The 23 best hotels in Madrid close to the centre

This five-star boutique hotel is noteworthy for its distinct Art Deco style set in a modern avant-garde building. With 96 designer rooms and suites, the Urban also welcomes business travellers and has meeting rooms and spaces for events. For more relaxing endeavours, you can enjoy the small outdoor pool up on the rooftop in the warmer months, as well as the solarium, gym and sauna. Be sure to take a moment out to appreciate the artworks from Papua New Guinea. And when you're hungry, choose from bites and drinks at the gastropub, the oyster cocktail bar, or the Michelin-starred restaurant, CEBO.

Where is it? Carrera San Jerónimo.  

Best for avant-garde vibes and central location. 

Open the curtains and it smacks you right in the face. The Madrid Opera, right there, looming high like the beacon of high culture that it is. At Ocean Drive, which opened in March 2022, you’re in the ideal spot both to check out a show – and to explore the rest of the Spanish capital’s treasures while you’re there. The rooms are sleek, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering incredible views over the plaza below. The prices, too, are very decent (from £130 per night). But the best thing? One of the city’s best new restaurants, Mar Mía, can be found on the ground floor. Come for an education in Spanish seafood.

Where is it? Plaza de Isabel.

Best for sangrias and walkability. 

Directly opposite the Reina Sofía Museum – home to Picasso’s anti-war masterpiece ‘Guernica’ – the Hard Rock group has magicked up a beautiful, laidback hotel (and on the site of a former car park, no less). The huge hanging guitar in the lobby, the mural inspired by the post-Franco La Movida countercultural movement behind the bar, the sculpture inspired by Velasquez’s ‘Las Meninas’: the overall feel is that of an art gallery, perhaps one curated by Pedro Almodovár. The rooms are slick, too, and pretty well-priced. Don’t miss the brunch served in a guitar case.

Where is it? Arganzuela, right on the banks of Manzanares.

Best for contemporary chic.

This small mansion in a tranquil residential area has been transformed into a quietly elegant five-star hotel. Built-in the 1880s as a private home for an artistic family, the Orfila also housed a theatre and a literary salon during the 1920s. Thankfully, the hotel has held on to its 19th-century decor, not to mention its façade, carriage entrance and dramatic main stairway. The bedrooms are wonderfully quiet, and one of the four suites is intimately tucked away in the attic. The elegant restaurant looks onto the lovely garden patio, and guests have tea in the lobby in the afternoon.

Where is it? Orfila, Chamberi. 

Best for regal charm.

Madrid's famous Art Triangle, formed by the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía museums, is also home to the Westin Palace. Unlike other hotels in Madrid, this Marriott-owned affair didn't start as a royal home or a nunnery that was later converted into accommodations, but instead it was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912 as a hotel so he could receive VIP visitors to the city. Today you can have breakfast or cocktails under the hotel's famed stained-glass dome, admiring the same beauty as celebrities did before you, among them the likes of Picasso, Dalí, Einstein and Madame Curie.

Where is it? Plaza de las Cortes, centro. 

Best for striking architecture - especially the glass dome. 

If you want classy, design boutique Dear Hotel wants to give it to you. Cross the threshold of the neoclassical building into an interior design by award-winning Tarruella Trenchs Studio that combines original elements with contemporary and cosmopolitan touches. Your room is your soundproofed luxury cocoon when you want to relax at the end of a long day of discovering Madrid. Decorated in natural, warm textures, every room looks onto the emblematic Gran Vía or Plaza de España. Be sure to get up to the rooftop terrace for spectacular panoramic views and to take a dip in the Sky Pool when the weather permits.

Where is it? C. del Prado, Centro - next to Santa Ana Square. 

Best for cosy, stylish rooms. 

The Room Mate hotel chain brings central and reasonably priced accommodations with original decor to Madrid. Meet Room Mate Alicia, a boutique design hotel set in an industrial building from the early 20th century. Interior designer Pascua Ortega is responsible for Alicia's 45 funky rooms done up in light wood with pops of colour in all the right places. Whether you choose a standard room or a suite with two levels and a private terrace, you can get stellar views from the wall-size windows overlooking the square. You're even provided with portable WiFi so you can stay connected when you're out exploring. Need extra time in the morning? The breakfast buffet is open until noon.

Where is it? Calle Del Prado.

Best for retro flair.

The Hotel Puerta América will not be to all tastes, but it's a wonderland for design buffs. Each of its 12 floors and public spaces is designed by an all-star cast of architects, among them Norman Foster, Richard Gluckman, Marc Jewson and Ron Arad. Guests can select the floor of their choice on arrival, though the most popular tend to be Zaha Hadid's rooms (which look like they're sculpted from snowdrifts) and Arata Isozaki's studies in Japanese minimalism. The building itself (along with the pool and gym) was designed by Jean Nouvel.

Where is it? Avenida America, Chamartín.

Best for high design - this place is seriously futuristic. 

