Hotel Fénix, a Gran Meliá Hotel

Character and identity

Set on a prime corner of Plaza de Colón in Barrio de Salamanca, the Fénix opens onto Madrid's Golden Mile with a neoclassical white-and-red facade, a bronze phoenix on the roof, and a stained-glass-domed grand hall that sets a palatial tone. The 188 rooms run to a classic English register with city outlooks; the seventh-floor Red Level adds a private reception, breakfast room, snack bar and roof terrace. Balmoral handles the dining, with Mediterranean cooking, Madrid tapas and a serious cocktail programme. The Thai Room spa, hammam, 24-hour gym and concierge touches (shoeshine, translation) round out a formal, old-school luxury feel.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for here is the address and the formal, classical register: a grand Plaza de Colón corner on Madrid's smartest shopping street, with traditionally styled rooms and a polished signature restaurant. It suits travellers who actively want old-Madrid grandeur rather than design-hotel cool. Book a Red Level room on the seventh floor for the terrace and lounge access; the upgrade is where this property's experience genuinely sharpens.