Mandarin Oriental Ritz

The Mandarin Oriental Ritz is Madrid's grande dame, the 1910 Ritz reborn after a top-to-bottom 2021 restoration. Facing the Prado on Plaza de la Lealtad, it pairs Belle Epoque grandeur with Quique Dacosta's two-Michelin-star Deessa. Expect 153 rooms, faultless service and rates near the top of the city.

"The restored 1910 Ritz, reopened 2021, with the two-Michelin-star Deessa by Quique Dacosta and three Michelin Keys; the formal grande dame."

Aggregate 9.6/10 on our editorial scale (Room & Design, Service, Location). Independently scored; see our methodology. This is our opinion, not an aggregate of user reviews.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from bookings at no cost to you. We never accept payment for placement. Facts verified against official sources and the 2026 Michelin Guide in July 2026.

What makes Mandarin Oriental Ritz special?

The single most compelling reason to book here is provenance done properly. This is the original Hotel Ritz, opened in 1910 at the wish of King Alfonso XIII, and its 2021 relaunch under Mandarin Oriental was a genuine restoration rather than a cosmetic refresh. Architect Rafael de La-Hoz stripped the building back and rebuilt it, while Paris designers Gilles and Boissier reworked every interior, so the Belle Epoque bones survive alongside modern engineering and comfort. The result holds three Michelin Keys, the guide's highest hotel distinction, which places it among a very small group of European hotels. What you get is not a themed pastiche but a working piece of Spanish social history, positioned on the Art Triangle beside the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia. The garden, the glass-canopied Palm Court rotunda and the belle-etage salons are the real draw, and the service culture is trained to Mandarin Oriental standards. If you want the definitive Madrid address, with the gastronomy and heritage to justify the price, this is it. It is formal by temperament, so travellers seeking something relaxed or contemporary should look elsewhere in the city.

Which room should you book?

The hotel offers 153 rooms and suites, including 53 suites, all reconceived in the 2021 restoration by Gilles and Boissier. Rooms follow a residential, old-world register: hand-painted finishes, soft palettes, marble bathrooms and restored period detailing, but with the wiring, soundproofing and climate control expected of a new-build. Entry categories are comfortable rather than vast by international standards, which is a fair reflection of a converted 1910 structure, so guests who prize square metres should book up into a suite. The named and signature suites are the showpieces, several with views over the Prado, the garden or Plaza de la Lealtad, and the top suites carry butler service. Ceilings are high on the principal floors, and many rooms retain a sense of the building's grand proportions. Bathrooms are a strength, with deep tubs and quality amenities. Because this is a historic property, room shapes and outlooks vary considerably, so it is worth discussing preferences with the hotel at booking, particularly if you want a garden or avenue aspect rather than an interior view. Accessibility has been improved as part of the rebuild. Overall the accommodation reads as classic and considered rather than fashion-led or minimalist.

Where should you eat and drink?

Dining is a headline strength, overseen by Spanish chef Quique Dacosta, named Michelin Mentor Chef 2026. The flagship is Deessa, which holds two Michelin stars in the 2026 guide and sits in the Alfonso XIII salon overlooking the garden, serving two tasting menus that draw on Dacosta's Mediterranean and Extremadura repertoire under resident head chef Domenico Vildacci. Palm Court, beneath the restored glass canopy, handles all-day dining and the hotel's celebrated afternoon tea. Tucked into a corner of the Palm Court is the Champagne Bar, an eight-seat counter pairing champagne with caviar, oysters, Iberian ham and, in season, white truffle. Pictura is the hotel's cocktail bar, occupying the former Goya restaurant space and backed by commissioned portraits. In the warmer months El Jardin del Ritz opens as an alfresco garden venue for cocktails and a tapas menu designed by Dacosta, and it is among the most sought-after outdoor tables in the city. Between these outlets the hotel covers gastronomic tasting menus, informal all-day meals, afternoon tea and serious cocktails without a guest needing to leave the building. Booking well ahead is essential for Deessa and for the garden in summer.

What is the spa and pool like?

The hotel houses a spa and wellness area within the restored building, offering a treatment menu, sauna and steam facilities and a fitness suite. It is a genuine wellness floor rather than a token gym, though the spa is more intimate in scale than the sprawling resort-style operations found at some newer Madrid five-stars, and there is no large leisure pool of the kind offered by the Four Seasons or the EDITION. Guests booking primarily for extensive spa days or rooftop swimming should factor that in. What the hotel does offer is a calm, private setting for massage and body treatments in keeping with its formal character, plus the Mandarin Oriental group's spa pedigree behind the treatment programming. For most guests the wellness offer is a complement to the heritage, gastronomy and location rather than the main reason to stay. If a pool is a priority, confirm the current facilities directly with the hotel before booking, as offerings can change.

Where is Mandarin Oriental Ritz, and how do you get there?

The location is close to unbeatable for culture. The hotel stands on Plaza de la Lealtad in the Retiro district, at the heart of Madrid's Art Triangle, with the Prado Museum a two-minute walk away and the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia both within an easy stroll. Retiro Park, the green lung of the city, is moments to the east, and the Paseo del Prado boulevard runs directly outside. This puts world-class art, gardens and grand nineteenth-century architecture on the doorstep, and it is one of the most prestigious postcodes in Spain. The Puerta del Sol and the shopping of the Barrio de Salamanca are both reachable on foot or by a short taxi ride. Banco de Espana and Atocha stations connect the metro and mainline rail, and the airport is roughly a 20 to 30 minute drive depending on traffic. The immediate area is calm and monumental rather than nightlife-heavy, which suits the hotel's clientele. Guests wanting to be inside the buzz of the Malasana or La Latina bar scenes will have a slightly longer walk, but for museums, parks and refined surroundings the address is hard to better.

What do guests consistently say?

Guest feedback is consistently strong on the things that matter most here: the restoration, the sense of occasion, the food and the service. Visitors repeatedly single out the beauty of the public rooms, the garden and the Palm Court, and afternoon tea and dining at Deessa draw praise. Staff are described as attentive and polished, and many reviewers rate the overall experience as a special-occasion highlight. The location beside the Prado is a recurring positive. Where opinion divides, it tends to be on value and on the trade-offs of a historic building. Some guests feel entry-level rooms are compact for the price and that certain outlooks are underwhelming, which is a fair reflection of a 1910 structure. A minority find the atmosphere formal to the point of stiffness. Occasional service lapses appear in reviews, as they do at any large luxury hotel. Noise from avenue-facing rooms is mentioned now and then. On balance the sentiment is that the hotel delivers on grandeur, gastronomy and service, and that guests who arrive understanding it is a restored classic rather than a contemporary design hotel come away most satisfied.

Honest cons: who should skip it?

The clearest trade-off is price against room size. Rates sit at the top of the Madrid market, yet entry-level rooms can feel modest in square metres because the building dates from 1910, so value-focused travellers may feel the suites are where the money is best spent. The mood is formal and classical throughout, which is a strength for some and a limitation for anyone wanting a relaxed or design-led stay. Wellness is comparatively modest: there is a spa and gym but no large leisure or rooftop pool, so guests prioritising swimming or extensive spa facilities should look to newer competitors. The surrounding district is monumental and quiet rather than lively after dark, meaning a walk or taxi to the main nightlife areas. As with any heritage conversion, rooms vary in shape and view, so an unadvised booking can land you an interior aspect. Demand for Deessa and the summer garden is high, so spontaneous dining can be difficult without planning. None of these are failings so much as the natural consequences of a formal, historic, city-centre grande dame, and they are worth weighing against the location and gastronomy.