Hotel Villa Real

Description:

• It's not on the same level as the Ritz, but it is the first major hotel nearby to give the Westin Palace serious competition. Until 1989, the Villa Real was little more than a rundown 19th-century apartment house across a three-sided park from the Spanish parliament (Congreso de los Diputados) between Puerta del Sol and Paseo del Prado. Since then, developers have poured lots of dinero into renovations to produce this stylish hotel patronized by the cognoscenti of Spain, and today it's a member of the prestigious Derby chain. The facade combines an odd mix of neoclassical and Aztec motifs and is guarded by footmen and doormen. Rooms at the Villa Real are more consistent in quality than those offered by its neighbor, the Palace , but lack the latter's mellow charm and patina. The interior contains a scattering of modern paintings amid neoclassical detailing. Highlights are its proliferation of Roman mosaics -- among the largest private collections in Spain.

  Each of the accommodations offers soundproofing, a sunken salon with leather-upholstered furniture, and built-in furniture accented with burl-wood inlays. Although rooms aren't imaginative, they're mostly large, with separate sitting areas and big, bright, well-equipped bathrooms.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2009
•  Very Highly Recommended 2010

Other features:

The bedrooms on the top floors have wonderful panoramic views.