On any given evening in Madrid, as the sun sets over the spires and rooftops and begins to cast its long, pink tendrils down the many grand boulevards, there’s a sense that the city is finally, fully springing to life. Few capital cities in Europe have the same spirit of inclusivity and warmth (both literally and figuratively) as Madrid – for while it’s an international hub, sure, it’s also a place where you can slip into a poky taberna or tapas bar and immediately feel at one with the locals, or spend the best part of a day wandering through its neighbourhoods without encountering a single other tourist, somehow.
So why have travellers to Spain so often gravitated towards the beaches and clubs of Barcelona instead? And why isn’t Madrid mentioned in the same breath as European capitals like London, Paris, and Rome, especially when it comes to browsing museums packed with masterpieces, top-tier luxury shopping, and the very best of cuisines from around the world to sample?
I’m afraid I don’t have conclusive answers to those questions, but what I can say is that Madrid should be part of that list of bucket-list European cities –and that there’s never been a better time to visit than now. Not only is its always-buzzing cultural scene livelier than ever following a series of tough lockdown measures during the pandemic, but a new crop of five-star hotels from some of the hospitality game’s biggest names have landed in town over the past year or two, all offering a new perspective on this most vibrant of cities.
Here, find our edit of the best hotels in Madrid.
The Edition Madrid
The expansion of the Edition Hotel chain has continued apace over the past few years, offering sleek, minimalist rooms paired with hip rooftop bars and restaurants to attract a creative crowd in up-and-coming parts of their various cities. And few European capitals feel as neat a fit for the chain’s philosophy as Madrid, with its irrepressibly exuberant energy. (The property opened its doors in the spring of 2022, kicking off with a typically raucous weekend of events that saw international guests mix with an eclectic crowd of Madrileños.)
Step from the bustling crowds outside the El Corte Inglés department store opposite, and into the hotel’s expansive lobby – reached via a sculptural, ribbon-like spiral staircase that was designed by the legendary British minimalist architect John Pawson to feature no handrails – and you might feel as if you’ve stepped into a sci-fi movie, with its sleek, whitewashed walls and Jetsons-worthy retro-futuristic pool table. But look closer, and there are details that nod to both the surrounding city and its history: most notably an enormous, gently faded tapestry that hangs across a far wall and the flamenco shawls artfully draped on Jean-Michel Frank armchairs.
Once you’re able to stop gawping at the offbeat architectural details carefully sprinkled throughout, you’ll find all of the creature comforts you need in one of their well-appointed bedrooms or suites – albeit with the brand’s signature design-led twist. For the hotel’s look, its maverick design mastermind Ian Schrager partnered with both Pawson and Paris-based interior designer François Champsaur. The result is a more vibrant design scheme than is typical for the Edition, as a subtle homage to the optimistic La Movida cultural movement (see, as an example, Pedro Almodóvar’s kaleidoscopic kitsch) that sprung up in the wake of Franco’s death.
Finally, when it comes to dining, the Edition also has you covered: There’s Market on the ground floor for elevated riffs on tapas and paella, or the lively Oroya on the rooftop, which serves Peruvian food under the aegis of the internationally renowned Lima-born chef Diego Muñoz, and features tangy, lip-smackingly fresh ceviches alongside an extensive menu of Pisco sours and El Capitáns. This being an Edition, there’s also a rooftop pool – supposedly the largest in the city centre. Madrid is known for its baking-hot summers (hence why a night out here regularly extends into the early hours of the morning, if not well into the next day), so you’ll be grateful for a refreshing dip. —Liam Hess
Amenities: Outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, garden, sauna, spa and wellness centre, billiards.
Address: Plaza de Celenque 2, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Four Seasons Madrid
When it comes to understated opulence, there are few brands as reliable as the Four Seasons – and with their brand-new property smack bang in the centre of Madrid, this winning formula feels truer than ever. First, there’s the building itself: A six-year-long refurbishment has seen El Palacio de la Equitativa, an enormous former bank in the city centre, restored to its former grandeur, from the cavernous marble-floored lobby with its delicate glass skylight, to the leafy rooftop bar and restaurant that offer views directly onto the thronging crowds of Calle Alcalá and Calle Sevilla.
Then, there’s that location. Situated merely a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Puerta del Sol – the public square that serves as the central point from which all radial roads in Spain are measured, making it not just the beating heart of the city, but the entire country – you couldn’t be more in the thick of the action if you tried. (It’s also only a short wander through a series of lively streets and alleyways to the city’s nightlife hub and gay district, Chueca, or further south to the endless standout restaurants of Huertas.)
