2 Best Hotels in Retiro, Madrid

A €99 million renovation in 2021 by Mandarin Oriental breathed new life to this grande dame overlooking the Prado, replacing mustard-colored drapes and faded carpets with bright whites, gold accents, and stunning contemporary art. The glass canopy ceiling crowning the Palm Court restaurant was restored after being hidden for 80 years. Alfonso XIII commissioned and supervised the construction of this hotel—then perhaps the most exclusive in Spain—ahead of his wedding, and it opened in 1910. More than a century later, it remains synonymous with the upper crust, thanks to suites that fetch top dollar and sought-out restaurants (including the two-Michelin-star Deesa) overseen by Quique Dacosta.

An early-20th-century palace built for a noble family with extravagant habits (the elevator carried their horses up and down from the rooftop exercise ring), this Marriott mixes old-world elegance with modern bells and whistles. Relics of a grand past include baseboards and fountains covered with ceramics from Talavera, Parisian stained-glass windows, and full-size Lichtenstein silkscreen prints. Most accommodations feature king-size beds, and some upgraded digs have original parquet floors and intricate fretwork. All rooms have superb views of the nearby El Retiro Park.