Let's start with the best thing about this apartment -- Carlos, the host. He is very easy to communicate with, very accommodating, and shares his knowledge of the Pacifico neighborhood. And the apartment is spotless, well designed, and has everything you could possibly need -- Carlos is very thoughtful and generous.
We loved the location. It's in a nice, not too touristy neighborhood, an easy walk to the Prado and Queen Sophia museums, and to the Atocha train station, as well as the Retiro park. There's a big supermarket about two doors down, although Carlos stocks the apartment with enough groceries to live on for a week.
A couple of things you should know. First, Madrid is a big city, so it's not surprising that the rooms are on the small side. We had three adults, and were very comfortable, but more people might feel crowded. Also, the apartment is at street level, and has a separate entrance onto the street. This means that you get more street noise than if you were higher up, but it's a pretty quiet neighborhood -- the loudest thing was the kids walking to the school on the corner. Finally, the bed in the main bedroom is a double, not a queen -- at least, not an American queen. Not a problem for us.
I'll close by saying that this is one of the best vacation rentals I have stayed in anywhere, and I hope that I'll be back on my next trip to Madrid. Thanks, Carlos, for a great stay in your lovely apartment.