The DNA: Despite its many virtues, the Spanish capital has never been replete with top-notch hotels; but in the last five years, the situation has improved beyond recognition. But even in the face of tough competition from big-name luxury brands, the new The Madrid EDITION is plainly the cherry on the cake – or the prawn on the paella. The drama of the building – cunningly repurposed from a boxy modern former bank HQ on the old-town Plaza de Celenque – begins with the ornate 18th-century granite doorway by Pedro de Rivera (one of the few historic elements remaining from the original site) and continues into a vast spiral staircase in pearly-white stone, curving spectacularly upwards like a giant seashell. The public spaces have a low-lit calm but go all-out for contrast: An antique tapestry hangs behind an all-white pool table lined with electric-blue baize, and you might find a minimalist bench artfully draped with a traditional Spanish shawl. On the ground floor, chef Enrique Olvera disembarks from Mexico with a restaurant (Jerónimo) that eschews fancy fine dining for a streamlined modern interpretation of traditional Mexican cuisine; if budgetary restrictions apply, an evening in the EDITION’s rooftop wonderland would be a great way of catching the hotel’s hedonistic vibe.

Seen: design milk, SURFACE, Top Hotel Design, Wallpaper*

Accolades: Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2023

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 200 rooms & suites (29-460m2) (312-4,951 sq ft) • hotel opened: September 2022 • architecture: Carlos Ferrater, OAB • interior design: Ian Schrager, John Pawson • bathroom amenities: custom, Le Labo • parking possible on-site (charged) • pets allowed • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible