Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá

Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá occupies the former palace of the Dukes of Granada de Ega in Madrid de los Austrias, the city’s historic Habsburg quarter. Hidden behind an Isabeline façade, the hotel stands between the Royal Palace of Madrid and Gran Vía, within walking distance of some of Spain’s most important cultural and historic sites, including Teatro Real, Almudena Cathedral and Plaza Mayor. Its interiors draw inspiration from Baroque painter Diego Velázquez, while the 1,000-square-metre Jardín de los Duques provides a green space in the centre of the capital.

Rooms and suites combine contemporary design with references to the palace’s artistic heritage, while the RedLevel suites add private lounge access and personalised services. At Jardín de los Duques, Executive Chef Kimberly Domínguez reinterprets traditional Madrid cuisine using seasonal Spanish ingredients – think crispy suckling pig sandwiches with San Simón da Costa cheese or monkfish cheeks in pil-pil sauce. Los Duques Grand Café is more relaxed and serves Mediterranean dishes and cocktails throughout the day.

You can spend the day exploring the nearby Royal Palace, Teatro Real and the winding streets of the Habsburg quarter before returning to the hotel’s rooftop terrace, where the infinity pool looks across Madrid’s spires towards the Royal Palace. The Thai Room wellness area offers massages and treatments inspired by traditional Asian therapies.