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Lowest price over the last 30 days: € 208.33 (approx. US$ 266)
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What recent guests liked:
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“The old decay ambience”
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“This historic gem remains a jewel. We are now spoiled … ”
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“Service was perfect”
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“The outdoor terrace restaurant was gorgeous, a total … ”
Hotel Ritz
Plaza de la Lealtad 5
Madrid, Spain
Neighborhood: Castellana/Recoletos/Paseo del Prado
Style: Traditional Elegance
Atmosphere: Lively
154 Rooms
The Ritz Madrid boasts a noble heritage; the child, quite literally, of Alfonso XIII, who opened it in 1910. Guests are those with too much good taste to stay elsewhere: Paloma Picasso, Nelson Rockefeller, Barbara Hutton, and the Rainiers, who came here on their honeymoon. Today, rooms look very much like they did in 1910: individually furnished in grand English and French styles, with views that overlook the Prado. Compared to the formality of downstairs, they are surprisingly intimate—large, but with quilted curtains and big double beds with satin bedspreads. Best of all, each wall-to-wall carpet is unique and made-to-order by the Royal Weavers almost a century ago. In the mornings, your favorite newspaper is delivered, and after reading it you can experience the joy of slipping into trousers that have been perfectly pressed.
The breakfast buffet, which is a treat, features ham and eggs together with the more traditional churros and garlic peasant bread. In the afternoons, the sitting rooms bustle with a well-groomed, well-scented international clientele that converges for afternoon tea and cocktails, while polo players relax outside in the well-manicured garden. After ten (this is Spain, after all), dine in the pretty restaurant on miniature crepes with shrimp, for the Ritz food is generally considered to be some of the best in the city. Afterwards, watch the scene in the wood-paneled bar, which is always packed until one in the morning.
A jacket and tie are required here at all times, even at the bar. Though the Ritz has become less stuffy of late, it is still a proud place. Its staff, too, is proud: the GM has been here for thirty years, and the concierge has been here for longer. All things considered, the Ritz has remained constant, despite the changes around it (two World Wars and Franco, to name a few). When it throws its New Years Eve gala, all the city’s patricians turn up, just as they did back in 1910. So dress gracefully, hold your head high, and keep a rein on your language – you are in the presence of genuine distinction.
