"If offered any location in the city, many a Madrileño would probably choose to live on the Parque del Retiro, a 350-acre park—once reserved for the royal family—that’s now the heart of the Spanish capital. A century ago, the aristocrats who built the private mansion later to become the AC Palacio del Retiro had the same idea, and so they commissioned an opulent ode to fashionable tastes and extravagant lifestyles, including frescoes by the hottest artists of the time, stained-glass windows from Paris , balconies overlooking the park, and an elevator to carry their horses up to the rooftop riding ring. These days, the palace lacks horses, but the trendsetting and luxury themes remain. While the ornate neoclassical architecture has been lovingly preserved, the design team has complemented it with modern art and decor, such as Lichtenstein silkscreen prints and sleek midcentury furnishings. Carved wood panels and marble fireplaces sit side by side with Mies van der Rohe chairs. And, just as if the original aristocrats still lived here, every whim is answered without question. Who needs to find their own palace on the park when there’s the Palacio del Retiro?"

"If it’s paparazzi and scenesters you’re seeking, look elsewhere. This 19th-century ducal palace has seen its fair share of rich and famous faces over its years first as the Duke of Santo Mauro’s residence, then as the Canadian embassy, and now as an Autograph Collection hotel, but it also knows how to be discreet. Tucked away in the exclusive Chamberi area—a leafy, scenic neighborhood where Madrid ’s 19th-century aristocracy built their private mansions—the AC Santo Mauro hides its secluded gardens, wrought iron balconies, and ornate sitting rooms behind carved stone walls. Those who cross the threshold are treated to a haven of contemporary luxury: the hotel is still a palace, complete with acclaimed dining in the wood-paneled library, a decadent spa with a 1920s-inspired indoor pool, and the same original architectural features commissioned by the Duke himself. But the rooms have a bit more 20th-century flair, with modern art on the walls, clean-lined furnishings offsetting the building’s gaudier nature, and oversize marble bathrooms fit for a king. Luckily, you don’t have to be a king (or even a duke) to get the royal treatment here."

"The Beatles stayed here. Cary Grant stayed here. The Spanish royal family has even stayed here, in their own home city. Can there be any better endorsement? A grande dame in a city known for drama and extravagance, the Gran Meliá Fénix is exactly the kind of traditionally luxe hotel every European capital needs. An imposing structure presiding over one of Madrid ’s main avenues, the hotel’s first impression is topped only by its second: a columned marble lobby worthy of a palace, filled with elegant Louis XVII chairs and crowned with a stained-glass dome. Rooms exude Old World splendor, while Red Level suites take the royal residence atmosphere to the next level, with over-the-top service that includes a private lounge with an open bar, free breakfast, and a private balcony overlooking the city—even though many of the top suites also have scenic private terraces with hot tubs. As with all opulent institutions, even nonresidents participate in the hotel’s ritzy society scene, courtesy of its acclaimed, art deco–styled brasserie and sultry cocktail bar where, if you order a martini, you’ll receive a numbered certificate in accordance with the automated martini counter over the bar. But, with a scene like this, most guests here don’t worry about counting their martinis."

"Hospes Madrid From its perch overlooking the iconic 18th-century Puerta de Alcalá, at the northwest corner of the verdant Parque del Retiro, the Hospes Madrid appears to be a traditional institution of the Spanish capital. Built for a widowed duchess in the late 19th century by renowned architect José María Aguilar, the red brick townhouse is a prime example of Bourbon Restoration architecture, but, when the luxury Hospes chain took it over, the design team transformed the onetime private apartments into an ode to minimalist modern style, complete with frameless mirrors and clean-lined white leather sofas. The ground-floor café, too, was once a landmark for the upper echelons of Madrileño society; the new owners reimagined the Cafetería Independencia as a sleeker version worthy of a design magazine spread. But lovers of tradition and design need not fear. The Hospes team didn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. They preserved original architectural details such as ornate crown moldings and wood beams, alongside the café and restaurant’s acclaimed cuisine and prime sidewalk views. And they even improved a few things, too, converting the old stables into a luxury spa and turning the top floors into duplex-style suites overlooking the park. So maybe the Hospes Madrid isn’t quite the beacon of old Madrid it seems, but that’s not a bad thing."

"Spain takes its food seriously. After all, it’s the country that gave birth to El Bulli and, as of 2015, has 169 Michelin-starred restaurants (11 in Madrid alone). So it comes as no surprise that a top hotel on a main boulevard in the capital should be home to one of these temples to gastronomy, the two-Michelin-starred Santceloni. But the Hotel Hesperia Madrid doesn’t content itself with just a world-class restaurant. No, this sleek retreat—decorated boldly by some of Spain ’s top designers, including Pascua Ortega, Erico Navazo, and Mercedes Gonzalez López-de-Carrizosa—is devoted to the best of contemporary Spanish dining, with a total of three acclaimed restaurants and a sultry scotch bar attracting the most discerning palates in Madrileño society. In between decadent meals—and exploring the ritzy shopping and myriad sights just outside the hotel’s front door—work up an appetite at the open-air gym up on the rooftop, yet another of the Hesperia’s claims to fame."