Get exclusive and luxury treatment at Eurostars Madrid Tower. The hotel spans the first 31 floors of the imposing SyV Tower and offers views across the city and to the mountains beyond from the rooms, the spa, the Volvoreta restaurant and many of the meeting rooms. Cush rooms are kitted out in luxurious walnut furniture, and they all come with a pillow menu – a pillow menu! Head to the spa to work out, or better yet, to get a massage or other relaxing or beautifying body treatments, and when you want top-notch Mediterranean cusine, get to Volvoreta on the 30th floor: the views make for the perfect digestif.

Where is it? Castellana, Fuencarral-El Pardo. 

Best for sophistication and high-style. 

More than half a century after it opened, the Wellington is still extremely graceful, with chandeliers, marble and murals, and groups of guests in formal evening wear milling about the lobby. Polite staff are on hand to cater to your every need. The hotel is just a stone's throw from the city's most expensive shopping area, Salamanca, and has a summer pool with terrace – ideal for relaxing after all that retail therapy. Rooms vary in size and are decorated in a conservative but classic style, and the hotel's main restaurant, Goizeko, serves Basque dishes in elegant surroundings.

Where is it? Velazquez, Salamanca.

Best for a fabulous oudoor pool terrace.

Although it's a modern, rather nondescript building from the outside, the lavishly entitled Rosewood Villa Magna, a Park Hyatt Hotel, more than lives up to its reputation – and prices – on the inside. The huge lobby, full of jewellery displays, international businesspeople and polite staff, leads to two excellent restaurants and a champagne bar, whose lunch menu is surprisingly reasonably priced. The rooms and suites, looking out over the busy Paseo de la Castellana or the exclusive C/Serrano, have good facilities and, like the rest of the hotel, are spacious and elegantly decorated. There's also a top-notch gym, if keeping fit is part of your agenda.

Where is it? Paseo de la Castellana, Salamanca.

Best for elegant rooms and excellent dining. 

Old and new Madrid come together at URSO, which is within walking distance from the Royal Palace and the city's 'Art Triangle'. Rooms are done up in cosy, neutral colours with splashes of golden yellow in cushions, curtains and lampshades that brighten up your temporary living space. If you can afford to splash out, opt for the suite or suite terrace. Either way, start your day in The Conservatory, where they serve home-made breakfast in the surrounds of a vertical garden topped by a skylight. Those looking for luxury can visit the spa, which features a two-hour face and body treatment designed exclusively for URSO by Natura Bissé.

Where is it? Mejía Lequerica, Centro.

Best for the height of luxury. 

The NH Hotel Group's flagship establishment is where to stay when you want a quiet room in a hotel that's well connected to the city centre. If you're in town for a Real Madrid match, you won't have far to go to see the hometown heroes at their Bernabeu Stadium. This four-star property also has a gym, and a spa with pools at different temperatures and massage services. You can't go wrong with your on-site choices for meals, with the 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, DOMO, and our favourite restaurant in all of Madrid, the Michelin-starred DiverXO.

Where is it? Padre Damian. Chamartín. 

Best for the spa facilities. 

The Villa Real's owner, Jordi Clos, has an interest in Roman archaeology that's reflected in all the rooms and shared spaces, in an art collection that features ancient Roman mosaics and Greek ceramics. The large picture windows in your marble bathroom affords you loads of natural light and views. If you choose a double room, you can opt for a split-level sitting area, or pick one of the duplex suites with its own Jacuzzi, or really splash out on a luxury suite with a private terrace. Though the Villa Real hasn't got a pool on-site, guests here can wander over to the Hotel Urban in the summer months for a dip.

Where is it? Plaza de las Cortes, Centro. 

Best for timless elegance. 

Sophisticated and with luxurious finishes, TÓTEM's rooms have a sense of refinement and timelessness, with parquet floors and rich colours, balanced out by contemporary furnishings. When you wake up in your plush bed, you can have coffee or breakfast in your room at the comfy sofa; suites have separate living rooms, and the corner junior suite is bathed in natural light. Exterior rooms look out onto the Salamanca neighbourhood. You can't miss a visit to the restaurant and bar for the name alone – Hermosos y Malditos (The Beautiful and the Damned) – and food lovers will be happy to hear they cook up a reasonably priced Sunday brunch.

Where is it? Hermosilla, Salamanca. 

Best for ultra chic, calming interiors. 

The Melia chain installed what it calls a 'lifestyle hotel' in the lovely old Hotel Reina Victoria. In this case, the lifestyle is a mix of design and DJ music. Even if that's not your jam, no one ever suffered much having CD and DVD players and an iPod dock in their room. The rooms are on the smaller side, but they're incredibly comfortable, with beds decked out in luxury linens, and bathrooms in Aveda toiletries. Get panoramic views of Madrid with your drinks at the Radio Rooftop Bar; you can also have a meal there or in the Ana La Santa Restaurant. And if you can't bear to leave your pet at home, don't worry, fluffy friends are welcome here as well.

