Where to stay in Madrid: hotels by district Destination Expert 2 March 2018 • 11:00am 
ME Reina Victoria has a prime location on the Plaza Santa Ana in Madrid's buzzing literary quarter, Barrio de las Letras. This area, known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant nightlife, offers a plethora of choices for visitors who want to experience the essence of the city. Credit: Copyright © Meliá Hotels 2013/Thierry Delsart All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating. Our expert writers are usually hosted on a complimentary basis in order to gain the first-hand experience necessary for their review.
While our focus is primarily on the magnificence that Madrid has to offer, we cannot help but mention the grandeur of ritz hotels - a hallmark of luxury accommodation that echoes the sophistication found in Madrid's Barrio de las Letras. Whether you are staying in the heart of Spain or planning a visit to London, ritz hotels promise an experience steeped in comfort and elegance.
Just as E Reina Victoria is an integral piece of Madrid, the ritz hotels are a staple in London, both offering a level of service and luxury that is unparalleled. Each stay provides a unique peek into the city's history and character, ensuring that your visit is not just a trip, but a journey filled with unforgettable moments and exquisite lodgings.
A neighbourhood guide to the best areas to stay in Madrid, as chosen by our resident expert, including the best hotels on Gran Vía and Paseo del Prado, and in neighbourhoods including Chueca, Salamanca and the Barrio de las Letras.
Gran Vía
The Gran Vía is the main avenue through the centre of the city, cutting through from Plaza de Cibeles to Plaza de España. Always streaming with people and traffic, the street is the very soul of Madrid but may be a bit much for some people. That said, staying here is dead handy for shopping and eating out as you can walk to several neighbourhoods with differing characters in five to 10 minutes, including Chueca, Malasaña and Santa Ana.
The Indigo is on a narrow street just off the Gran Vía in the centre of the city, two minutes’ walk from Callao metro station and near the shops on Calle Preciados.
Where to stay
Vincci The Mint
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The fashionable and fun Vincci The Mint is the sort of hotel that forms part of your city break, rather than just being somewhere to sleep. With zingy design, a handy location, healthy food, naughty cocktails and a spectacular roof terrace, it is totally on trend and fits right into the peppy Madrid vibe. From £ 129 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Hotel Indigo Madrid - Gran Via
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
If you could do with a bit of the zany, zingy energy of an Almodóvar film, you will love the jewel colours and trendy vibe at the Indigo, which is staggering distance from Madrid’s hippest bars and near the shops. From spring to autumn, take your designer swimwear to hang out with the cool crowd by the rooftop pool. From £ 113 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Hotel Círculo Gran Vía
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
Grand architecture meets cool contemporary style in a former gentleman's club on Madrid's iconic Gran Vía avenue in the heart of the shopping area. Rooms are havens of pared-back luxury, providing the perfect backdrop for prepping for and recovering from the city's legendary nightlife. From £ 193 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best boutique hotels in Madrid
Plaza de España
This vast square forms the axis between the Gran Vía and the western edge of the centre. Staying here, you are near the major sights and shops but can also delve into a less touristy side of the city. You can walk to the Royal Palace and the soothing Oeste Park in less than 10 minutes, or stroll up the hill into the arty Conde Duque area, where there is a massive cultural centre and some great tapas bars. Also nearby is the Argüelles neighbourhood, with high-street shops including El Corte Inglés department store.