But step into the hotel proper, and you’d never guess all that was going on outside. In keeping with the Four Seasons’ typically refined air, the rooms are as plush and peaceful as they come, decked out in subdued neutrals punctuated with tasteful gilded touches to foster an instant air of calm. For nods to the local creative scene, the designers worked with curator Paloma Fernández-Iriondo to build a collection of over 1,500 pieces from emerging Spanish artists that are placed with precision around the guest rooms, foyers, and restaurants to lend the property a more uniquely Iberian flavour.
There are also a handful of spots around the property to imbibe and savour local delicacies – the vibrant rooftop restaurant and bar Dani, which takes its cues from Andalusian cuisine and buzzes with locals as well as guests every night of the week, or the Japanese-inspired dining lounge Isa – but the real jewel in the crown here is the expansive spa area, located across four levels at the top of the property. A 46-foot swimming pool sits alongside a wall of glass concertina doors that can be opened up in the summer, while a rooftop hanging garden provides a spot to retire after a treatment or a stint in the sauna and steam room. Up here in this private oasis, you can barely hear a sound – you’d never believe that Madrid’s busiest streets were just metres away. —L.H.
Amenities: Swimming pool, restaurant, bar, airport transfers, spa and wellness centre, private parking
Address: Sevilla, 3, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Rosewood Villa Magna
If you’re looking to situate yourself a little outside the (sometimes overwhelming) hustle and bustle of Madrid’s central neighbourhoods, there’s no better place to do so than Rosewood Villa Magna. The hotel, which opened at the beginning of 2022 after a top-to-toe refurbishment, is located in a glamorous 1970s building in the ritzy district of Salamanca (think Madrid’s Upper East Side), where you can spend an afternoon browsing the nearby designer stores – the Loewe flagship is a must – or simply find a perch at a café and people-watch, as impeccably dressed crowds of Madrileños flutter by.
While it’s only a 20-minute walk to the centre of Madrid and its numerous tourist attractions, that extra distance means that you’ll find the rooms here particularly spacious, with even the entry-level accommodations offering the high-end pleasures of silky Rivolta Carmignani linens, well-stocked Nespresso machines, and deluxe, marble-clad bathrooms. (And at the very other end of the spectrum, Rosewood Villa Magna recently debuted a series of extraordinarily lavish penthouses that feature breathtaking views over the city from what’s said to be the largest hotel terrace in Europe and top-tier luxuries including a private gym and sauna.)
While there are dining options aplenty, all offering impressively authentic interpretations of local and regional Spanish cooking, the standout is undoubtedly Amós, a fine-dining spot helmed by acclaimed chef Jesús Sánchez as an ode to the cuisine of his native Cantabria region in northern Spain. With a tasting menu informed by the curious mix of briny tang and fruity sweetness (and abundant seafood) that characterises the food of his childhood – think velvety anchovies, tuna and pickle tartlets, and sous vide leeks with cod mayonnaise – it’s about as adventurous a Spanish gastronomic odyssey you can have without leaving Madrid. Just make sure you leave plenty of room for some sobao pasiego cake before rolling back to your scenic suite. —L.H.
Amenities: Restaurants, bars, spa and wellness centre, rental car service, shipping and receiving services, pet friendly amenities
Address: Paseo de la Castellana, 22, Salamanca, 28046 Madrid, Spain
Mandarin Oriental Ritz
Stepping through the threshold of the Mandarin Oriental Ritz and into its airy Belle Époque lobby feels a little like stepping back in time – and no wonder, given the property dates to 1910, after Spain’s then-king aspired to create grand lodgings to rival the great Ritz hotels of London and Paris, and hired the celebrated hotelier César Ritz himself to do so. After six years of renovations, however, this Madrid institution – over the decades, it’s played host to everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Grace Kelly to Michael Jackson – has been given a new lease on life under the aegis of the Mandarin Oriental hotel group, with all the 21st-century mod cons to match its historical grandeur.
It’s not hard to understand why the hotel has attracted such a cosmopolitan, culturally minded crowd. If you’re planning to spend a day at the Museo del Prado (and really, if you’re coming to Madrid, you should spend at least a day at what is undoubtedly one of the great museums of the world, with masterpieces by the likes of Breughel, Goya, and Velazquez), you couldn’t get any closer if you tried – it’s literally across the road. Otherwise, if you’re the kind of tourist who prefers to wander around and soak up the atmosphere, you can either head a few minutes east, to the thick of the city centre, or west, to the glorious gardens and greenhouses of El Retiro Park.
