Top 5 boutique hotels in Madrid
Away from Madrid's exuberant street life are the city's chic boutique hotels, oases of charm and tranquillity where you can unwind after a night out trying to keep up with the locals. Here are our top 5 recommendations for a memorable place to stay in the Spanish capital
1. AC Palacio del Retiro Hotel
The AC Palacio del Retiro Hotel is seriously chic, occupying a palatial early 20thcentury National Heritage building, right in the centre of Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art (Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Arte Reina Sofía museums). All its 50 luxury rooms and suites feature original wooden floors and ceiling mouldings and are stylishly and contemporarily decorated. Some rooms overlook the park. Enjoy a lunch or dinner of Mediterranean specialities at the glitzy Suite Bar. Experience the AC Palacio del Retiro Hotel for yourself on Insight Guides' Made for Madrid holiday, where you can also make the most of the well-equipped fitness room and treat yourself to one of the hotel’s many spa services.
A suite at the AC Palacio Del Retiro. Photo: Lodgingeo
2. Hotel Orfila
At Hotel Orfila, you'll find a beautifully converted Belle Epoque mansion with 32 individually decorated, elegant rooms and suites in a quiet residential area. The furniture is authentic 19th-century, which adds to the Orfila's old-world elegance. There is a lovely gourmet restaurant and terrace, where a fabulous Sunday brunch is served.
3. Hospes Puerta de Alcalá
This boutique hotel is fantastically located in a 19th-century mansion opposite the Alcalá Gate, a stone's throw from the landscaped Retiro Park. Hospes Puerta de Alcalá's decidedly contemporary decor mixes warm woods and white marble, and some of the luxuriously appointed 42 rooms and suites feature the original beams. Downstairs, the luxury spa offers a variety of wonderful treatments and there is also a jacuzzi pool where you can unwind after a long day of sightseeing. The gastronomic restaurant Independencia serves regional specialities as well as tapas to share. All guests can make the most of the complimentary MiFi.
4. Hotel Único
Hotel Único lives up to its name. Housed in a 19th-century palace the interior has retained some of the original features like its main stately staircase but it is jazzed up with colourful contemporary sculptures. The 44 rooms and suites all have high ceilings and some overlook the courtyard or garden. The delightful garden leads to the hotel's two-Michelin restaurant where chef Ramon Freixa takes you on a true culinary journey.
One Shot Recoletos 04 hotel. Photo: Lodgingeo
5. One Shot Recoletos 04
Occupying a traditional 19th-century property on a quiet street in the upscale Salamanca barrio, the One Shot Recoletos 04 is within an easy walk of Retiro Park and the designer shops of Serrano Street. Culture buffs will enjoy the hotel's proximity to Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art: the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Arte Reina Sofía museums. The 61 stylish rooms and suites are contemporarily decorated, and feature Scandinavian-style furniture (some have a balcony too). Bathrooms come with a roll-top bath or a rain shower. Extras include an electric bike rental service and a shuttle service. Stay at the One Shot Recoletos 04 with Insight Guides' Cultural Cities of Spain, which also takes in a visit to the Prado and a flamenco evening.
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