Wellington Hotel & Spa Madrid

Wellington Hotel & Spa Madrid stands on Calle Velazquez 8, in the Recoletos corner of the Salamanca district, a couple of minutes from the Puerta de Alcala and the gates of the Retiro. Designed by Luis Blanco Soler and opened in 1952, it is one of the longest-standing luxury hotels in central Madrid and remains family-run, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. There are around 237 rooms and suites behind the classical facade, refurbished in stages over the last decade. Events run across two floors and thirteen rooms totalling roughly 900 sqm. The ground floor holds the hexagonal Duke of Wellington salon at 280 sqm with a 4.3 m ceiling - 260 theatre, 250 for dinner and up to 300 for a reception - which opens into the adjoining Cibeles room, and the 155 sqm Claridge with its own Council Chamber next door for board use. Neptuno on the first floor has direct street access from Velazquez, useful for product launches and receptions of up to 250. The smaller Velazquez, Villanueva, Retiro, Alcala and Recoletos rooms handle breakouts, interview days and boardroom sessions from 12 to 90 people. The hotel is known for Kabuki Wellington, Ricardo Sanz's Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant, alongside further restaurants and bars, a spa and gym, private gardens and a rooftop outdoor pool with views across the city - a rare combination for a hotel in this part of Madrid. It has a long association with the Feria de San Isidro, hosting bullfighters and aficionados each May during the season at nearby Las Ventas. Serrano and Ortega y Gasset shopping are on the doorstep and Retiro and Velazquez metro stations are a short walk away.