If you fancy just kicking back in the luxurious trappings of the hotel instead, there’s plenty to keep you occupied: notably two all-day restaurants; an enormous, leafy outdoor terrace cafe and bar; and the two-Michelin-starred Deessa, which offers both “historical” and “contemporary” tasting menus depending on what you’re in the mood for. (Both, however, promise exceptional and inventive takes on classic Spanish dishes, from creamy rice with squid and paprika to cod confit.) The property’s sleek spa offering is also worth highlighting: alongside the usual array of luxe massages and facials, the basement houses an opulent indoor pool surrounded by white veined marble and lit by chandeliers and twinkling lights on the ceiling that mirror the star constellations as seen from Madrid. It’s a perfect blend of the city’s illustrious history and the creative spirit of today – and all in a can’t-be-beat location. —L.H.
Amenities: Indoor swimming pool, spa and wellness centre, restaurants, bars, one-way airport transportation, free parking
Address: Plaza de la Lealtad, 5, Retiro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
JW Marriott
Located just steps away from Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, which sits in the heart of the city, the recently-renovated JW Marriott – which opened its doors in 2023, following four years of building renovations – is a sophisticated option for travellers looking for ease and convenience. Step inside the sleek lobby, and the columns dating back to the 19th century nod to the city’s rich architectural history (the building was first built back in the 1880s). Yet the architecture firm Rockwell Group has carefully modernised the space’s overall feeling, thanks to a calming design centred around natural materials and a neutral colour palette.
Inside the hotel, the tastefully decorated rooms provide a calming place to rest – as does the small but mighty spa, which offers facials and body treatments. With its exposed brick walls, the fitness centre also makes breaking a sweat after a long-haul flight feel genuinely appealing.
The property’s primary restaurant, meanwhile – Qú by Mario Sandoval – offers haute takes on traditional Spanish cuisine. On the menu are shareable dishes such as clams in albariño sauce, grilled artichokes with Iberian ham, and prawn carpaccio with jalapeño and ginger; mains include all of the fixtures including sea bass, tuna with green mojo, veal shanks and steaks. Don’t miss the extensive wine list, either – all to be enjoyed in the space’s sprawling, but warmly-lit, space. —Christian Allaire
Amenities: Spa and fitness centre, restaurant, bar, valet parking
Address: C. de Sevilla, 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel
This grand dame is one of the city’s very grandest – the 19th-century neoclassical former palace of the Duke of Santo Mauro, no less, designed by architect Juan Bautista Lázaro in the French style then fashionable. A hotel since 1991, a Marriott since 2011, it was renovated and reopened in 2021 as one of the latter mega-brand’s Luxury Collection. Today it combines the latest in contemporary comforts and discreet, warm service in the 49 rooms (Byredo bathroom products, super-king beds, a bellman with a genuine smile), with its historic architecture and wealth of antiques (Christofle silverware, the Duke’s original lighting fixtures in the Royal Suite...). The balance at once renders it slightly less stuffy and
more appealing, both to A-listers looking to fly under the radar (and the Beckhams) and the capital’s usual grandees. Its three ornate buildings, originally two mansions and a stables, are set around an Elysian, 10,000sq-ft private city garden lined by chestnut, eucalyptus and palm trees, sprinkled with sun-worshipping terraces and pavilions. The palace’s location in the prestigious, leafy neighbourhood of Chamberi, a deceptively central area flush with galleries, theatres and museums (the Museo Sorolla, dedicated to painter Joaquín Sorolla, is within walking distance, as is the smart Salamanca shopping district around Calle Serrano) makes it at once convenient and peaceful, rubbing shoulders with private clinics, embassies and the homes of the city’s elite. Renowned Barcelona-born chef Rafa Peña’s La Biblioteca de Santo Mauro restaurant, in what was the Duke's Library, draws a discerning foodie crowd for its caviar profiteroles and other updates on ‘noble’ seasonal cuisine, while La Cocteleria del Santo bar shakes up Santo Mauro cocktails to be savoured while people-watching from its members’-club-style leather armchairs.
