Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Colón Gran Meliá

Originally opened for 1929's Ibero-American Exposition, this classic hotel retains many original features, including a marble staircase leading up to a central lobby crowned by a magnificent stained-glass dome and crystal chandelier. Each floor celebrates a different Spanish artist, with reproduction paintings set against an artful combination of period and contemporary design. Downstairs is the toreador-theme Burladero tapas bar and restaurant, which is packed midday with local business executives. The luxurious spa on the seventh floor offers a range of treatments.