Madrid hotels

Ambassador

Cuesta de Santo Domingo 5. Phone: 541 6700. Fax: 559 1040. Price: Pts.20800 ($166) without breakfast. All major cards. 163 rooms. (A2).

Near the opera and the royal palace. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Atlántico

Gran Vía 38. Phone: 522 6480. Fax: 531 0210. Price: Pts.11400 ($91) without breakfast. All major cards. 80 rooms. (B2).

At the main traffic artery in the center. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

California

Gran Vía 38. Phone: 522 4703. Fax: 531 6101. Price: Pts.7900 ($63) without breakfast. All major cards. 26 rooms. (B2).

At the main traffic artery in the center. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Carlos V

Maestro Vitoria 5. Phone: 531 4100. Fax: 531 3761. Price: Pts.12500 ($100) with breakfast. All major cards. 67 rooms. (B2).

A small hotel on a peaceful pedestrian street in the shopping area between Plaza Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía.

The staff is helpful and cheerful.

Room no. 209 has a balcony overlooking the street, where a violinist and a flutist alternated in producing soft and gentle notes for hours on end. It is smallish and comfortable with old furniture and a neat bathroom.

Casón del Tormes

Rio 7. Phone: 541 9746. Fax: 541 1852. Price: Pts.12000 ($96) without breakfast. All major cards. 63 rooms. (A2).

A few steps from Plaza de España and Jardines de Sabatini. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Condes

Los Libreros 7. Phone: 521 5455. Fax: 521 7882. Price: Pts.9500 ($76) without breakfast. All major cards. 68 rooms. (B2).

Near Gran Vía. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Cortezo

Dr. Cortezo 3. Phone: 369 0101. Fax: 369 3774. Price: Pts.11300 ($90) without breakfast. All major cards. 88 rooms. (B2).

A few steps from Plaza Benavente and 300 meters from Plaza Major. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Emperador

Gran Via 53. Phone: 547 2800. Fax: 547 2817. Price: Pts.14100 ($113) without breakfast. All major cards. 232 rooms. (A2).

At the main traffic artery in the center. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Europa

Carmen 4. Phone: 521 2900. Fax: 521 4696. Price: Pts.8200 ($66) without breakfast. No cards. (B2).

One of the best buys in town, an inexpensive hotel with friendly staff a few steps from Plaza Puerta del Sol.

Half the rooms have a sideways view to the Puerta del Sol and the others overlook a flowery atrium. Breakfast is not served and there is a breakfast café next door.

Room no. 214 is large and quaint with a sitting area near a balcony that has some view to the square. There is no motor traffic in the street and the windows are double-glazed, ensuring peace. There is no TV set and no air-condition. The large bathroom is fully tiled and functions well.

Francisco I

Arenal 15. Phone: 248 0204. Fax: 542 2899. Price: Pts.9000 ($72) without breakfast. All major cards. (A2).

On the street connecting Plaza Puerta del Sol and Plaza Oriente. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Inglés

Echegaray 8. Phone: 429 6551. Fax: 420 2423. Price: Pts.10000 ($80) without breakfast. All major cards. (B2).

A few steps from Plaza de Canalejas. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Italia

Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada 2. Phone: 522 4790. Fax: 521 2891. Price: Pts.7000 ($56) without breakfast. All major cards. 58 rooms. (B2).

A few steps from Gran Vía. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Liabeny

Salud 3. Phone: 532 5306. Fax: 532 7421. Price: Pts.17900 ($143) without breakfast. All major cards. 224 rooms. (B2).

A comfortable hotel on a pedestrian street in the shopping district between Plaza Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía.

The hotel is Mexican owned and has many guests from Latin America. There is no traffic noise around it.

Room no. 201 is of a normal size, unusually well furnished. It has a luxurious bathroom of marble and tiles.

Mayorazgo

Flor Baja 3. Phone: 547 2600. Fax: 541 2485. Price: Pts.16100 ($129) without breakfast. All major cards. 200 rooms. (A2).

Well situated in a quiet location a few steps from Gran Vía, near Plaza de Españja.

The picturesque furnishings emulate a Castilian castle, both in the public areas and in the guest rooms. Prices of rooms are variable.

Room no. 323 is of the more inexpensive type, rather small and well furnished with a parquet and good carpets on the floor and equipped with a trouser press. The marble bathroom functions well.

Mercator

Atocha 123. Phone: 429 0500. Fax: 369 1252. Price: Pts.11400 ($91) without breakfast. All major cards. 89 rooms. (C3).

A few steps from Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and Jadrín Botánico. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Moderno

Arenal 2. Phone: 531 0900. Fax: 531 3550. Price: Pts.10500 ($84) without breakfast. All major cards. 100 rooms. (B2).

