rooms, which sleep two to six guests, feature trendy industrial-inspired decor with wood floors, white walls, gray drapes, and details like twisted copper pipe lamps and modern black-and-white prints on accent walls behind beds. Some rooms have bunk beds and can sleep up to six guests. Big bathrooms are stylish and modern with gray tiling, square sinks, and glass walk-in showers with shower wands and rainfall showerheads. Bathrooms have hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, and free individual toiletries. Upgraded rooms may add balconies. 

Rooms have AC, desks, and wardrobes with electronic safes and nicely stocked minibars (but no coffee/tea service). Rooms also come with flat-screen TVs, plus iPads are available for guests to borrow free of charge. Wi-Fi is also free, though guests occasionally complain it's spotty.

Geared toward tourists that spend their days sightseeing, this low-frills hotel has few extra on-site amenities -- there's no full-service restaurant or bar, for example, though plenty are nearby. The hotel does have a roomy and colorful breakfast room and a pretty good daily buffet, but it costs an extra fee. The property is family friendly, with a teddy bear gift for little kids, cribs, baby tubs, and other kid-friendly amenities. Pets stay free, too. The front desk is open 24-hours and staff can arrange laundry service, ticket assistance, luggage storage, or childcare (extra fee). Free bike rentals are available on-site. There's no on-site parking, however, but discounted parking can be arranged through the hotel. Wi-Fi is free, though some guests find it spotty, and the hotel has computers for guest use.