Amenities: Garden, restaurant, indoor pool, spa treatments on request, gym, sauna, steam room, fitness centre, meeting space, bicycle rental, parking garage
Address: Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Calle de Zurbano, 36, Chamberí, 28010 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Don’t hold back at the table-service breakfast feast, preferably taken in the garden.
7 Islas Hotel
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7 Islas is all about cultural fusion. It was opened in 2002 by Juan Rosa, a Lanzarote businessman who envisioned the hotel to be a home from home for Madrid-visiting Canarians – hence the volcanic stone pillars from the island in the lobby. Today it remains family-run, by his three boundary-pushing granddaughters since 2012, who’ve collaborated to make 7 Islas a landmark venue in up-and-coming Triball, a formerly more rock-n-roll dingy spot, located at the base of hipster bar-and-boutique central, Malasaña, perhaps the city’s most on-trend barrio, as well as just 200 metres from the hordes streaming down Gran Vía – and also not far from vibey areas such as Chueca and Conde Duque.
7 Islas’ key distinguishing feature is its open art gallery, where fresh shows from emerging local or international artists launch every three months for guests and passers-by alike, in
an industrial-chic space carefully crafted by local furniture and interior design studio Kikekeller (Kike and Celia, the people behind the hybrid brand, have their own ever-buzzing, store-gallery-bar in the city). The hotel’s 79 rooms are inspired by Bauhaus minimalism, with woven leather and steel headboards, striking bronze ‘baby-hand’ wall hooks, and other soft, sculptural pieces sometimes created from upcycled car and aeroplane parts, all alongside splashes of colour and softness, in handcrafted geometric Gan Rug carpets, swinging hammocks, rattan chairs and complimentary yoga kits. Deep tubs near windows make for maximum city views while you soak in water foaming with Malin + Goetz potions squeezed from nice, big bottles. Loyal fitness routiners will appreciate the new gym, while anyone with allergies (or not) is well-catered for by the Allergen lookup table at the 7 Kitchen and Bar, and unique cocktails are whipped up with local botanicals in the 7 Craft Bar.
Amenities: Art gallery, kitchen and bar, gym, meeting spaces, pet-friendly, bikes for hire
Address: 7 Islas Hotel, C. de Valverde, 14, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: The hotel’s curation of artsy things to do in the city – and, if you can, a stay in one of the three sixth-floor Áticos, for the terrace sun-beds and views across the rooftops.
Bless Hotel Madrid
Decadent, eclectic, different: Bless Hotel Madrid, from the Ibiza-based Palladium Hotel Group, is an adult playground of a hotel within Salamanca, the city’s chicest district and home to the likes of Gucci, Prada, Loewe. The 111-room space boasts everything from the Golden Mile’s only rooftop pool at its open-every-day, exclusive Picos Pardos Sky Lounge by Martini – encircled by Balinese sunbeds with views down to Madrid’s major thoroughfare Velazquez Street and the place to be for a summer sundowner – to a Wellbeing Terrace Villa with the very latest in age-defying sleeping technology, and access to speakeasy basement bar/club Fetén, complete with bowling alley and pole dancing room. Located in the former Gran Hotel Velázquez building, the 1946-opened iconic spot where the city’s high society would congregate, Barcelona design guru Lázaro Rosa-Violan retained such original features as the coiled marble staircase and grand glass dome, while including Fifties and Sixties artworks to nod to its previous incarnation. Today it’s seemingly no less lively, with entering guests immediately swept into the whirl of the Art-Deco-vintage-DJ-bar, the Bless Lively Lounge; staff steer them towards the reception tucked off to the side. The large suites are designed to feel like genuine private Salamanca homes and they hit the brief, via such touches as designer electric fireplaces, vintage tubs (make use of the bathologist for bespoke soaps and scents), outdoor hydromassage tubs, William Morris bedheads and homely framed photographs. Try traditional Japanese with a twist at SLJV, or Basque classics from 12-time Michelin-starred Martín Berasategui (the most stars won by any chef in Spain, ever) at Etxeko.
Amenities: Outdoor pool, roof terrace, spa and wellness centre, hammam, sauna, steam room, sensory showers, ice cascade and Jacuzzi, fitness centre, bar, pets allowed on request
Address: Bless Hotel Madrid, C. de Velázquez, 62, 28001, Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Spain’s first in-hotel Acqua di Parma barber shop, or Pinzelada Lounge’s daily vermouth and aperitif hour.