A practical hotel a few steps from the main square in central Madrid, Plaza Puerta del Sol.

The clean and faded hotel has parquet floors and polished furniture. Breakfast is not served, but the best breakfast café in town, Mallorquina, is around the corner.

Room no. 412 has an inside location. It has a parquet floor and all the amenities in the bathroom.

Palace

Plaza de las Cortes 7. Phone: 429 7551. Fax: 429 8266. Price: Pts.40000 ($320) without breakfast. All major cards. 436 rooms. (C2).

The two luxury hotels of Madrid face each other at Cánovas del Castillo square. Ritz is higher in class, being the abode of visiting dignitaries. Palace is the parliamentary hotel, handy for the next door parliament on the other side of Carrera de San Jeronimo. Prado Museum is on the other side of Paseo del Prado. Palace is thus in the middle of the action in Madrid.

There are extensive and luxurious saloons on the ground floor, including a circular coffee lounge with a glass roof. On the upper floors there are several lounges in the corridors and near the elevators. The building is from 1912 and has been refurbished according to the latest demands and fashions. Service is very good.

Room no. 106 is old-fashioned, rather large, furnished with inlaid wood, leather chairs and an exclusive carpet, in addition to all the comforts. The large bathroom has lots of tiles and mirrors. There is some noise from the street, but more quiet rooms at the rear are also available.

París

Alcalá 2. Phone: 521 6496. Fax: 531 0188. Price: Pts.11000 ($88) with breakfast. All major cards. 1204 rooms. (B2).

Perfectly situated just on Plaza Puerta del Sol, the center of Madrid, with many rooms overlooking the square.

It is also inexpensive, partly due to the lack of an elevator. It is gleaming with cleanliness and polish. The rooms which do not have a view to the square, overlook a flowery atrium.

Room no. 221 overlooks the square. The balcony is a perfect spot for observing the constant goings-on in the square from 7 in the morning to 5 in the morning. It has no TV set and needs none. The double glazing prevents noises entering the room when the window is closed. The parquet floor is well polished and the fully tiled bathroom functions perfectly.

Prado

Prado 11. Phone: 369 0234. Fax: 429 2829. Price: Pts.16500 ($132) without breakfast. All major cards. 47 rooms. (B2).

Between Plaza Santa Ana og Plaza Canovás del Castillo. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Regina

Alcalá 19. Phone: 521 4725. Fax: 521 4725. Price: Pts.11900 ($95) without breakfast. All major cards. 142 rooms. (B2).

On the main street leading to Plaza Puerta del Sol. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Ritz

Plaza de la Lealtad 5. Phone: 521 2857. Fax: 532 8776. Price: Pts.49500 ($396) without breakfast. All major cards. 127 rooms. (C2).

The two luxury hotels of Madrid face each other at Cánovas del Castillo square. Ritz is higher in class, being the abode of visiting dignitaries. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Santo Domingo

Plaza Santo Domingo 13. Phone: 547 9800. Fax: 547 5995. Price: Pts.17500 ($140) without breakfast. All major cards. 120 rooms. (A2).

Between Gran Vía and the royal palace. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

Suecia

Marqués de Casa Riera 4. Phone: 531 6900. Fax: 521 7141. Price: Pts.20000 ($160) without breakfast. All major cards. 119 rooms. (B2).

Just behind the parliament building, on a quiet square with light traffic, one of he first hotels in Madrid to offer non-smoking guest rooms.

A quaint coffee bar is on a platform inside the foyer. The personal gives a warm welcome.

Room no. 201 is on the small side, with sound-insulated windows out to he square, furnished with potted plants and some mirrors. It is in light, summer blue colors. The bathroom is very good.

Victoria

Plaza de Santa Ana 14. Phone: 531 4500. Fax: 522 0307. Price: Pts.23000 ($184) without breakfast. All major cards. 195 rooms. (B2).

Well situated at the two squares of Santa Ana and Ángel, two noisy centers of the main district of cafés and bars just south of Plaza Puerta del Sol.

This was formerly the lodging of bullfighters and Hemingway. Now it has been modernized inside. The facade though is a protected monument. An immense and luxurious lounge is on the ground floor. Most rooms have bay windows to one of the two squares.

The spacious room no. 306 has a bay window overlooking Plaza del Ángel. The quality furnishings are tasteful and the bathroom is luxurious.

Washington

Gran Vía 72. Phone: 541 7227. Fax: 547 5199. Price: Pts.14000 ($112) without breakfast. All major cards. 120 rooms. (A1).

A few steps from Plaza de España. (Shortlisted for evaluation and inclusion)

1996

© Jónas Kristjánsson