Layover in Madrid (MAD)..any advise?

[jonrs]

We are heading to Venice for our cruise and have a 10 hour layover in Madrid after a 9 hour flight from the US. Anyone know where we could possibly clean up/shower at the airport?

We don't travel enough to have Admiral Club passes..

 

Any suggestions for food or things to see during this time is appreciated!!

[Zach1213]

I'm not very familiar with MAD itself, but there are some ideas that apply to many airports and may very well apply to Madrid:

 

1) Buy-in lounge. That is, although you may not have access to the Iberia lounge (no Admirals Club in Madrid as far as I know), there may be a lounge that you can pay for access to. Many airports have these at varying prices - last time I did one was 2004, and the KLM lounge at Heathrow charged about 20 GBP.

 

2) An airport hotel in the area may have a daytime rate, where you can stay for a few hours at a reduced rate and have access to a standard room with bed and shower.

 

Your other option is to just say the heck with it, accept your shower-less fate, head in to the city, and do a few hours of sightseeing. :)

[keltic]

You have an SPA at the airport appart from the regular airlines lounges

 

http://www.elysium.es/elysium/es/barajas/instalaciones.html

[6rugrats]

We are heading to Venice for our cruise and have a 10 hour layover in Madrid after a 9 hour flight from the US. Anyone know where we could possibly clean up/shower at the airport?

We don't travel enough to have Admiral Club passes..

 

Any suggestions for food or things to see during this time is appreciated!!

 

With that long of a time, you can travel into the city; it's only about a 20-25 minute ride if you want to do some sightseeing. Or, you can get a room at a hotel by the airport, shower, eat and relax.

 

I wouldn't stay at the airport for ten hours. Just allow plenty of time to get back through security. The last time I was at MAD, I spend 15 minutes being questioned about the other stamps in my passport, had to go through security, then there was another security check at the gate, where everything had to be removed from carryon bags, inspected and repacked.

[Fattony]

What are the hours involved? I assume the 10 hours are before any time spent in Immigration and Customs (which you would certainly have to go through if leaving the airport). Are you flying overnight, arriving in the morning, and then flying out in the evening? Do you sleep easily on planes? Will your bags (other than carry-on) be checked through (be sure about that, after a 10-hour layover)? How many carry-on bags will you have? Maybe someone can say if there are locker facilities, or similar, so you can't have to carry on any carry-on bags. I'd probably want to sleep, but don't know if there's a transit hotel in the airport.

[Fattony]

p.s. will you have to be back at the airport at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours before your onward flight?

[Zach1213]

With that long of a time, you can travel into the city; it's only about a 20-25 minute ride if you want to do some sightseeing. Or, you can get a room at a hotel by the airport, shower, eat and relax.

 

I wouldn't stay at the airport for ten hours. Just allow plenty of time to get back through security. The last time I was at MAD, I spend 15 minutes being questioned about the other stamps in my passport, had to go through security, then there was another security check at the gate, where everything had to be removed from carryon bags, inspected and repacked.

The Schengen countries have definitely been a bit more questioning during exit immigration than most other places I have been to. Be in Germany, France, Italy, whatever...they always want details about why I was there, where I went, why I was there (again), and they take a detailed look at all of my stamps. It always takes me a bit longer to get out of the Schengen countries than it does other places (except maybe Australia).

[Gardyloo]

The (strangely named) High Tech Hotel next to the airport has day rooms available for €60. Shower, bed, TV, sleep, free shuttle.

 

http://high-tech-hotel.bookassist.com/madrid/Hotel-Airport-Madrid-Barajas/index.htm

[Bowie MeMe]

We had an overnight stopover in Madrid and had a room at the airport Hilton.

Shuttle to the hotel which is practically on airport property but has to drive a roundabout way. Hotel was cheap (booked on-line and then used up points) nice and had a fantastic swimming pool/spa area.

 

I think you need to consider how very very very large the Madrid airport is.

We exited and entered the airport three separate times on one trip and I was amazed how long it took to get from the front door to the plane door. It is a long long hike and involves a train also. I'm not sure how much time you will really have after exiting the plane, walking to baggage area, exiting and getting to shuttle for hotel or sightseeing and then reversing the procedure through security etc for boarding the next plane. I can't think of a bigger airport physically than Madrid that I have used of late. Achy breaky Feet.:rolleyes:

[jonrs]

Yes, plan is to be back at the airport 1 1/2 hours before the next flight. Still looking for a cheap hotel near to just shower and relax for a couple of hours.

Any ideas are appreciated!!

[Gardyloo]

Yes, plan is to be back at the airport 1 1/2 hours before the next flight. Still looking for a cheap hotel near to just shower and relax for a couple of hours.

Any ideas are appreciated!!

Was the High Tech Hotel (above) not available? Sixty Euros is pretty cheap.