When it’s time to eat, Madrid has many different options, each more appealing than the last. On the one hand, traditional bars where you can discover exactly what castizo means and why tapas are so much fun. On the other hand, there are its cutting-edge restaurants like DiverXO and traditional markets that have been turned into new gourmet spaces, such as San Miguel, which has become a true gastronomic shrine. In Madrid, the time is always ripe to enjoy an animated, urban atmosphere. For example, the increasingly famous weekend brunches in enclosed glass terraces, courtyards, rooftops, etc.
Walking around Madrid means coming across iconic spots such as the stunning Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor with 400 years of history, the buzzing Puerta del Sol, the famous Gran Vía full of shops, or the four tallest towers in Spain. Each neighbourhood offers a different experience: La Latina is ideal for tapas, Las Letras has the perfect combination of literature and fine dining… But Madrid also means relaxing in enormous green spaces such as the Retiro Park (which together with the Paseo del Prado boulevard have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List), and other lesser-known but equally charming parks like El Capricho.
The main airport serving Madrid is MAD Madrid Barajas International. Fairly modern and is renowned for it’s Spanish efficiency, allow a bit of extra time for connections.
Flying Private: There are many options available.
► Wikipedia information on MAD Madrid Barajas International
The best source to check which airlines are servicing the airport.
central Madrid
Size: 154 rooms and suites
Style: Traditional Elegance & Lively
Year Opened: 1910
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2024
Recently reopened, the best stay in Madrid.
More than a century after its founding by the legendary hotelier César Ritz, this Belle Époque palace remains central to the Spanish capital’s hospitality scene. And though it’s now a member of the Hong Kong–based luxury chain, Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid is still one of a kind. Its location, within the Golden Triangle described by the city’s most famous museums, is as auspicious as they come — it helps that King Alfonso XIII was instrumental to its establishment — and the architecture, both inside and out, is nothing short of monumental.
The hotel’s rooms and suites, even today, are suitably old-world in their inspiration, though a 2021 renovation has ensured they’re anything but old-fashioned. The named suites, naturally, are the most ornate, and the most over-the-top luxurious; even the entry-level rooms, however, are first-rate in their comforts, and subtly modern in their details.
Newly added is a lavish subterranean fitness and wellness complex, arguably the only element missing during the first century of the Ritz’s existence. Its restaurants and bars, however, have always been a strength, and remain so — from the swanky Pictura cocktail bar to Palm Court’s afternoon tea to Deessa, a modern Mediterranean restaurant recognized with two MICHELIN Stars.
I AM A MANDARIN ORIENTAL PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• USD 100 Food & Beverage or Spa Credit
• Daily full breakfast for two persons
• Complimentary High Speed Internet Access during stay
• Personalized welcome amenity
• One category room upgrade, subject to availability at time of check-in
• Dedicated Ambassador team support
and more
central Madrid
Size: 200 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary Classic / Sophisticated
Year Opened: 2020
Designer/Architect: Estudio Lamela / BAMO & BG Architecture
Leave it to the Four Seasons to take four historic buildings and transform them into one sensational showpiece. This brand is synonymous with service and style, and the Madrid property is no exception. Here, landmark architecture and historical details seamlessly blend with contemporary panache, especially in the supremely elegant guestrooms and suites. Its city center location is a boon for those exploring Madrid by foot, while the spa and pool await for some downtime. The hotel’s extensive art collection features a number of rising Spanish artists; equally eye-catching is the view from the buzzing rooftop restaurant.
2023 #24
I AM A FOUR SEASONS PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in
• Daily full breakfast for two people per bedroom, served in a hotel restaurant or through In-Room Dining
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Guaranteed late check-out at 4pm
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
Salamanca Quarter
Size: 22 rooms and suites
Style: Classic Contemporary / Sophisticated
Year Opened: 2021
Long esteemed for hosting discerning travelers, this distinctive hotel has been extensively renovated to an elevated level of luxury and modern amenities. Reopening as Rosewood Villa Magna in the Fall of 2021, the hotel is situated on the grand boulevard Paseo de la Castellana, steps from prestigious Calle Serrano with its desirable restaurants, lively nightlife, shopping, and impressive architecture – and minutes from Art Triangle museums. This urban oasis, surrounded by lush gardens, features 154 thoughtfully appointed guestrooms and suites, distinctive dining experiences, and Sense, A Rosewood Spa.
