DoubleTree by Hilton Madrid-Prado
Calle de San Agustín 3, Madrid, 28014, Spain
Why We Like It
The DoubleTree is a game changer in a neighborhood where staid, Old World-style hotels have reigned supreme for decades. Its funky yet tasteful décor, warm (and multilingual) staff, and buoyant, customer’s-always-right attitude ensure that even the most persnickety traveler will leave satisfied.
Fodor's Expert Review
Opened in January 2017, the DoubleTree by Hilton Madrid-Prado is a sparkling, immaculately designed hotel located two blocks from the Prado Museum. With its arrival, the Westin Palace, Hotel Ritz, and other well-regarded neighborhood hotels are shaking in their boots—and rightfully so: This newcomer boasts 21st-century comforts that the Old Guard can’t hold a candle to. Sure, DoubleTree's aesthetic can come across a bit stuffy at times, but any "corporate" vibes are swiftly mitigated by the warm staff eager to attend to your every need. Boasting a state-of-the-art fitness center, sumptuously decorated rooms, and an intriguing Japanese-Mediterranean fusion restaurant, the DoubleTree is on its way to becoming one of Madrid’s most sought-after hotels.
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Room
Rooms feel serene and homey with dimmable backlighting and earth-tone accents. Bespoke furniture, such as baby-blue divans, cone lamps, and geometrically patterned wallpaper, lend a chic retro feel. With 42-inch HDTVs, ergonomic work stations, and adjustable thermostats in every room, DoubleTree digs strike the perfect balance between aesthetics and utility.
Bathroom
The gleaming white marble is the first thing you’ll notice in the spacious, elegant bathrooms, which feature oversized showers, speakers, and spa-like lighting.
Tip Finally, you can bring your favorite American-made bathroom appliances (blow dryers, toothbrush chargers, straighteners, etc.) to Europe! Every bathroom features international power outlets with voltage converters.
Lobby
Talk about a good first impression: Reception staff that offers every guest a warm chocolate-chip cookie upon arrival. Bright with floor-to-ceiling windows and outfitted with cushy vintage-style chairs, the DoubleTree’s lobby is a perfect place for sipping a coffee (or cocktail), marking your map, or planning your next adventure. Antique lovers will swoon at the fin-de-siècle wrought-iron elevator, retained from the building’s original construction.
You Should Know There is no valet parking available; self-parking in an adjacent public lot costs €29 per day.
Gym
The spacious 24-hour facility features machines with all the latest bells and whistles. Complimentary apples, towels, and beverages are a welcome touch.
Dining
Kirei by Kabuki, the Japanese-Mediterranean fusion restaurant located within the hotel, weaves together elements of both cuisines in dishes like the “Kirei dog,” a wagyu beef sausage served on a toasted bun and topped with assorted Japanese pickles.
Drinking
More of a low-key hangout than a traditional bar, the petit yet elegant lobby bar and lounge is open daily until 11:30 p.m.—fine for a cocktail or two before heading out on the town.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
It’s less than a 10-minute walk to most of Madrid’s top attractions, but for excursions further afield, there are metro stations close by at Sevilla (line 2), Antón Martín (line 1), and Atocha (line 1).
Restaurants
Venture outside the immediate vicinity for most of your meals—the hotel is surrounded by mediocre restaurants that cater to the tour bus crowd. Taking a taxi to the nearby Salamanca district is a good idea; there, you can have a sit-down meal that oozes old-school Spanish elegance at El Paraguas (7-minute taxi), or, alternatively, embark on a tapas crawl on the same block, hitting Los Gallos (cocktails and finger food), Cinco Jotas (premium jamón ibérico), and Ultramarinos Quintín (rawbar and flatbreads).
Bars
Pop into one of Hemingway’s old haunts called La Venencia (6-minute walk), a sherry-only bar that hasn’t changed a lick since the Spanish Civil War, from its no-tipping policy to its salty waiters to its chalked bar tabs. Follow your aperitivo with an exhilarating flamenco performance two minutes down the road at Cardamomo Tablao (buy tickets to the show in advance).
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