The Best Five-Star Hotels in Madrid, Spain

One of Ernest Hemingway’s favourite places to stay in Madrid was the old Palace Hotel, now the Westin Palace, a grand hotel with all the luxurious touches you could possibly want. A short walk from Madrid’s finest art galleries, it makes a great base for exploring the city. It has a good range of rooms and suites and several dining options including La Rotunda, a restaurant that lies under a stained glass dome, which hosts a weekly opera brunch. Rooms start at €254 a night.

Set right on Madrid’s Gran Vía, The Principal is a stylish hotel with a beautiful roof terrace where guests can enjoy a relaxing evening cocktail. Its sixth-floor Ático restaurant is a more casual dining option from Michelin-starred chef Ramón Freixa. There is a good choice of rooms and suites and a wellness suite, where you can have a massage after a long day of sightseeing.

This Art Deco hotel, close to the central Puerta del Sol, has luxuriously-decorated rooms, a beautiful rooftop terrace, complete with bar and pool, and even its very own art museum. Art is a central theme throughout, with pieces decorating the rooms, making it seem like you’re sleeping in a swanky gallery. Dining options are just as high-end; the Michelin-starred Cebo restaurant does a modern take on Mediterranean cuisine, while Glass Mar is a seafood restaurant with a menu designed by chef, Angel Leon.

Set in a former 19th-century palace close to Madrid’s Royal Palace, the Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques is an architecturally-stunning hotel. There are doubles, family rooms and suites and the hotel’s rooftop has a swimming pool and whirlpool. Relax after a long day in the hotel’s Thai Room Wellness centre, offering massages or pump some iron in the 24-hour fitness centre. The Dos Cielos restaurant is a Michelin-starred offering from the famous Spanish chefs Javier and Sergio Torres, located where the palace’s stables once stood.

In the hip Chueca neighbourhood, Hotel Urso adds a luxurious edge to any stay in the capital. Room options include spacious doubles and a range of suites, some with their own terrace. The Urso Spa takes wellness to the next level with sumptuous treatments that will leave you relaxed and nourished. Breakfast is served in the light-filled conservatory, while dining options include the restaurant Media Ración serving modern tapas dishes.

The five-star Barceló Emperatriz is located in a 19th-century palace and the entire hotel is inspired by royalty, specifically Empress Eugenia de Montijo. Its 146 rooms include family rooms for up to six people – a great option for people travelling en masse. It is located in Madrid’s most exclusive neighbourhood, Salamanca, home to the Golden Mile of designer shops.

This 50 room hotel is set in an early 20th-century building protected by Spain’s National Heritage just in front of Madrid’s Retiro Park. The hotel has original features, including wooden floors and ceiling mouldings and frescos painted by Julio Romero de Torres. The hotel has a full spa and fitness centre where guests can chill out or work out to their heart’s content.