# Moving to Madrid the week after next



## Trevor Reeve (Oct 24, 2010)

Hello my name is Trevor

I am moving to Madrid in the next 2 weeks and want to know the following

I am taking up a job with BAT whose office is within walking distance of the Arturo Soria Metro stop so can any one advice as to where I can rent a 2 bedroomed apartment within walking distance of the metro or in the area near the metro stop.

Also where do the British expats hang out. The same question applies to the Ukrainian /Russian expats as my wife is Ukrainian.

Can any one recommend which Mobile operator to use for Pay as you go international calls. 

Finally can any one recommend a reasonably priced hotel near the Arturo Soria metro stop or near Calle Ramirez de Arrelano as I will be working in the Accenture building for BAT

Can any one help ?

Thanks
Trevor and Tatiana Reeve


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## plangster (Oct 24, 2010)

For getting an apartment, if you go to an inmobilaria, it will cost you 1 month's rent as a fee, plus all the other costs. The best way to do this is to walk around the neighbourhoods and look for signs that say Alquilar, write the numbers down, and call them.
Pay as you go international is expensive, but can be found. Just avoid the big companies. Go to a little shop where they claim to unlock phones. 

As for a hotel, try the hotel high tech arturo soria. It's reasonably priced, has free internet, and is a few bus stops from the arturo soria metro (much quicker than riding the metro). Just take the #70 bus 7 or 8 stops (it costs 1 euro each way). It's also next to the Irish Corner pub. You can get English papers there giving you some great insight (pick up the InMadrid paper for its classifieds in English). Around the arturo soria stop there is very little and what there is is very expensive. Apts in that neighbourhood are costly, but can be found.


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## Trevor Reeve (Oct 24, 2010)

plangster said:


> For getting an apartment, if you go to an inmobilaria, it will cost you 1 month's rent as a fee, plus all the other costs. The best way to do this is to walk around the neighbourhoods and look for signs that say Alquilar, write the numbers down, and call them.
> Pay as you go international is expensive, but can be found. Just avoid the big companies. Go to a little shop where they claim to unlock phones.
> 
> As for a hotel, try the hotel high tech arturo soria. It's reasonably priced, has free internet, and is a few bus stops from the arturo soria metro (much quicker than riding the metro). Just take the #70 bus 7 or 8 stops (it costs 1 euro each way). It's also next to the Irish Corner pub. You can get English papers there giving you some great insight (pick up the InMadrid paper for its classifieds in English). Around the arturo soria stop there is very little and what there is is very expensive. Apts in that neighbourhood are costly, but can be found.


Thanks
do you know if the hotel has web site? I will do a search any way.
Trev


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

SteveHall said:


> PAYG international is amazingly INexpensive. Try Lebara, Hits, Telitec etc
> 
> It's often cheaper to call international than within Spain!


Or you can get a "Skype to Go" number to use on your mobile -
Skype on your mobile device


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I agree with a lot of what plangster says, ie 


Arturo Soria is an expensive area, so you might want to look at another area.
The bus service in that area is pretty good and at times better than the metro, and of course, you get to see where you're going!
_In Madrid_ is the best (only) free English newspaper in Madrid. It's also on line so you you'll find it if you Google it.
Where do expats hang out?? Not sure, but there are a number of Irish pubs and I presume there'll be English speakers there. Also there's a second hand bookshop called J&J's where people gravitate to and there's probably a notice board with flats etc on...J & J Books and Coffee I find it too small and cramped, but may be worth checking out.

Madrid ayuntamiento offer an accommodation service where they put property owners in touch with those who want to rent and surpervise the whole process.
Servicio Municipal de Alquiler - Portal EMVS. Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo de Madrid.


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