Westin Palace Madrid
Located right at the heart of the action, facing Plaza de Neptuno, the Spanish Parliament and the Prado Museum in the literary Barrio de las Letras (or Art Walk), Westin Palace Madrid has been setting hotel standards in the Spanish capital ever since it first opened in 1912. The vision of King Alfonso XIII and designed by Belgians Leon Monnoyer et fils, at launch it was Europe’s largest hotel, created to offer visitors the most modern of luxuries. A block in size, the Parisian-style white stucco landmark harbours a small museum about its storied history, its walls witness to surname-only status guests over the decades: Hemingway, Picasso, Dalí (who is said to have scribbled on the walls), the Stones, Clinton... Aguilera. The grand dame continues to strike the skilful balance between historic and cutting-edge: its 470 rooms are Belle Epoque or classic in style, with marble bathtubs and Spanish art originals; beds are especially soft and deep as per the Westin Heavenly brand, hair dryers professional, showers spa-like. The hotel’s showstopper is La Rotunda lobby bar, or more specifically its stained glass cupola ceiling in burgundy, teal and green – guests and locals alike sit beneath it with a classic cocktail at all hours. Alternatively, Hemingway liked the leather and wood-clad 1912 Museo Bar so much he referenced it in his novel The Sun Also Rises.
Amenities: Restaurant, fitness centre, meeting spaces, hair salon, domesticated pets allowed (one per room), sauna, spa, private parking
Address: Westin Palace Madrid, Pl. de las Cortes, 7, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Besides a tinkling cocktail at La Rotunda, sample the Peking duck at the hotel’s Cantonese restaurant, Asia Gallery Madrid.
Tótem Madrid
If you’d like to imagine you live in Madrid’s boutique-filled Salamanca district awhile, just off classy shopping street Jorge Juan, in a pretty period property with sultry, contemporary design – head to the the 2022-opened Tótem Madrid, a member of the Small Luxury Hotel of the World group. Its 64 light-filled rooms, designed by Barcelona-based house Corium, flow out from its centrepiece restored 19th-century wooden staircase. Each is a masterclass in the sort of restraint seen in today’s members’ clubs: black-marble bathrooms, curtains that pop in olive, teal velvet corner sofas, beds that face French windows with Juliet balconies, ideal for slowly allowing the morning’s rays to rouse you. There are also 300 pieces of art spread through the space, including inside the rooms and a courtyard water sculpture by Catalan designer Pere Gifre. The hotel’s restaurant and bar have also nailed their audience and are consistently buzzing with local residents and workers (so book ahead). The plant-draped El Pimiento Verde Basque’s first outpost opened on Labasca Street in 1998 and now the brand spans five spots across the city, including Tótem Madrid where is spreads outside onto a large terrace and serves its original signature dish, artichoke flowers, apparently made using a secret recipe. Its stunning Ginkgo Sky Bar is also consistently popular – arrive early to avoid the queues.
Amenities: Bar, restaurant, meeting rooms, rooftop pool, gym, pet-friendly, gallery, private parking, local guides, massages and personal trainer and shopper services can be arranged
Address: Totem Madrid, C. de Hermosilla, 23, Salamanca, 28001 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: A dip in the seriously high rooftop pool.
The Pavilions Madrid
Avoid the tourist crowd at this smart, little hotel secret. Centrally located off the Plaza de Colón near Serrano Street’s many shops and the buzz of main Madrid thoroughfare Paseo de la Castellana, it’s still easy to miss, tucked down a sidestreet with nothing much to mark out its unassuming, moodily lit frontage. The 2019-launched boutique hotel looks residential because it was – a series of one- and two-bed private studios converted into 28 rooms, part of the Hong Kong-based Pavilions group, today popular with repeat Madrid business guests or in-the-know returning travellers. Now it feels more like a gallery, thanks to the lobby’s contemporary Spanish pieces and the for-sale artwork throughout, curated by prestigious local gallery Alvaro Alcazar, on rotating loan. The hotel’s design by the Rome-based Studio Marincola Architects is sleek and self-assured – charcoal, burnt orange or deep red walls, glamorous overhead bathroom lighting, hydromassage showers, bold indoor greenery and living walls. Mediterranean cuisine with a twist is served at Barcelona-born chef Guillermo Salazar's Guillermina, such as spider crab Russian salad or gyozas stuffed with tripe, best eaten on one of the white marble tables on the patio beneath a skylight, or, if the weather’s allowed the roof be retracted, the open sky.
