Ritz: the prestige of a name

The Ritz Hotel does not need introduction. Lineage and international recognition transform it in one of the most luxurious hotels in Madrid. Additionally, its location makes it envy of other luxury accommodation facilities which were not lucky enough to count on contacts with Alfonso XIII.

At the beginning of the century, the Spanish king Alfonso XIII felt like having a look all around Europe. During his journey he stayed in the best hotels of the continent. And there you go, he came back to Madrid and he realized that a foreign traveller could not find that kind of accommodation in the Spanish capital city. Therefore, he decided to have it made; a hotel which measured up to the crown's standards. He entrusted the Ritz Development Company to do the job. On October 2nd of the year 1910 the opening took place. It was the birth of the Hotel Ritz of Madrid, a building designed by a Frenchman called Charles Mewes and a Spaniard called Luis de Landecho. It is currently in the hands of the Le Meridien chain.

The hotel offers 165 rooms and suites. There are two telephone lines (one in the bedroom and another one in the bathroom, Rich people's quirks¡¡¡), a computer, a satellite TV, a VCR and all the luxury expected in a hotel of this category. Its decoration is a bit exaggerated, old-fashion, with wooden pieces of furniture that look like antiques and luxurious details as the ones that can found in the house of a movie star.

As any luxury temple, Ritz gains a part of its category from its exorbitant prices. The least expensive room costs 450 € per person and night. Trifles, if we compare it with the amount of money needed for renting a suite: a Junior suite rises to 930 € (per night nor per month), a Deluxe suite costs around 1712 € and the Royal suite amounts to 3900 €.

Pets are allowed, without additional cost. Probably due to the demands of wealthy baronesses who come always accompanied by their little poodles. Children under 12 do not pay if they share room with their parent (we guess that, in a certain way, it is related to the former example).

Check-in: At 2:00 pm. Check-out: At noon. If we pay half the price of a night we can prolong our stay until 6:00 pm. By the way, smoking is not allowed in the rooms.

Goya - the restaurant of the hotel -offers more than 30 different courses and a buffet which was declared as the best Spanish buffet of the year 1998. Tuesdays and Thursdays menu is "cocido madrileño" a nourishing meat and vegetable stew. According to the owner it is the best "cocido" served in the city.

At five, at the terrace, tea- a variety of 6 specialities- served with pastry and sandwiches. Restaurant timetable is: for breakfast from 7:30 am to 11:00 am, lunch from 1:30 pm to 4 pm and dinner from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm. The bar is open from 12.20 pm to 1.00 am.

The hotel is situated at Plaza de la Lealtad, 5, that is to say, the square where the Neptuno fountain lies, in Paseo de Recoletos, just opposite the Museo del Prado, and a few yards away from the museums Thyssen Bornemisza and Reina Sofía, right in the middle of the triangle of art. To contact them, call 91 701 67 67; the fax number is 91 701 67 76.