The best boutique hotels in Madrid

The Heritage is a hotel where you can relax in exquisite interiors, sip champagne and eat oysters on the secret roof terrace, then slip out to Madrid’s best restaurants and boutiques. The interiors are inspired by the hotel’s glamorous past and its location in the affluent Salamanca neighbourhood. A blue and grey palette is used in some rooms and soft green tones in others, with hand-painted gold wallpaper, antique furniture and smart lights creating unique and unusual settings. Guests are made to feel completely at ease. The Haroma restaurant, overseen by Mario Sandoval, who has two Michelin stars at Coque in Madrid, is excellent value and there's a lovely conservatory-style bar for afternoon tea and drinks.

URSO Hotel & Spa is positioned in the elegant Salesas district, a few minutes’ walk from the oh-so-trendy neighbourhoods of Malasaña and Chueca. The early 20th-century palatial building, designed by architect Antonio Obrador, has conserved many original features, and rooms are decorated in soothing champagne and teal shades. The spa is everything an urban wellness space should be, with a hydromassage pool and treatments courtesy of Natura Bissé and Comfort Zone. The Casa Felisa restaurant is a popular and fashionable place to eat, serving Spanish specialties with a contemporary touch.

For those seeking one of the coolest places to stay in the city, you can’t go wrong with this beautiful hotel, which features effortless interior design and a great location in thumping Chueca. It's set in a former palace that dates back to the 19th century – all arched windows, juliette balconies, window shutters and awnings. Expect an eclectic mix of oversized lamps and vases, retro sofas, art books and enviable 1970s-style coffee tables in the public spaces, and the chic rooms have studded bed frames, navy-blue walls and old city maps on the walls. The restaurant offers a romantic setting for dinner, while the warm, wood-panelled bar is a great spot for a classic cocktail.

Hotel Santo Mauro is located in Chamberí, where the leafy streets are lined with palatial residences – many of them occupied by embassies. It comprises three buildings, the main one being a neoclassical mansion that was built in 1894 for the Duke of Santo Mauro and features a marble staircase and elaborate cornices, and it's surrounded by lovely gardens with chestnut and eucalyptus trees, ideal for sipping a long drink in the shade. The staff are both charming and efficient and will gladly arrange anything you need, and there are bicycles to borrow, should you fancy exploring the surrounding tree-studded streets on two wheels.

TÓTEM Madrid exudes discreet urban chic from its location on one of the most upmarket corners in the city. Charcoal, teal, dusky pink, cerise, navy and purple all play a part in the colour scheme, popping out against a palette of shimmery neutrals. Bedrooms are cocoons of minimalist luxury, where all the materials are high quality, from the soft honeycomb bathrobes to the mid-century-style sideboards with built-in Nespresso machines and minibars. El Pimiento Verde, an attractive Basque restaurant with Scandi-style décor and large windows on the corner of the building, is very popular with people who live and work locally, so book ahead to eat there; it’s worth it.

In a city of long days, late nights and riotous fun, Hotel Orfila is a quiet haven in which to relax before everything starts up again. Family-owned, and with just 32 rooms, you feel as though you are a guest of an eclectic old Doña who lives there, but is rarely seen. The location, on the edge of three districts, is perfect for taking in the many sides of Madrid – it's within walking distance of Retiro park, the Prado museum and the upmarket shopping districts of Goya and Serrano. Rooms are decorated in traditional style, and even the lower categories are spacious and have balconies with views over the gardens. One particular highlight is the breakfast buffet, overflowing with Spanish tortillas cheese, jamón and crisp, dry cava.

This smart city stay is is all about good design and great service. It enjoys a swish location on one of Madrid’s most exclusive streets, and is surrounded by the shops and upscale restaurants of Salamanca. The aesthetic is nothing if not dramatic, with a swirling black-and-white mosaic floors combining different types of marble, and a striking red sculpture hanging in the stairwell. Rooms take on a similar look; the best category to book is a characterful top-floor room, with pitched ceilings and skylights. You are very well looked-after here with smiling staff ready to sort out anything you might need, and the garden is a bit of an oasis from the frenetic pace of Madrid.

The Principal is popular with a media and fashion crowd, as well as anyone who wants to be able to walk everywhere. With comfortable rooms and a soothing colour scheme, it is a handy haven in the heart of the city and the chic roof terrace is one of the most coveted spots in Madrid for a drink in summer. The 76 rooms and suites have a calming effect as soon as you walk in; some of them lead out onto small balconies, and all have more or less the same elegant décor. You'll find cushioned sunbeds on the seventh-floor roof terrace, and personal shoppers, private tours and other services can be arranged on request.

The 7 Islas makes a refreshing change from Madrid's chain hotels, in part due to its location in Triball, a part of gentrified Malasaña that's home to some of the city's coolest bars and boutiques. The staff will go the extra mile to help you have proper authentic experiences in the city, instead of usual tourist activities. Everything in the rooms has been custom-made, such as the woven leather and steel headboards designed by Matías Carbia, and the bronze wall hooks that are little sculptures of babies' hands and feet. Don’t leave without enjoying a drink at 7 Kitchen & Bar, where the cocktails are made with spirits macerated with botanicals to create unique flavours.

You feel like you are sleeping in an art gallery at this elegant, discreet boutique hotel where the emphasis is on attentive service. The prestigious Álvaro Alcázar gallery has filled the hotel with wonderful contemporary art, including pieces by well-known artists Rafael Canogar, Guillem Nadal and Simon Edmondson. It is a favourite of regular Madrid visitors, particularly from the creative industries, given its handy yet non-tourist location (just off Plaza de Colón) and well-designed rooms, which incorporate references to historical Madrid scenes, abstract paintings and lithographs. Book a top-floor suite for the large terraces with brilliant city views.

This handsome 19th-century townhouse is a chic sanctuary that allows you to escape from city life. It overlooks the Puerta de Alcala, one of Madrid’s most important monuments, and is blissfully removed from the hectic downtown with its position opposite El Retiro park. The distinctive cornicing and mouldings in the bedrooms are vestiges of the days when this was a grand private residence; the Duplex room comes with a sleeping area under the eaves and is ideal for a romantic break. The pleasant Bodyna Spa has a relaxation pool and steam room, and a wide-ranging menu of treatments. The best place to unwind post-massage is the Malvar restaurant and tapas bar in the hotel, which has terrace tables on the square.