Gran Hotel Inglés - The Leading Hotels of the World

We recommend the Gran Hotel Inglés to thirty-something and forty-something couples seeking a human-scale palace, without the bustle of the big Castellana ensembles. The address suits cultural weekends (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen on foot), gastronomic dinners, romantic spa getaways. Families find their place here (interconnecting rooms available), but the clientele remains mostly adult, between 35 and 60 years old.

The building dates from 1853, constructed to house Madrid's first grand hotel on the model of Parisian palaces. Neoclassical Colmenar stone façade, six storeys with wrought-iron balconies. Interiors reworked between 2014 and 2018 by Rockwell Group: Spanish marbles, walnut woodwork, bespoke brushed brass lighting. The 19th-century vaulted cellars have been preserved and transformed into a spa, original brick arches visible.

The main table, Lobo 8, is helmed by Diego Guerrero (1 Michelin star). Contemporary Spanish cuisine, seasonal produce, menu that changes every three months. Breakfast served in the LobByto from 7am to 11.30am, continental buffet and à la carte (eggs, toasts, fresh juices). The LobByto bar stays open until 1am, signature cocktails and selection of artisanal Spanish vermouths. 24/7 room service, simplified menu after midnight.

The Gran Hotel Inglés stands on Calle Echegaray, in the Barrio de las Letras, between Puerta del Sol (200 metres) and Plaza Santa Ana (150 metres). The Prado is ten minutes on foot, the Reina Sofía twelve. Sevilla metro station (line 2) 300 metres away, Atocha 15 minutes by taxi. Historic literary neighbourhood, pedestrian cobbled streets, tapas bars, antique bookshops. Lively until midnight, quiet after, very residential on Sundays.