What It's Like to Stay in an Art-Themed Hotel in Madrid's Cultural Center

Art flows freely in Madrid. There's the Museo del Prado, where crowds clamor around Hieronymus Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights," hoping to get a closer look at the intricate triptych. At the Reina Sofía just down the way, Picasso's "Guernica" has a towering presence, stopping visitors in its tracks. And sprinkled throughout the city are smaller galleries, opera houses, and theaters dedicated to both the old way and the avant-garde. And now, there's a hotel dedicated to it all. Casa de las Artes opened in the Barrio de las Letras, or Madrid's Literary Quarter, on May 5, 2024. Part of the Meliá Collection hotel group, the property is a former palace now housing 137 accommodations. I stayed at the hotel for two nights, and was impressed by its bold design and dedicated, artful ethos. As its name suggests, Casa de las Artes is centered around the seven fine arts, which includes architecture, sculpture, painting, and dance. (Yes, even dance: the gym comes complete with a barre studio.) Dalí lithographs line the halls, and Casa de las Artes is also building over from where "Don Quixote" was first printed. Even as a mere visitor, it was easy to feel the sense of cultural pride imbued in every aspect of the hotel. Here's what prospective travelers should know about staying at the Madrid hotel. About Casa de las Artes The hotel consists of 137 accommodations ranging from compact city rooms with a courtyard view to more spacious suites with terraces. The average nightly rate is around $300 depending on availability and time of year. The on-site restaurant, Maché, serves local cuisine. A breakfast buffet is available daily. There is also a weekly brunch featuring live music and flamenco. Past the lobby, there is a small movie theater, Cinema Miró, with regular screenings on the calendar. There is a gym, thermal pool, and sauna. The hotel is about a 30-minute drive to and from the Madrid-Barajas Airport on average. What I Like About Casa de las Artes The last time I was in Madrid a few years ago, I couldn't tell you where I stayed. It was some faceless, modern hotel actually not far from Casa de las Artes, in Atocha. I had a stopover on the way back from Marrakesh and the hotel was fine, albeit absolutely forgettable. In contrast, there's a lot I'll likely remember about Casa de las Artes. For starters, the lobby is washed in a resplendent coral, which bleeds down the halls and into Maché, where velvet seating and gold fixtures greet guests. At a time when many hotels take an all-beige-everything approach, it's refreshing to see these bolder choices at play. I stayed in a superior room with a city view. The room was more muted than the splashy lobby floor, but I enjoyed its tranquility (and very comfortable king bed) after long days of sightseeing. I was pleasantly surprised to see the room had a small balcony, where I would spend evenings people-watching, a favorite vacation pastime. Though I was unable to experience Maché's dinner and brunch services, I did enjoy the daily breakfast, which included the usual, in addition to a selection of Spanish staples, like manchego cheese, jamón serrano, and tortilla Española. The location is also tough to beat. On my last day in Madrid, I was pressed for time but determined to see Goya's Black Paintings at Museo del Prado. Thankfully, the museum is a ten-minute walk away, and all told, I was able to be there and back in less than an hour. What to Consider Before Booking Casa de las Artes Because of the older building, the rooms at Casa de las Artes aren't one-size-fits-all, and some of the layouts have to be rather creative. In my room, for example, the bathroom sink was in the main area of the room just outside a door separating the shower and toilet. While there was a curtain to provide some partition between the sink and the rest of the room, it won't do much to quiet sounds if you still need to do your 12-step skin-care routine while your travel buddy's already fallen asleep. It's perhaps par for the course for a metropolitan hotel, but still worth noting. Who Casa de las Artes Is Best For Casa de las Artes is best for couples and solo travelers who prioritize sightsteeing and want to be conveniently situated in Madrid. I didn't see many families with young children at the hotel during my stay, and I find the hotel is best suited for adults. Rating 4 49448460 Kelsey Garcia (she/her) is the lifestyle director at PS, where she oversees coverage across Balance and Fitness & Health. Kelsey is passionate about travel, wellness trends, and evolving parenting styles. Before joining the PS team as an editorial assistant in 2015, she interned at Elle and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications.