Description: I really enjoyed this hotel. It is absolute luxury yet it has a friendly welcoming feel that is not at all intimidating. We arrived looking somewhat tired and dirty after an eventful road trip but we could have arrived in dinner dress as far as the reception staff were concerned. They were courteous, efficient, and even offered us water.
This has probably been Madrid’s most famous grand hotel over the years since it was finished in 1912. It is three times the size of the Ritz and is in just as good a position. The guest list reads like a who’s who of film stars (Brando and Hayworth for starters), pop music stars (Madonna) and artists (Dali). Then they had us!
The hotel has many wonderful features but it is hard to go past the Art Nouveau stained-glass dome over the La Rotonda restaurant. This place is really stunning. There is a buffet breakfast served here every morning, a buffet lunch, and "a la carte" dinner. The other restaurant is the exotic Asian Art Gallery. This serves the best exotic Chinese cuisine with over 70 dishes on the menu, and a large selection of wines.
The other place that captivated me is the famous Palace Bar, decorated in the purest English classical style. It is famous worldwide for its highly specialized cocktail preparation, in particular for its dry Martinis that were especially appreciated by one of its most outstanding clients, Ernest Hemingway, who mentioned them in his work "The Sun Also Rises." It is a great place to enjoy a good cocktail, coffee or aperitif. Live music creates a relaxing setting at night to discuss business issues or simply end a delicious dinner in one of the restaurants.
As you would expect, the rooms are elegant. I could find nothing missing for the perfect stay. The hotel promotes its Heavenly Bed as offering a little piece of heaven, right here on earth. It claims to “sooth weary travellers with an oasis of comfort and style.” Apparently it offers "ten layers of heaven," starting with a custom-designed pillow-top mattress set, and topped by an unbelievably plush down comforter and five queen and king size pillows. All I know is we slept well.
The other feature worth mentioning is the Nepytuno fitness center on the hotel’s top floor. There’s everything to relax, energise, slim, and tone including massage and sauna and the view is quite spectacular.
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