Amenities: Restaurant, garden, fitness centre, private parking, small dogs up to 8kg welcome, dog sitters available upon request, transfer and car services available
Address: The Pavilions Madrid, Calle Amador de los Ríos, 3 28010 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Try the steak tartar sirloin, served with South Korean gochujang chillies, daikon and shaved Jerusalem artichokes – a nod to chef Guillermo’s years in some of New York’s most boundary-breaking kitchens.
Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá
Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá rubs shoulders with the likes of Madrid’s Opera House, Royal Palace, the Grand Viá shopping area and Cathedral all within the Habsburg district – and it certainly holds its own. The part-former 13th-century Santo Domingo convent, part 19th-century palace’s striking Elizabethan façade is best seen lit-up at night. Inside, ornate public spaces feature odes to Velazquez’s works in a nod to past owners, the Dukes of Granada de Ega and Villahermosa, influential collectors in Madrid’s art scene during the mid-1800s. Open since 2017, it underwent a full renovation by ASAH Architects, led by Mallorcan father and daughter team Álvaro and Adriana Sans, with collaboration and support from Madrid’s own Directorate General of Cultural Heritage. Rooms maintain the all-out opulence, with rich, thick drapes, pillows upon pillow menus, Clarins products and imposing wall-size mural portraits once again from Velazquez (the entire interior takes its lead from the artist’s preferred palette). Suites include butler services and are part of the velvet-rope RedLevel ‘premium experience’, which includes access to an open bar, breakfast buffet and private lounge with snacks, as well as guaranteed late checkout. In the former stables and courtyard (in the warmer months), you’ll find the exposed-brick-heavy Dos Cielos, an exciting Castilian restaurant from chefs Sergio and Javier Torresthe, the brothers behind Barcelona’s Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name. Here they seem to let loose, experimenting with further flourishes to traditional local recipes – tuna belly, Iberican ham and tomato, for example. Note that hotel guests need to book ahead for a table at this hotspot, just like any other hungry customer. Also sprawling into the garden come summer, 24-hour Coroa lounge bar and restaurant offers more relaxed bites and breakfast, while Montmartre is your best bet for French-Spanish light, luxe classy plates.
Amenities: Outdoor pool, rooftop with whirlpool bathtub, restaurant, spa and wellness centre, sauna, steam room, fitness centre, garden, meeting spaces, professional photographer session on request, airport transfer
Address: Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá, Cuesta de Sto. Domingo, 5, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Spending time in the rooftop pool and Jacuzzi, looking out on some of the best panoramic views in the city.
Relais & Châteaux Hotel Orfila
Described by some as the city’s top hidden gem of a hotel, Hotel Orfila became Madrid’s first Relais & Châteaux in 2013 following a sensitive yet sharp restoration by Lorenzo Castillo. The Spanish interior designer and antiques dealer superstar managed to both entirely bring the 1886 property up to modern-day standards of comfort and maintain its Belle Epoque bones. The 32-room, family-owned converted mansion therefore has the vibe of some aristocrat’s actual house, with its loudly patterned wallpapers, lashings of marble and wooden panelling and abundance of comfortable fine armchairs. Breakfast comes served with real silverware, best taken, if possible, in the beautiful terraced garden, looking out on its grand central frescoed wall. Out here is the El Jardín de Orfila restaurant, manned by revered chef Mario Sandoval of two-starred Coque fame, a regular favourite of upmarket local Chamberí District foodies, so make sure to reserve your spot. Overdone the pavement-pounding during the day? Caroli Health Club offers well-reviewed massages, that can be combined with use of the in-room Etro products, hydrotherapy bath and minty foot balm given out as part of the turn-down service.
Amenities: Restaurant, private parking, terrace, bar, spa, garden, terrace
Address: Relais & Châteaux Hotel Orfila, C. de Orfila, 6, Chamberí, 28010 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: The fixed-price lunchtime executive menu is an incredibly reasonable way to sample what’s on offer at El Jardín de Orfila.
