7 Best Hotels in Sol, Madrid

This economical and somewhat dated property is set in an 18th-century building that once housed the Ateneo, a club founded in 1835 to promote freedom of thought. Rooms are basic but well-lit, and some have sloped ceilings and skylights. Small groups can spread out in the triple and family rooms. At these prices, it's a privilege to be minutes from the historical sights and throbbing discotecas (even if the latter may keep sensitive sleepers awake).

Everybody feels like a VIP stepping into the grand lobby—with its gilt-topped columns, enormous central skylight, and sleek spiral staircase—at this Four Seasons, which opened in 2020. The bright high-ceilinged rooms and suites—the most luxurious of which cost five figures a night—are decorated in muted creams, whites, and beiges. Celebrity chef Dani García is behind the rooftop haute-Andalusian restaurant, Dani Brasserie, which has swiftly become a power lunch spot; Isa is its Asian-inflected loungier counterpart. The hotel is part of the Canalejas complex, renovated to the tune of €600 million including 40 stores and 15 restaurants spread among seven historical buildings.

In a 19th-century building on the quieter edge of one of Madrid's main shopping districts, Preciados is a charming midrange hotel ideal for travelers who value space and comfort. Though the rooms skew more modern than traditional, the purple backlighting and opaque glass make certain rooms feel dated. A number of (slightly more expensive) rooms have skylights and wrought-iron balconies.

A modern, clubby hotel on the stately avenue of Gran Vía, Iberostar Las Letras is a welcoming oasis from the area’s constant hubbub of tourists and shoppers. Many of the rooms have street-facing balconies. You'll find uncommon luxuries like a rooftop bar, 24-hour state-of-the-art gym, and some rooms with outdoor Jacuzzis. The bottom floor houses a high-ceilinged bar called Gran Clavel, where you can order tapas and flights of small-batch vermouths.

This reliable hotel situated between Gran Vía and Puerta del Sol was renovated in 2021 and has comfortable, Scandi-minimalist rooms awash with whites and grays as well as spacious bathrooms with marble walls. Some areas, like the grand old lobby, retain their original opulence. 

Minimalism at just the right value is the key at this former textile wholesaler's premises, now a 22-room boutique hotel a few blocks off Plaza Mayor and Plaza de Santa Ana. Serene (if slightly clinical) white rooms come in three sizes—standard, superior, and triple—and are decorated with colorful headboards, charcoal valances, and small open closets. Upgraded rooms add exterior-facing wrought-iron balconies.

Opened in 2020, Pestana is the newest outpost from the Portuguese boutique hotel chain and the only situated directly on the Plaza Mayor. It has a pool, spa, fitness center, architectural elements from the original 17th-century Casa de la Carnicería, and—crucially—double-paned glass to keep out ambient noise. Leisurely breakfasts in the ground-floor solarium are a highlight.