Exploring Madrid’s magic from a base within the Golden Art Triangle

The capital of Spain is a treasure chest full of grand palaces, world-famous museums, and secret streets and gardens, where surprises lie in wait for the visitor lucky enough to have a Guest Relations team to point them in the right direction.

Madrid's restaurants and tapas

Welcome to the Spanish capital, a gastronomic paradise where you’re never far from a delicious snack or meal including our very own tapas bar, Estado Puro, with an award-winning chef keeping your taste buds intrigued. Step behind the hotel to find the hundred-year-old Taberna La Dolores, which has a myriad of cold beers to go with their original tapas selection. Up on Plaza Santa Ana you’ll see Lateral, where waiting for your food, inside or out, is as enjoyable as its arrival. El Barril de las Letras, near the home of Cervantes, gives you the fresh taste of the sea and the discrete Vinoteca Moratin provides a sophisticated wine list to complement any of their incredible dishes. A little further away (near Plaza Colón) is La Platea, a beautifully converted cinema housing gourmet tapas.

Getting around

Perfectly situated in the city center, a stay at our hotel means the key places of interest are within walking distance. There are, of course, other means of getting around and Madrid’s public transport system is up there with the best, with metro stations and bus stops for the major lines – as well as a 24-hour taxi service – just outside our door. Another option is to use the Madrid tour bus that allows you to hop on and off at any stage during the three-hour trip, or of you feel like something even more special we can arrange for a private chauffeur to drive you around the city in luxury while describing the sights along the way.

Things to do in Madrid: shopping, family and nightlife

So, if getting around is easy, the hardest part of your stay is choosing where to go. Time permitting, I’d certainly aim to take in the grandeur of the royal residence, the Palacio Real. Another iconic building is the Palacio de Cristal, a 19th century glass structure located in the famous Parque del Retiro that hosts exhibitions from around the world. While in the park, you can also take a boat ride across its lake, and search out the Fuente del Ángel Caído – a statue of the Devil by Ricardo Bellver, which eerily stands at 666 meters above sea level.

Exploring El Retiro is popular with all the family but the outskirts of Madrid offers even more entertainment for young and old with two theme parks, Parque de Atracciones and Warner Bros, a cable car ride from Argüelles metro station away in Casa de Campo. There you’ll also find Madrid’s much-treasured zoo, pandas included

If you’ve never tried ‘chocolate con churros’, the 24/7 Chocolatería San Ginés serves up a treat, which for late night revelers can provide a tasty refueling stop. And indeed, for those who like the night our neighborhood offers seven floors of exhilarating dancing at the Kapital disco, each floor targeting a different musical audience. Cinema lovers don’t need a crash course in Spanish as the local Cine Ideal at Jacinto Benavente keeps movies in their original version, and if you’d prefer a musical or theatrical performance for your evening just let us know your taste and we’ll find something for you. Classical music is also catered for by the Orquesta Sinfónica, Spain’s oldest independent orchestra, which astounds audiences at venues across Madrid, and one of my top tips is the Teatro de la Zarzuela, minutes from our hotel, which matches the Paris Opéra-Comique for cultural musical comedy.

Finding something unique

If you’re looking to buy an exclusive gift – maybe a unique hand-painted silk scarf from Lola Fonseca or a limited edition copy of Don Quijote - then Calle Cervantes has the answers. The streets of Arenal and Prado are also full of inspirational ideas and all just yards from the hotel. Just by walking around the area you can absorb the city’s culture. Calle Arenal’s sidewalk, for example, will surprise you with engraved verses from Quevedo, or you can visit the house where Cervantes lived and died.

A break from the city?

Madrid is surrounded by numerous beautiful towns and villages that make an ideal day trip. I’d definitely recommend Segovia or Ávila – two medieval cities about an hour and a half to the north-west of the capital. The giant Roman aqueduct of Segovia is the standout feature – completed early in the 2nd century with 800 meters of granite blocks sitting in perfect balance. While there, I urge you to order the cochinillo (suckling pig) for lunch, legendary in the area, and the tarta ponche for dessert. You’ll thank me afterwards! Ávila has a stunning structure of its own, a medieval wall connecting over 80 semi-circular towers that are lit up at night, and there are alluring tours, theater and poetry readings.

The Golden Triangle

Back to Madrid. You’ll no doubt have noticed that our hotel shares its name with one of the most famous museums in the world and the Museo del Prado elegantly displays Spain’s most important paintings and sculptures as you meet our very own Goya, Velazquez and Picasso as well as international contributions from the likes of Gustav Klimt. The nearby Museo de Reina Sofia adds a modern touch to the neighborhood with Picasso’s unbelievable Guernica, arguably the most impactful painting representing the Civil War. Just across the street join the masterpiece collection tour around the Thyssen-Bornemisza – and pick from one of their interactive thematic journeys. Note that both the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen have fantastic meal offers too.

If you’ve seen enough of the ‘Golden Art Triangle’, head along to the Museo Naval to learn about the last 500 years of the Spanish Navy or be astounded at the archives of the Biblioteca Nacional, one of the largest libraries in the world, and situated in the Salamanca district, a short walk from the hotel, and full of some of the best eateries in town including El Paraguas and Ten con Ten. You’ll not regret it.

About Lillian Ferrer Cruz

Hi, my name is Lillian Ferrer Cruz. To be in Guest Relations you have to be inspired by people’s differences. In fact, offering them the best experience makes me grow in a personal way. I still remember that six year-old kid at the hotel checkout that couldn’t stop crying. When I asked why he was crying, his mom said that he was so happy in the hotel that he’d prefer to stay than go back home. To touch people’s feelings like that is the most beautiful part of my job. Working in Guest Relations allows me to be part of a unique moment for each guest; in that is way it is so special. This job keeps a young, healthy and active mind. I am proud to be a natural host and to have a job that I can enjoy every day with a big smile. It is a real gift!