Where is it? Plaza de Santa Ana, Centro. 

Best for airy rooms and city views. 

This former 19th-century palace in the neighbourhood of Los Austrias was built as a home for the Dukes of Granada de Ega, and later housed the Convent of Santo Domingo. Its original splendour remains, plus there's a 1,000-metre-squared lush garden where you can retreat for a moment of peace surrounded by nature. Art plays an important part of the decor here, taking inspiration from Velázquez' masterpiece 'Las Meninas', with works featuring details of the painting hanging in the rooms, and the colour palette reflecting classical elegance. Treat yourself at the Thai Room Wellness spa or the Michelin-starred Dos Cielos restaurant.

Where is it? Cuesta Santo Domingo, Centro. 

Best for distinctive charm and five-star amenities. 

Hidden away behind tall walls and trees, this hundred-year-old palace was once home to the Duke of Santo Mauro. And now one of the 49 luxuriously decorated rooms can be your temporary home in Madrid. Sleep comfortably in your king-size bed, and start your day with a flood of light from the floor-to-ceiling picture windows. What was once the Duke's library is now the high-class Biblioteca restaurant, which still gives you that cosy reading-room feel. There's also the Art Deco–style Gin Bar for carving out some cocktail time, and you can't miss a visit to the immaculately kept garden with treasures such as centuries-old chestnut trees providing shade.

Where is it? Zurbano, Chamberi. 

Best for French architectural flair. 

Get tucked in to first-class five-star service with an at-home feel, and that animal-print armchair. Three suites boast outdoor spaces with natural wood decks and furniture plus a Jacuzzi. Most rooms overlook Paseo de la Castellana or the Hesperia's urban garden, and offer luxe touches like a Bvlgari toiletries. Make room in your budget for a true dining experience at the hotel's restaurant, Santceloni, which has garnered two Michelin stars for itself and its chef Oscar Velasco. Then it's off to the Scotch Bar, where they offer some 70 brands of spirits, with whisky as the star, but gin, rum and cocktails play their parts as well.

Where is it? Paseo Castellana, Chamberi. 

Best for practical style. 

What do you do with a disused 19th-century palace in Madrid? Convert it into one of the city's top hotels, it would seem, and here's another, set right on Madrid's 'Golden Mile', making for easy shopping jaunts if that's your thing. Rooms are decorated in bold accents around crisp whites and cosy greys, with the beds nestled into wooden headboards that jut out from the wall, doubling as bedside tables. Some rooms have views of the interior garden, and the Grand Suite wows with artisan marble and a crystal floor mosaic. The Ramón Freixa restaurant boasts two Michelin stars, and Freixa himself also directs signature breakfasts and Sunday brunch.

Where is it? Claudio Coello, Salamanca. 

Best for a deliscious breakfast spread.

Originally designed by architect José María de Aguilar in 1883, what is now the five-star Hospes Puerta de Alcalá boutique hotel prides itself on bringing out the individual character of each style of room, while all are tied together with the same colour options of what the hotel calls mauve, tangerine and pearl grey. You could opt for a room with a view of the Puerta de Alcalá or the Retiro Park, or choose one of the Duplex Suites with two levels. Get into complete relaxation in the Bodyna Spa, with exclusive Cinq Móndes products, four treatment rooms, a soundproofed relaxation room, a hammam, a gym and a small relaxation pool.

Where is it? Plaza de la Independencia, Salamanca. 

Best for romantic couple's getaway.

If you're looking for something truly out of the ordinary, you'll love Only You for its combination of historic charm and modern interior design. Set in a 19th-century mansion in the very trendy, avant-garde Salesas neighbourhood, Only You captures the vibrancy of Madrid, while putting you right on the doorstep of a handful of museums, bars and restaurants. And with so much to do and see, you can think of Only You as a little escape haven with really cool rugs - the daring blend of colonial and contemporary touches is enough to make us want to take up permanent residence- well, that and the sun. Chic interiors aside, Only You also offers you an elegant dining expereince at their Arts Club restaurant, along with casual dining at Celicioso, which carries more of a brunch/deli vibe, and Padrino cocktail bar for kicking off the evening right. What's more, you'll also find a Thai-inspired wellness room if that's more your vibe. 

Where is it? Barquillo, Centro.

Best for cosy elegance.

There's no two ways about it, CoolRooms is ridiculously cool. Classy, contemporary latte-coloured rooms create an air of calm while being incredibly spacious too, and kitted out with all your regular hotel faves like a flatscreen, a nifty kettle, hairdryer, wardrobe and free toiletries. What's not to love? In case you're not just after a room of one's own, you can also whet your gastronomical appetite here at El Patio de Atocha for dinner before transitioning to the bar to get the evening going. And for a little aerobic recovery from the bustling streets below, head to the pool. Though not massive makes for a relaxing spot to lounge or enjoy a splash.

P.s: Expect to find yourself by the pool several times during your stay. 

Where is it? Calle Atocha, Centro.

Best for families.