Villa Magna

From the outside, this hotel sends a mixed message. Its tree-lined lot and fountain are tranquil and lovely, but the facade has all of the charm of an anonymous office building. Inside, though, the hotel is sophisticated, packed with striking details like recessed ceilings, Spanish modernisme-inspired stained-glass windows, and a stunning marble spiral staircase. The carpeted lobby feels expansive and rich, with blue velvet sofas contrasting a Salvador Dali-inspired Asian decorative screen. There are six bars and restaurants on-site, including the chic and formal, white-table-clothed Restaurante Villa Magnum, as well as The Lounge, a perfect place to sit with a coffee among antique and contemporary velvet furniture and abstract art. The Magnum Bar also draws a cocktail-and-wine loving crowd to its glass-enclosed terrace, though smoking is allowed and the fumes can linger. Guests here are a blend of couples, families, and business travelers.

Amid the leafy streets of Madrid’s wealthy Salamanca district, this luxury hotel is right at home in a neighborhood filled with high-end boutiques and expensive real estate. Salamanca feels removed from some of Madrid’s busier tourist centers, even though many major sights are within walking distance. The sprawling Retiro Park is about 15 minutes away on foot, while the Prado and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums are both a 20-minute walk from the hotel. The Ruben Dario metro station is a five-minute walk from the hotel’s front door, and trips to the Royal Palace and Catedral de la Almudena take about 20 minutes via metro. Madrid-Barajas International Airport is 30 minutes away by Cercanias trains, a trip that takes about 20 minutes by taxi. 

Elegant guest rooms come in a variety of sizes, though all have a similar look that balances classic lines with contemporary sophistication. Rooms are large by Madrid standards, with Magna Rooms starting at 323 square feet and reaching all the way to a jaw-dropping 3,122 square feet. Walls and ceilings are wainscoted, while brown leather accent walls in Deluxe Rooms add a bit of depth and warmth to the space. Each room is outfitted with mahogany or white desks, nightstands, chairs, and small cabinets with antique silhouettes; even the smallest rooms have a generous amount of comfortable seating. Brown-black-and-white striped curtains and upholstery add a dash of visual drama to the rooms and match the contemporary wood-block lamps flanking the plush beds. All rooms include electric safes with built-in chargers, flat-screen TVs, CD and DVD players with audio hookups, telephones, and minibars. Bathrooms are spacious and stunning, with Carrara marble lining the double-sink vanities and bathtub/shower combos, classic fixtures, terrycloth bathrobes and slippers, and a full array of luxury Asprey London toiletries. Higher category rooms, like Grand Prestige Rooms and Junior Suites, are even more swank, with abstract art on the walls and tons of extra space, but they still retain an inviting, homey charm. Balconies or terraces only come with Insignia Suites.

The hotel has six chic choices for drinking and dining, including Restaurante Villa Magna, which serves traditional five-course meals with local products, and Tse Yang, which offers dim sum and Chinese dishes. Both are popular and draw a crowd from across the city. Patio Magnum also stands out for its cocktails and creative, seasonal menus, while Magnum Bar has an outstanding wine list. Room service is available 24 hours a day, and breakfast with a wide array of a la carte and set-menu choices is served daily in The Lounge and Restaurante Villa Magna, though it is not included with most room bookings. 

There is an excellent on-site fitness center with a large selection of equipment that stays open late, and personal, professional fitness and nutrition consultations are available for a fee. Club Wellness by Kiara Kare offers an array of spa and massage treatments as well as a beauty salon in an upscale, relaxed setting. The hotel has an upscale boutique selling everything from sweets by the hotel’s pastry chef to designer bath goods. There's an on-site business center, and the hotel offers nine attractive meeting and event spaces of varying sizes with audiovisual and catering services available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Twenty-four-hour laundry services and express ironing services are also available; plus shoe shines are free for all guest. The hotel can arrange private cars, limousines, and airport transfers. A dedicated concierge is also on staff to help guests. Magna Villa goes out of its way for families with small children by providing such items as bottle warmers and car seats, free cribs, and babysitting services.