Four Seasons Hotel Madrid

Four Seasons arrived in Spain by taking on one of Madrid's largest heritage restorations: seven adjoining buildings around Centro Canalejas, several of them former bank headquarters dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Behind the retained stone façades the interiors are entirely new, layered with Spanish art and a palette of cream, walnut and brass that reads as modern Madrid rather than museum-piece Madrid. The location could hardly be more central, with Puerta del Sol, the Prado and the Barrio de las Letras all within a short walk.

Rooms are among the city's largest in this class, with tall windows over Calle de Sevilla or the interior courtyards, marble bathrooms and a calm, uncluttered finish. The hotel connects to the Galería Canalejas, a polished retail and dining arcade carved from the same complex, which gives guests an unusually seamless indoor route to boutiques and casual tables.

The rooftop belongs to Dani Brasserie from Andalusian chef Dani García, whose terrace views across Madrid's rooftops have made it one of the city's busiest reservations. Below ground, the spa runs deep, with a serious indoor pool, extensive thermal facilities and treatment rooms that make it a genuine urban resort. For a first stay in the capital, it is the most complete address Madrid currently offers.