Amy Adejokun
Section editor
The El Prado hotel is a small establishment ideally located in the 'Barrio de las Letras', the literary district of Madrid. An unpretentious, but likeable and warm place, where the wine theme, which is present almost everywhere in the hotel, brings a welcome original touch. A perfect base for going off to discover the richness of the city.
El Prado - © EASYVOYAGE
El Prado - © EASYVOYAGE
In the 'Barrio de las Letras', the literary heart of Madrid, on the Calle Prado, between the Plaza de Santa Ana and las Cortes, and a stone's throw away from the Paseo del Prado and the museums of El Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen Bornemisza. The Retiro Park and tapas bars of the Calle de Huertas are also nearby. The closest underground station is Sevilla (line 2). The Madrid-Barajas airport is 7.5 mi away; allow for 25 minutes to get there.
Fitted with a pale parquet floor, the rooms of El Prado Hotel do not have any particular decoration, a picture or whatever, but they are reasonably well equipped. They have individual and discreet air-conditioning, a mini-bar, a free safe with an electronic code, a telephone, wireless internet connection and a flat screen satellite television with 15 channels. A double room, an armchair and a desk complete the ensemble, enlivened by some practical utensils such as a shoehorn or something to wax your shoes with.
The granite bathroom consists of a bath fitted with a handle and a flexible shower head, hospitality products, a hairdryer, a toilet, a bidet, a shaving and tooth-brushing kit, a large mirror taking up the length of the wall, tissues, a sponge and a comb, and all this brightened up with a pot plant. The bedrooms on the 6th and 7th floors benefit from a large balcony with stunning views. They also have a green carpet, a round table and a chair.
The El Prado Hotel, whose name evokes the prestigious eponymous museum which is nearby, is a small establishment of 7 floors housing 48 rooms. Built in 1998, the hotel benefited from a renovation in 2003. It is part of the HCT Group (Hoteles Culturales Tematicos), which also includes the Lope de Vega Hotel, located a little further away. The wine theme can be found on every floor, each devoted to a wine-producing region of Spain (Catalonia, Navarre, Aragon, the Basque Country, Valencia, Extremadura and La Rioja) with framed photographs of the vineyards. You can relax in the Prensa del vino lounge with its library, its basket of apples and its big plasma screen.
The restaurant service is limited to breakfast only, served from 7:30 am to 11:30 am (and from 8:00 am to 11:30 am at the weekend) in the form of a buffet. Breakfast is taken in a room much like a cafeteria, equipped with a large flat screen television, and able to hold up to 40 guests.
Two computers are available in the reception area to surf the internet for free. The whole of the hotel benefits from free wireless connection. On every floor you will find a basket of apples and sweets for you to pick from free of charge. Wine enthusiasts will not miss the opportunity to inform themselves on Spanish wines, due to the photographs and explanations that pepper the walls of the establishment.
Accommodation Advice
Only the rooms on the 6th and 7th floors benefit from a large balcony: where you can enjoy beautiful views. The hotel includes two superior rooms, located on the 7th and last floor. Our favourite is room 407, with its special blue-coloured decoration that includes a very nice blue leather armchair. Every room is equipped with a CD player.
spa, Turkish bath
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Ideally located in the heart of an area populated by museums and near to Retiro Park, Westin Palace is the mythical hotel of the capital, a real palace which was originally intended to accommodate some of the world's great people. A luxury establishment which is full of history, with faultless comforts and top-notch gastronomy.
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With its eclectic style and eccentric atmosphere, the ME Madrid is one of the most avant-garde hotels in the Spanish capital. Belonging to the Sol Meliá chain, it serves a cosmopolitan clientele of business travellers and tourists. The establishment is located in downtown Madrid on one of the city's busiest squares, where you will find a number of nighttime entertainment venues and a rich variety of gastronomic offerings. Some of the hotel's highlights include guest rooms equipped with the latest technology, a musical atmosphere with tropical scents in each corner, a dynamic staff, and a wonderful rooftop terrace where you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the city. The ME Madrid is reminiscent of a New York hotel, particularly because of the atmosphere found in its restaurant and the terrace, where the Gerber Group regularly organises VIP events.