The Principal Madrid

Style

Sophisticated socialite

Setting

Central side-street

Elegant and intimate, The Principal Madrid hotel’s discreet entrance sets the tone for this heart-of-the-action stay. Having taken over the top floors of a grand 1920s building, this penthouse crash pad makes the most of sweeping city views with a refined restaurant, alfresco cocktails and a sun-kissed rooftop terrace.

Facilities

Rooms

76, including four suites.

Checkout

Noon. Earliest check-in, 3pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates exclude breakfast (€29.32 each for a buffet of home-baked breads and pastries, farmhouse yoghurt, fresh juices and hot dishes).

Also

La Pérgola makes a cool, leafy escape in the summer, should the sun on the rooftop terrace be a little too fierce.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Gym, wellness suite, rooftop terrace, Playstation to borrow, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV, DVD player, iPod dock, minibar, kettle, Gilchrist & Soames toiletries.

Our Favourite Rooms

Decorated in a monochrome palette, rooms have a sophisticated, masculine edge, with glossy black-tiled bathrooms, brass accents and leather lounging chairs. Room 423 may be the smallest in the house, but it has a spacious bathroom. Deluxe Room 601 has sweeping city views. If you’re staying a while, book a suite on the fifth floor: they have inviting reading nooks and showers equipped with massage jets.

Spa

Book the hotel’s chocolate-hued wellness suite for total relaxation: there’s an indulgent menu of massages and facials to choose from, and the private wood-panelled sauna is big enough for two.

Packing Tips

Slim, stackable luggage will be just the right fit for Principal Madrid’s tiny old-world lifts – but leave plenty of space for Gran Via purchases.

Also

With outdoor showers and 20 scarlet sunloungers fanned out around a babbling fountain, the seventh-floor solarium is a view-blessed spot to soak up the rays.

Children

Welcome. All rooms have space for a free cot. Extra beds can be added in Deluxe rooms and suites for €110 a night. The hotel can arrange babysitting (from €45 an hour).

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Madrid’s ever-blue skies make a table on the slim terrace practically compulsory; in winter, cosy up by the fire with an afternoon tea.

Dress Code

Mix designer finds and high-street heroes to match the hotel’s laid-back but polished vibe.

Hotel Restaurant

A bright, elegant stretch of marble floor and rich velvet seating, Ático looks out over the city from its sixth-floor perch. With two Michelin stars to his name, chef Ramón Freixa knows a thing or two about modern Spanish cuisine. Split between finger food and unpretentious mains, the menu is a testament to his culinary skill and love of Iberian produce: book ahead for a chance to sample fig-and-foie-gras éclairs, monkfish tacos and moreish croquettes. For tapas-like snacks, desserts and cocktails, ascend to La Pérgola, a window-walled space on the sixth floor. Rattan furniture, hanging greenery and a thatch-covered ceiling lend the room an organic finish, and every table overlooks the gilded tower of the Metropolis building.

Hotel Bar

Cocktail-sipping is a bit of a competitive sport in Madrid, and there’s no better place for serious practice than La Terraza, the hotel’s roof terrace. Sip on dry martinis, experimental gin concoctions and coconut-water libations. On a clear day, you might even catch a glimpse of snow-capped mountains beyond the city’s gleaming rooftops.

Last Orders

Dinner is served until 11.45pm; savour one last digestif before the bar closes at midnight.

Room Service

Classic sandwiches, Spanish staples (tortilla, manchego and ham) and comfort dishes such as carpaccio, lasagna and goat-cheese pizza can be ordered in-room around the clock.

Planes

Touch down at Madrid–Barajas airport, an international hub about 40 minutes’ drive from the hotel. Taxis are readily available and cost about €30, but you can also catch the metro from the terminals, which will whisk you directly to the Príncipe Pío station close to the hotel in about 20 minutes.

Trains

Madrid’s extensive metro network is handy for whizzing around town. If you’re heading further afield, Atocha railway station is a five-minute drive away and serves Renfe trains from across the country.

Automobiles

Take in Madrid’s sights on foot: cheap public transport, plentiful taxis and pleasant streets render cars a cumbersome nuisance. If you do decide to bring your own wheels, the hotel has parking on-site for €39 a night. Stop by the hotel first for directions and to drop off your luggage.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Look out for the flamboyant dome of the Metropolis building, impossible to miss from the hotel’s rooftop: it marks the start of Gran Via, the boulevard that never sleeps, known for its Broadway musicals, distinctive architecture and upscale shops. For antique shops and independent boutiques, head north to the exclusive barrio of Salamanca. If you’re in search of more lofty pursuits, Madrid’s Art Triangle is just a short stroll away. Gawp at Goyas, Velázquez, Titians and Bosches at the Prado, or get your cultural kicks from the Reina Sofia modern art museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza. Escape the city at Buen Retiro Park, a pleasant, verdant sprawl of shaded avenues, landscaped gardens and water features. Modelled on its doomed London sibling, its impressive Crystal Palace was built as a greenhouse but now hosts art exhibits.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .