AC Palacio del Retiro

14 Calle Alfonso XII

Madrid , Spain http://www.hotelacpalaciodelretiro.com/146-AC_PALACIO_DEL_RETIRO.html?al=24140425

34 91 523-7460

Carved from a 19th-century Edwardian-style manor home, this 50-room hotel is steps from the city’s major museums. The effect is of a baronial mansion, with maids in starchy uniforms, concierge staff at your beck and call, and soaring Tiffany windows above an original curving stairwell. A tiny spa has massage treatments and a hammam. Wherever possible, designers worked with the structure of the original home. The presidential suite, for example, retains the rich mahogany walls and books on the shelves that were in place when it was the manor’s library. Standard rooms have refinished parquet floors and carved plaster ceilings. Superior rooms overlook leafy Retiro Park.

Insider Tip: Order a drink in the corner lounge, an oak-walled oasis with mid-century-modern furniture—a respite from the smoke-filled bar.

Room to Book: Room 212, though a standard, is fit for royalty, with original mirror details.