Hotel Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques is a lavish refurbished 19th-century palace with a prime location in the heart of Madrid. Perhaps the highlight here is the seasonal rooftop pool overlooking the Royal Palace.
Location
This hotel can be found on a peaceful street that’s just steps from the action including the Teatro Real Opera House and Opera metro station which is a minute’s walk away. The Royal Palace is nearby and there are tonnes of local bars and restaurants within staggering distance.
Style & Character
This beautiful hotel combines two historic buildings. A 13th-century convent and the 19th-century Palace of Dukes of Granada de Ega, both updated in an avant-garde style.
This hotel still feels palatial with plenty of original features even though it has undergone extensive renovation. The building is housed in a magnificent Elizabethan façade with black, imposing cast-iron gates lining the entrance.
All the rooms and communal areas are set around a central courtyard area which offers seating areas shaded by parasols, decked areas with relaxed rattan seating, and plenty of trees and greenery. It all feels very regal with beautifully pruned hedge blobs sitting on top of chunky flower pots, seemingly saluting your presence like porcelain soldiers with leafy heads.
Service & Facilities
The seasonal rooftop pool and decking which is spattered with sunbeds offers amazing panoramic views across the city overlooking the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral, and the famous Austrias district and towards the mountains beyond. This is a wonderful place to plant yourself for a few hours to properly relax.
Although the pool is perhaps on the small size for exercise, it is a great spot to cool down or you can warm up in the rooftop hot tub. There’s also a rooftop pool bar which provides a prime location to enjoy the sunset.
Downstairs the communal areas are also regal in style, awash with pillars, archways, chandeliers, and high ceilings. The color scheme is, once again, creams and chocolate browns, and bookcases separate silky seating areas where you can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat.
The largest area provided to relax or munch or both is the aforementioned courtyard. This spectacular 1,000m² historic garden is full of life, and a unique and peaceful haven in the heart of Madrid.
Rooms
The rooms here offer a mix of styles. Some seem modern, decorated in shades of chocolate with rather imposing reproductions of Diego Velázquez’s paintings behind the bed. Others are more traditional with multi-paned windows and intricate detailing carved into the ceiling. All are refurbished and feel new.
Bathrooms are spacious with large white baths and lots of glass doors and separators. In fact, in many rooms, the wall between the bathroom and bedroom is completely glass, making the rooms feel even more spacious, but perhaps not helping those with a shy nature!
Food & Drink
There are 3 restaurants within the hotel: Coroa, Dos Cielos, and Montmartre. The Coroa lounge bar and restaurant form the heart of the hotel. Breakfast is served here as a buffet and à la carte and then you can enjoy light dining here throughout the day. In summer, the seating extends out into the courtyard garden so you can enjoy your breakfast under the trees and in the sunshine.
Dos Cielos offers high-end dining and is located in the former stables. The restaurant is run by the renowned Torres brothers and offers food with Catalan influences. Finally, Montmartre restaurant is a less expensive, less formal restaurant ideal for a quicker bite.
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