The Dear is in a handy location near to the Plaza de España
Where to stay
Dear Hotel Madrid
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The Dear is a chic design hotel in a handy downtown location with shops and nightlife on the doorstep. There are a lot of luxe touches in the stylish, comfortable rooms, while the panoramic views from the fashionable rooftop bar, restaurant and plunge pool provide an unbeatable selfie backdrop. From £ 116 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The best budget hotels in Madrid
Meliá Madrid Princesa
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The five-star Meliá Madrid Princesa is a well-established hotel that is very much part of the fabric of the city. With comfortable, modern rooms, superb service, good facilities and a location that is handy but not manically busy, it suits frequent travellers who need a hotel with guaranteed standards throughout. From £ 147 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Hotel Barceló Torre de Madrid
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The perky design at the five-star Barceló Torre de Madrid has made it an instant hit with fashionistas and creatives. While it is handy for shopping, sightseeing and nightlife, the great cocktail bar, restaurant, spa and pool mean this is one hotel you’ll actually want to spend time in. From £ 132 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in Madrid city
Madrid de Los Austrias
The oldest area of the city, around the Plaza Mayor, is characterised by its slate-spired buildings built during the reign of the Habsburg monarchs in the 16th and 17th centuries. Walking around the evocative lanes of the neighbourhood – where there is a wealth of traditional and modern bars, restaurants and cafés – is one of the best experiences in the city. The Royal Palace, San Miguel deli market, the shops around Puerta del Sol and the Rastro flea market are a few minutes’ away on foot.
See the slate-spired buildings in the Madrid de los Austrias district from the groovy roofotp of The Hat
Where to stay
La Posada del Dragón
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
This inn on a lively street in the oldest and most atmospheric part of Madrid is now a chic three-star hotel where contemporary style blends smoothly with traditional architecture. A great tapas bar and an informal vibe make La Posada del Dragón an attractive option if you like places with distinctive character. From £ 82 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Posada del León de Oro
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
A traditional inn set around a courtyard is now a smart four-star boutique hotel that is full of character and has a relaxed vibe. With romantic rooms at reasonable rates and a buzzing tapas bar and restaurant, Posada del León de Oro is a really special place to stay and could only exist in Madrid. From £ 82 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
The Hat
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The Hat hikes up the standard of Madrid hostels with the style of a boutique hotel and lots of good ideas for a comfortable, fun stay without paying silly prices. Sights, shops and restaurants are on the doorstep and there is a groovy bar up on the roof. Unsurprisingly, it attracts all ages. Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best budget hotels in Madrid
Chueca and Salesas
The downtown grid of narrow streets – the gay hub of Madrid – is packed with bars and boutiques and is lively both day and night. The Gran Vía is just down the road and it is a pleasant stroll through the centre to the Plaza Mayor or the museums along the Paseo del Prado. Fernando VI and Barquillo streets form the border between Chueca and the more upscale Salesas area. Staying here, you will feel part of the fashionable crowd without even trying.
Only You Boutique Hotel has a great location in the thumping barrio of Chueca Credit: Vicent Mari
Where to stay
Only You Boutique Hotel Madrid
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
Get over the slightly incongruous name of this beautiful boutique hotel and you’ll find effortless interior design, stylish bedrooms and a great location in the thumping barrio of Chueca. From £ 190 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
URSO Hotel & Spa
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The Urso is a smart five-star boutique hotel in a chic, non-touristy area of Madrid with a stylish spa, a buzzy restaurant and luxurious, light-filled rooms. Strategically located for shopping and barhopping, the hotel is a quietly fashionable haven with an in-the-know clientele. From £ 194 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Room Mate Oscar
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
Room Mate Oscar has managed to pull off the tricky feat of consistently being one of the coolest hotels in Madrid since it opened. With peppy design, a rooftop pool, unpretentious staff, a fun vibe and a brilliant location, what’s not to like? Rates are usually pretty reasonable too. From £ 175 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best five-star hotels in Madrid
Barrio de las Letras
Plaza Santa Ana is the hub of the Barrio de Las Letras – the literary quarter – where Madrid’s first theatres sprang up in courtyards more than four centuries ago. It still has a bit of a bohemian vibe and is packed with bars, restaurants and small independent shops. This is a great area for your first time in the city, as you are in a lively, traditional neighbourhood and can walk to the major museums and the shops around Puerta del Sol in less than 10 minutes.