I AM A ROSEWOOD ELITE PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
central Madrid
Size: 22 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary / Cutting-Edge & Sophisticated
Year Opened: 2023
A city of Madrid’s caliber can always find room for another extraordinary luxury boutique hotel, and that’s what it’s got in the Madrid EDITION, another installment in the fruitful partnership between the hospitality innovator Ian Schrager and the Marriott mega-brand. Its 200 rooms and suites are plush and stylish in cloud-like white-on-white, its spa and fitness center are state-of-the-art, and, in keeping with the Schrager philosophy, its restaurants and bars are among its most dazzling spaces; they include the modern-Mexican Jerónimo and, on the open-air roof terrace, the Peruvian Oroya.
PART OF MY MARRIOTT PARTNER PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
Justica / central Madrid
Size: 78 rooms and suites
Style: Modern Design & Lively
URSO Hotel is located in a privileged enclave between the central districts of Chamberí, Tribunal, and Chueca. The hotel is a historic building built by José María Mendoza Ussía. This edifice integrates the royal character of the bourgeois architecture of Madrid during the 20th-century, with the modernity and comfort of a modern luxury hotel.
The building was home to the renowned company “Papelera Española”. The edifice maintains the neoclassical elegance with its towers, corner chamfers or the classic viewpoints that support the noble balcony. Its history can also be felt in the interior spaces, with original features such as the central patio, the colourful stained-glass windows, the decorative tiles, the library, the marble floors, and the wooden walls.
PART OF MY SLH withIN PARTNER PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
Padre Damián 23, Madrid
2024 #4
2023 #3
2022 #4
2020 #8
With dishes such as Galician lobster “waking up on the beaches of Goa”, freshwater crab from the mouth of the Guadalquivir River with XO kimchi, nigiri matured for 45 days, and toasted butter risotto with tuber aestivum, Dabiz Muñoz’s fun, hedonistic and often irreverent cuisine breaks the mould of cutting-edge gastronomic cuisine by entering his highly personal and dream-like world. As a result, he ensures a rollercoaster of emotions that constantly challenge the palate. In this striking setting, decorated with flying pigs and huge chrome ants, the single tasting menu invites his guests on a spectacular journey across the world’s different cuisines. And through the predominant use of Spanish ingredients, Muñoz is able to create more recognisable flavours than in the past. Highlighting themes such as invasive species and the Pyrenean ecosystem, the chef works without limits, combining local ingredients with exotic condiments to create intense dishes that are full of contrasts.
Hedonistic. Creative. Unpredictable. Three words to describe chef Dabiz Muñoz and the Madrid pleasure-dome that is Diverxo, where he likes to push the gastronomic boundaries as much as possible. More than a restaurant, Diverxo is an easel for the chef’s creativity, with diners brought along for the ride of their lives. Entering The World’s 50 Best Restaurants straight to No.20 in 2021, it shot to No.4 in 2022 and now climbs one more spot, entering the top three.
A MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT
PART OF THE WORLDS 50 BEST RESTAURANTS LIST
GO TO ► Diverxo MICHELIN REVIEW
► My Virtuoso Madrid Information Page
Here is a good place to start for some additional information on quality Hotels, Water Adventures and Activities.
New parks and hotels in Spain’s capital.
Nuevo Madrid, people are calling it. The city is riding a wave of highly anticipated openings – the arrival of the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid, Mandarin Oriental’s renovation of the Ritz Hotel, a host of exciting new restaurants and shops, and the impending inauguration of the Museum of Royal Collections.
► WIKIVOYAGE: Madrid Page
A great resource for all the basic information you need for Madrid.
► Visit Spain’s Madrid Page
The official visitor information for Madrid.
Spain General Information
with Visa & Entry Requirements
Mallorca General Information Page
or leave a comment below
page updated: August 2024
images courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Spain Tourism Board
Please Note: All Hotel / Resort / Cruise / Services Amenities are subject to availability and may have changed since the date of this being originally published.
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