Only You Boutique Hotel Madrid
As chic as its Chueca neighbourhood, Only You Boutique Hotel Madrid brilliantly blends old-world prestige – the 19th-century property was formerly home to Elvira, Marquesa of Alhama – with contemporary cool. Barcelona-based design heavy hitter Lázaro Rosa-Violán has entirely revamped the place, leaping off from traditional blue and white Spanish tiles and reaching as far as a taxidermy rhino head in the lounge, via retro curvy sofas and tables and statement lamps. Another interior brainwave is the Padrino Cocktail Bar in the mansion’s former library, made to look like a bookstore or museum filled with antique tomes and vintage prints, while Celicioso is apparently the most truly ‘gluten free’ place to eat in Madrid. Chef Carlos Martín’s YOUnique Arts Club offers fine dining, while rooms are similarly glint–in-the-eye boundary-pushing – there are ‘Fabulofts’ amid the roofbeams and the ‘Suiteheart’ is a 50m-square attic room with a cosy terrace, spiral staircase and unique arch-shaped library. For something reassuringly ancient among all the forward-thinking fun, book a massage infused with Chinese medicine, yoga, Indonesian Jamu, Ayurveda and more at the Thai Room Wellness centre.
Amenities: Restaurant, bar, gym, spa, sauna, barbershop, private parking, pet-friendly, in-room services such as a wine experience, meeting spaces
Address: Only You Hotel Atocha, Calle Barquillo 21 Madrid
What not to miss: Have a decadent late breakfast at this 24-hour hotel – it’s served at any hour.
Urso Hotel & Spa, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World
Said to be popular with in-the-know repeat visitors, staycationing locals and artsy international types thanks to its membership of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this early 20th-century, neoclassical spot is perfectly poised between trendsetting Chueca and Malasana and fashionable Calle Fuencarra, itself tucked up in the more residential, grown-up area of Salesas. Such a location makes it as good for those wanting to hit the wealth of top-notch tapas bars, clubs and restaurants nearby as it does for those after a little peace in this fast-paced, at-times frenetic city. Head inside the handsome, high-ceilinged heritage building, and, like a sweet in a wrapper, Urso feels more like a more modern boutique hotel, its interiors the vision of celebrated Spanish designer Antonio Obrador. While he carefully maintained features such as mahogany lift, stained-glass windows, marble staircase, and, outside, its eye-catching azulejo tiles in his 2013 renovation, he also brought in bold prints, wallpapers and floor tiles, locally crafted leather-top desks, glass stairs and moveable bookshelves; aspects, he says, to “emulate the hustle and bustle in the capital”. The subterranean spa, meanwhile, where you’ll find Natura Bissé and Sisley products plus a 12-metre hydromassage pool and steam room, was designed by The Lab Room, one of Madrid's most revered spa and beauty centres. The flagship restaurant, Media Ración by Cuenllas serves traditional Spanish dishes with contemporary flourishes and is similarly locally revered, so be sure to book. Breakfast in the light-splashed Conservatory lined by vivid living walls is also a treat; load up on fuel there before hiring bikes from the hotel and free-wheeling off.
Amenities: Restaurants, bar, spa and wellness centre, sauna, hammam, gym, pool, hot tub, pet-friendly, private parking
Address: URSO Hotel & Spa, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World, C. de Mejía Lequerica, 8, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: The Diamond Dust facial – because your cheeks deserve it.
Relais & Châteaux Heritage Hotel
A listed Belle Epoque bolthole, this early 20th-century, 46-room hotel more than matches the standards of its surrounding Salamanca location, the city’s designer-boutique hub. As with its sister Relais & Chateaux spot on our list, Hotel Orfila, interiors here have been given Lorenzo Castillo love: every space is effortlessly opulent, with a careful curation of international antiques, hand-painted trees and birds on silk panels, stripes, geometric prints, a soothing palette of muted green, grey and blue that sings in the sunlight flowing in through large windows looking out on tree-lined streets. Bathrooms are marble with hydromassage tubs, Sothys products and Black Mambo hair dryers, and rooms have smart, movement-activated lights. Chef Mario Sandoval of the nearby two Michelin-starred Coque and Orfila’s El Jardín de Orfila, runs Haroma, which serves simpler but also stand-out Spanish fine dining using local produce – the fixed-price lunch menu is a relative steal, or you could opt for weekend brunch. Breakfast can be served in-room or at the rooftop garden (people rave about the coffee). Indeed, the sun terrace or solarium is this hotel’s crowning glory, with memory-forming, insider views out over the city.
Amenities: Restaurant, bar, terrace, private parking, pet-friendly
Address: Relais & Châteaux Heritage Hotel, Calle de Diego de León, 43, Salamanca, 28006 Madrid, Spain
What not to miss: Eat oysters on the secret roof terrace, while possibly feeling smugger than anyone else in Madrid in that moment.