"The Hotel Único isn’t fooling around. For all the pops of color and geometric modern sculptures scattered throughout, the cutting-edge technology in rooms, extensive book and DVD library, and whimsical cocktails and creative takes on Spanish classics, this stately 19th-century townhouse in Madrid ’s ritzy Salamanca neighborhood is one of the city’s most grown-up hotels. It would have to be, to be home to a two-Michelin-starred restaurant that’s regularly hailed as the city’s best. And each high-ceilinged, wood-floored room and suite—decorated in celebrated designer Pau Guardans’ black-and-white take on Mad Men —shouts sultry rendezvous rather than drop-and-go crash pad. A haven in the bustling capital, the serene manicured gardens with mesmerizing Spanish guitar performances by evening aren’t meant to be traversed by screaming children, nor are the living room–like library and free treat–stocked lounge intended for raucous parties—which would explain why they’re open to guests only, so you can sip scotch and lounge well into the wee hours. So, no, the Hotel Único isn’t fooling around, but it sure knows how to have a good time."

"For all that Spain prides itself on its art and design, it’s rare for the emphasis to be on anything that’s not, well, Spanish. Enter the Hotel Urban, a trendy favorite of the international (and local, for that matter) jet-set crew. The space could double as an Asian and African art museum. From the Papua New Guinean jewelry and ceremonial chairs in the lobby courtyard to the 18th-century Chinese portraits and 19th-century Hindu statues that adorn the walls of rooms and suites, the hotel’s varied collection stands in stark contrast to the sleek, clean-lined architecture and glittering urban design. Even the building itself is a work of art. A grand staircase is lined in gold mosaic done by the preservationists who work on Venice ’s Basilica San Marco, and an imposing central column is carved from Zimbabwean black stone. Loftlike rooms resemble an art collector’s private residence, and floor-to-ceiling windows incorporate yet another work of art—the cityscape outside. Indeed, the city almost steals the show at two of the hotel’s four hip restaurants and bars; those located on the rooftop attract the cognoscenti as much for the views as for their acclaimed cocktails and bites."

"With its 19th-century palacio exterior—complete with an original bookseller’s facade next door—and British Colonial–inspired navy-and-white interiors by acclaimed designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, the Only You Hotel & Lounge hardly seems like the urbane, grown-up sibling of Ibiza party staple Ushuaïa, although the name might give it away. And, while the exceptionally trendy bar and lounge hiding behind the bookshop windows (along with more than 30 kinds of gin and a live DJ) attracts a who’s who of cool Madrileños, it’s the thoughtful little touches that really give away the hotel’s decadent roots, such as all-day breakfast for guests and a 24-hour check-in/check-out policy. But the Only You stands on its own, too, planting its flag in the up-and-coming Chueca neighborhood. Distinctive decor includes a chinoiserie scene painted over the elevators, mirrored wall panels in both the restaurant and lobby lounge, and original exposed beams in some rooms. The restaurant would be a destination in its own right, on par with any in Madrid ’s cutthroat culinary scene, and the tuned-in concierge team has the hookup at all the best spots in town. The hotel will be opening a new wing with an expanded lounge, outdoor terrace, and new rooms in the fall of 2015."

"Lobbies are for amateurs. Let the unimaginative chain stays and the lemmings of the luxury hotel industry have their check-in desks, their cavernous foyers, their impersonal seating areas awkwardly arranged throughout the front rooms. The Principal Madrid —one of the Spanish capital’s newest hot spots and the latest venture from hotelier Pau Guardans’ Único Hotels group—knows better. Drawing inspiration from the private clubs frequented by artists, writers, aristocrats, and bons vivants of nearly a century ago, this Spanish Renaissance–style residence (built in 1917) starts the guest experience with a quick trip up to the top floor, where you emerge from the elevator into an unpretentious living room of sorts, a refreshing drink and panoramic views of the city’s belle epoque rooftops awaiting you. As if a room were kept ready for you at all times, your bags will have magically been whisked away to your understated abode, its soothing hues and clean-lined designer furnishings a welcome respite from the bustling city outside. But why retire already to your room when your arrival drops you straight into the salon of Madrid’s cognoscenti? Here the city’s cool and creative types sip cafés con leche by day and cocktails by night, dine on tapas by a top Spanish chef, and lounge in one of the most effortlessly comfortable spaces known to hotels. The only place that overshadows it—quite literally—is the next floor up: with its fountainside lounge area and Parisian café–style deck, the rooftop terrace just might boast the best sunset views in town."

"It’s not that newer is necessarily better—Antonio Obrador, the hotelier and designer of famously luxurious retreats like Mallorca’s Cap Rocat, would hardly choose a neoclassical, turn-of-the-century palacio for his latest project, were that the case—but when a hotel gets the kind of buzz that the Urso Hotel & Spa got when it opened in the fall of 2014, there’s usually a reason. In the hip, up-and-coming Salesas neighborhood, across the street from the recently reopened (and equally lively) Barceló food market, Madrid ’s first five-star boutique hotel looks, from the outside, like many grandes dames: ornate, decadent, and just a bit over-the-top. Inside is another story; while many of the original details (hand-painted azulejo tiles, grand marble staircase, stained-glass windows, windowed wooden elevator) have been painstakingly restored with the help of local craftsmen, the style is undeniably contemporary, with even a hint of Scandinavian-inspired minimalism to offset the pull of the antique. This devotion to design alone would have merited the aforementioned buzz, but Obrador and his team didn’t stop there, throwing in one of Madrid’s most innovative restaurants, most soothing spas, most understatedly cool bars, and, of course, the superlative service required of any five-star stay."