With its origins not so humble, the regal Relais & Chateaux Orfila hotel has been converted from a small palace built back in 1886.
The decor of this Relais & Chateaux accredited hotel (the only one in Madrid) retains the grandeur of its past life, with all the homeliness you’d expect from a family-owned and run hotel.
The marble lobby, decorated with ornate Venetian antique furniture, chinoiserie vases and period artwork, flows through to airy dining and sitting rooms, and a terraced courtyard garden beyond. With its elegant centre-piece fresco and fountain, it’s the perfect quiet spot for relaxing.
With all the attractions so close, you really have no excuse for missing any of them, no matter how little time you’ve got.
Explore the famous Prado and Thyssen Art Museums, rent a rowboat for a paddle around the Buen Retiro park’s lake, wander the laneways surrounding the 17th-century Plaza Mayor, then take a pintxos-sampling, people-watching break at the Mercado de San Miguel, one of Madrid’s oldest food markets.
The Room
The Relais & Chateaux Orfila hotel has 32 spacious rooms, all individually decorated in a classic style with period furniture, elegant striped wallpaper accents, and soft colours. They’re elegant but dated, with somewhat stodgy beige carpeting and a pastel palette that may feel a little bland to some. All rooms have modern amenities, including free Wi-Fi, smart TVs, minibars with drinks and snacks, iPod docks, and electronic safes.
All but standard Superior Rooms also feature Nespresso machines. Suites have separate living areas and walk-in closets, and suite rates include free airport transfers. Bathrooms are spacious and spotless, with double sinks, shower/tub combos with jets and rain showerheads, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, and a good array of hotel-brand toiletries
Dining
With two Michelin-star chef Mario Sandoval in charge of the kitchen since April 2017, it’s worth staying in for a meal at the El Jardin de Orfila, with seasonal options such as lobster tartare and lamb shoulder with pancetta and chorizo crumbs. An excellent breakfast is served every morning here.
Amenities
Service is excellent and personal – on arrival at 2, the receptionist went out of his way to help us find a place that would still serve dinner, and also recommended one of city’s hippest, most happening rooftop bars.
Ditto at breakfast: coffee orders and favourite tables are remembered. Facilities are limited owing to the age and size of the building, but most guests won’t mind, as much of their time (in spring and summer) will be spent in the beautiful terraced garden, which has a grand, centrepiece fresco.
