The Principal Madrid Hotel
Madrid, Spain
Centro
Vibe
A discreet side-street door opens onto swift lift rides up to the hushed, high-ceilinged sixth-floor lounge overlooking Gran Vía.
“Gran Vía rooftop den”
Monochrome slate walls, gilded oil paintings, and iconic butterfly chairs framed by soaring 1917 ceilings.
Liveried doormen greet guests, leading to rooms with rainfall showers, fluffy bathrobes, and dedicated suite butlers.
La Terraza rooftop draws evening cocktail crowds under olive trees with sweeping views over Gran Vía.
At the start of Gran Vía, steps from the Círculo de Bellas Artes and Chueca's dining scene.
“The soaring ceilings, arched doorways, iron railings, and decorative stonework…serve as an elegant framework for the modern interiors.”
Rooms
Muted slate walls and smooth timber frame high-ceilinged interiors, complemented by glossy black-tiled bathrooms with rainfall showers.
“Inside, the vibe feels decidedly like a private club—one you can only hope to be cool enough to join.”
Wellness
A wood-panelled Finnish sauna sized for two sits alongside a private treatment cabin and rooftop morning yoga sessions on La Terraza.
“the interiors, by designer Pilar Garcia-Nieto and Barcelona firm Luzio, are a chic medley of cool grey tones, accented with luxe materials and statement furniture…”
Backstory
Opened in 2015, this 1917 Spanish Renaissance landmark was transformed into the first five-star hotel situated directly along Gran Vía.
Eat & drink
Chef Ramón Freixa helms Ático restaurant, while seasonal cocktails and tapas are served among olive trees on the seventh-floor rooftop.
The neighborhood
Set beside the ornate Metrópolis dome, the hotel sits a short walk from Cibeles fountain and the buzzing tapas bars of Chueca.
More like this
Rosewood Villa Magna
“Modernist Salamanca quarters”
Central
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid
“Restored banking citadel”
Lively
Brach Madrid - Hôtel Evok Collection
“Surrealist Gran Vía rendezvous”
Lively
CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha
“Restored palace bolthole”
Lively
The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.