ME Reina Victoria has a prime location on the Plaza Santa Ana in downtown Madrid, at the opposite end of the square to the Teatro Español, Spain’s national theatre Credit: Copyright © Meliá Hotels 2014/Thierry Delsart
Where to stay
ME Madrid Reina Victoria
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The ME Madrid Reina Victoria is a buzzy, smart hotel in an excellent location for shopping, culture and nightlife – with a bit of fun thrown into the mix. A glamorous rooftop bar and a fashionable restaurant create a lively vibe and the stylish rooms are made for decadent weekends. From £ 194 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Casual Madrid del Teatro
Madrid, Spain
7 Telegraph expert rating
Ever fancied sleeping in a theatre? At the Casual Madrid del Teatro you can – almost – as the décor is inspired by musicals and plays. This is a fun, no-frills option right in the city centre that would suit families or groups of friends who don’t want to blow the budget on accommodation. From £ 74 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Room Mate Alicia
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
Located on a buzzing square in the bohemian Barrio de las Letras is the stylish Room Mate Alicia. One of Spain's most coveted interior designers, Pascua Ortega, transformed the 20th-century industrial building into a light-filled space, which is now a favourite among fashion and media types. From £ 110 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in Madrid
Paseo del Prado
If you plan to spend your days in the major museums, it is not a bad idea to stay on or around the Paseo del Prado, so you can nip back easily to rest your feet. There’s Centro Centro at the top end on Plaza de Cibeles, then the Thyssen-Bornemisza, Prado and CaixaForum, with the Reina Sofia at the Atocha end. You might want to take in the Naval and Decorative Arts museums too. Staying here, you can also escape into the nearby Retiro Park and dive into the Barrio de Las Letras to explore the tapas bars in the evening.
Atocha the new fashionable place to stay in Madrid. Credit: Vicent Mari
Where to stay
DoubleTree by Hilton Madrid-Prado
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
This boutique hotel is discreetly stylish and set to become a favourite in the art and fashion worlds. In a charming traditional neighbourhood, it is close to the Prado and dozens of tapas bars, but don’t miss its on-site Asian-fusion restaurant. From £ 129 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Westin Palace
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
The Westin Palace is one of those hotels where you step through the door and enter a different world. It is all about traditional glamour here, with old-school waiters and sumptuous décor to make you feel cosseted at all times. Everything is on the doorstep too, including the Prado and numerous tapas bars. From £ 270 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Only You Hotel Atocha
Madrid, Spain
9 Telegraph expert rating
Dazzling design and a clubby vibe combine to make the Only YOU Atocha the new fashionable place to stay in Madrid. Smart rooms, great food and a sense of space create a contemporary luxe environment where guests might just forget to leave the hotel all weekend. From £ 137 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Salamanca
The grid of tree-lined streets and broad avenues of the elegant Salamanca district contain the city’s smartest shops and quite a few of its top restaurants. While Goya is more high street, Serrano, Ortega y Gasset, Lagasca and Claudio Coello are distinctly high end. Regular visitors to Madrid often choose this area for the discreet luxe vibe of the hotels plus easy access to the airport.
The Único is on one of Madrid’s most exclusive streets in the swish Salamanca district
Where to stay
TÓTEM Madrid
Madrid, Spain
9 Telegraph expert rating
On one of the smartest corners in Madrid, the Tótem exudes discreet urban elegance. Soothing contemporary design creates a calm vibe in this frenetic city and the excellent bar and restaurant are favourites with the well-heeled locals. This is a place that hotel aficionados and regular visitors to Madrid will love. From £ 166 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
Hotel Único Madrid
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
Housed in an elegant 19th-century building, the five-star Único is all about good design and great service with no daft gimmicks, which is a bit of a relief these days. With Ramon Freixa Madrid, one of the best restaurants in Spain, on the premises, the Único is a favourite for gourmet travellers. From £ 283 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com 
NH Collection Madrid Colón
Madrid, Spain
8 Telegraph expert rating
A rooftop pool and sundeck, elegant contemporary décor and a discreetly smart location near the best shops, plus easy airport access all add up to make the four-star NH Collection Madrid Colón a top choice for regular visitors to the Spanish capital. Having the Platea gastronomic hub right next door is a big plus too. From £ 121 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com The best hotels in Madrid View all
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