Madrid, SpainBarrio de las Letras
Casa de Las Artes member of Meliá Collection
Railway union arts house
Barrio de las Letras Madrid, Spain
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
The house
MeliaRailway union arts house
The historic railway workers' hall operates as an arts salon, hosting private film screenings, live music, and literary gatherings.
“The bold main entrance immediately announces that there is more to this hotel than first meets the eye.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Original terracotta mouldings and coffered ceilings meet custom walnut furnishings and Dalí lithographs.
Notable
A 1913 railway union headquarters where the former assembly hall preserves stained-glass heraldry.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and Wallpaper*.
Madrid's Barrio de las Letras hides this 137-room conversion behind four connected 1913 buildings, formerly the headquarters of Spain's railway workers' union.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Barrio de las Letras surrounds the building, with the 1930s sherry tavern La Venencia next door and the Prado a short walk away.
The rooms
Don Quixote engravings hang above the beds, and velvet curtains screen off the marble bathrooms.
The water
Bring a swimsuit.
The baths
An indoor heated pool takes cues from Roman baths, set beside a Finnish sauna and Turkish bath.
Maché Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Plush velvet booths curve beneath brass arches in the former theater, serving reinterpreted Madrid recipes and signature cocktails.
The palatial public interiors lean into terracotta tones that set off the original mouldings and coffered ceilings.
How it began
Spain's railway workers' union built the complex in 1913 to house mutual aid offices and vocational classrooms.
Madrid
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.