To stay along Madrid’s Gran Vía means you will be in the heart of the action of the Spanish capital. This pulsing thoroughfare is to Madrid what Broadway is to New York. You’ll find top theaters, restaurants, shops and hotels. It’s a link to much of the city’s top tourist attractions, too. The H10 Villa de la Reina Madrid has a lot of great qualities, much like other hotels on this street, but its position where the street curves is a hallmark. It gives guests with balconies angled views of the street that are unlike anything most other hotels can offer. If you’re looking for big city pizzazz with Spanish charm, here are five reasons to visit H10 Villa de la Reina Madrid.
The location
This building is nearly 100 years old and was once home to a bank. In fact, some of the former bank offices and client rooms are now intimate meeting rooms for the hotel. Like other H10 hotels, the property is within a historic building that is an iconic part of the neighborhood. The hotel’s position on Gran Vía makes it a central hub for tourists, but business travelers favor the location, too. As a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts group and its I Prefer Rewards program, travelers here can earn and redeem points for a stay.
From here, you can reach the Golden Triangle of Art (Museo Del Prado, Museo Nacional Centro De Arte Reina Sofia and Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza), Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and popular neighborhoods like Chueca within just a few minutes on foot.
The design
Following French inspiration, the hotel is divided into many intimate spaces. All the way in the back of the lobby are the two former bank offices now used as meeting space. Another conference area one floor below (but with natural light) adds to the appeal for corporate visitors. Perhaps it is this division of meeting and personal guest space that gives the hotel such boutique design. The lobby is a warm space with electric fireplace, cozy seating nooks, cocktail bar serving light meals and tapas, and copious bookshelves displaying tomes of all sizes and shapes.
Being on the edge of the Barrio de las Letras, home to many past authors as well as nearby famous bookstores, designers latched onto the sentiment. Today, guests can pick up books about travel, history, personal development, cooking, pop culture, science and other topics to peruse around the lobby.
The local touches
In warmer weather, a few cafe tables are on the sidewalk in front of the hotel where guests and locals chat over coffee or cocktails. The property even has created bespoke cocktail (and mocktail) recipes like one that uses a local vermouth. Showcasing Madrileño products is a highlight for the hotel.
A breakfast room, designed to look like a residential kitchen, serves both buffet and a la carte breakfast. Here, you’ll also find tasty specialties like tortilla española (potato and egg omelette) and alcachofas con jamón (artichokes with ham). The space can also be used for private events. Everything around the hotel is designed intentionally to maximize space and minimize the sense that you are in the middle of Spain’s biggest city.
La Villa bar and lounge serves a wide variety of snacks, drinks and light meals, and when evening comes, it becomes popular with locals and guests.
If the decor isn’t enough of a welcome, perhaps a glass of Cava is. Part of the check-in process involves a welcome drink with some sweet candies always available by reception. Those checking out in the morning (or heading off to a day of work or sightseeing) will be pleased to see a coffee station with pastries, too. The small details often add up to a big first impression.
The rooms
To reach the rooms, guests can choose between a marble staircase, traditional elevator or antique cage elevator. Each floor of this boutique hotel has a different color theme including blue, pink and purple among others. White walls and hardwood floors form the backdrop with that color palette covering the accent fabrics in the room. Golden-accent rattan closets open to reveal minibars and robes while bedside power and USB outlets prove popular.
All come with espresso machines and glass bottles of water replenished daily. Bathrooms are bright with plush towels and Rituals toiletries dispensed from wall-mounted pump bottles. Along with such a sustainability theme of the hotel, there are also eco-friendly coffee pods in the room, energy-efficient power int he rooms and limited use of plastic.
In the Superior room category and above, extras like mattress toppers on the bed and turndown service are lovely. The most prized accommodations are those with balconies that look toward the street (there are also courtyard-facing rooms and those overlooking a charming side street).
The suites
Top suite categories have furnished terraces with sitting areas and excellent views of Gran Vía’s prized lights you’ll find on this street. They are so popular that they are used for fashion and film interviews as well as ad campaigns and news broadcasts. The junior suite has a separate living room, dressing area and spacious bathroom with natural light. There are two balconies including one with a swing and sofa.
Other suites include separate sitting areas from the bedroom, and they come with sofa beds making them great for families. No matter what the view here, soundproofing in all accommodations was a priority of designers. The largest suite here has a spacious terrace with whirlpool.
The future
Later in 2023, this hotel plans to unveil a new rooftop area that will catapult it into another peer group in the city. It is adding a rooftop pool, patio area with lounge chairs and bar with specialty cocktails. From this vantage point, you can see the rooftops of Madrid’s distinctive architecture (both new and old). What’s even more special is that this hotel sits on a section of the street that twists a bit to connect to a neighboring street. It gives guests in this building a vantage point of the rest of the street (and its neon signs and action-packed streets).
