Madrid's Gran Via may be "the street that never sleeps", but it now boasts a place to catch some shuteye that is very grand indeed. The Principal Madrid, is the first five-star hotel to open on the Spanish capital's famous shopping and clubbing strip and it inhabits a stunning 1917 corner building along a road that is considered a showcase of 20th century architecture. It's the flagship for Unico Hotels and a member of the chic Design Hotels group.
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Designer Pilar Garcia-Nieto set out to recreate the era of the grand hotel, when such fancy digs were sprinkled across Europe and when slow travel was first de rigueur. The result is a mix of styles, "… influences of a posh British club, the flamboyance and glamour of a palace in France, and the modern masculinity of a Manhattan loft", says Garcia-Nieto.
The private club ambience is front and centre in the stately polish and open fireplace of reception, which is ensconced privately on the sixth floor affording views of neighbouring ornate rooftops. Public areas include a restaurant by acclaimed chef Ramon Freiza, the glassed-in pergola, as well as rooftop terrace and bar with sun deck giving incredible views of Madrid.
While those socialising spaces are playfully ornate, the 76 rooms and suites are more muted and owe more to the New York loft influence of which Garcia-Nieto speaks, rather than palatial glamour. Charcoal-hued carpets and sofas are complemented by the cool greys of fabric wallpaper and bed covers. Mustard yellow benches and design classics such as BKF's Butterfly Chair provide contrasting highlights in the sleek rooms.
Add in butler service, a top-notch spa and other soothing notes of service, and the Gran Via's insomniac reputation could well take a hit.
Doubles from $295. See designhotels.com.
