Apartamentos Palacio Real

this was our home away from home during our stay in madrid. it is located in the colourful la latina district, just a couple minutes walk from the la latina metro station and the famous calle cava baja, where all the cheap tapas bars and cafes are located.
we booked a five night stay for € 580.50 (inclusive of vat and taxes), which was approximately $ 754.65 ($ 150/​night) in the fall of 2014. considering we had an entire 1 bedroom apartment with bathroom, living room and kitchen to ourselves, i’d say this was a pretty sweet deal.
here’s what i liked:
+check-​in process was seamless. in fact, as soon as we walked in, luis, one of the staff on site, walked out and said my husband’s name (before we even introduced ourselves!) pretty sharp! within a couple of minutes, we had the keys in our hands and were headed to our apartment.
+most of the staff spoke english, which was helpful to us since we did not know spanish
+elevators available in the building
+laundry room available on the ground floor
+apartment was clean and completely furnished with linens, towels, furniture, etc
+bedroom had a dresser, armoire, and two nightstands. it also led to a small balcony with a nice view of our street.
+bathroom had towels, a hair dryer, and basic toiletries. no tub, but there was a shower head which made it easier for shorties like me!
+living room had a nice-​size couch, tv, large side table with drawers
+kitchen/​dining area had a small dining table, four chairs, refrigerator, microwave, and was fully stocked with silverware, dishes, pots and pans so we could cook our own food
+convenient location, close to tourist attractions, public transportation, convenience stores, and tapas bars
+secure code needed to enter the building
+staff on site until 2200, available to answer questions if needed
+upon request, staff booked us a taxi to the madrid airport in advance so that all we needed to do was go to the lobby and meet our driver
and here are some things i did not like:
+some of the furniture was a bit old and not in the best condition (fortunately, nothing broke during our stay)
+shower area was tight, and i imagine an average size american man (6ft tall) might not be comfortable using this small shower
+we encountered a few creepy crawlies (i.e. bugs) in the shower area on more than one occasion
+aside from the balcony in the bedroom, there actually weren’t any other windows in the apartment, so it felt dark most of the time
overall, i enjoyed my stay here and would recommend it to friends and family. i wouldn’t mind staying here again if i should find myself in madrid!