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Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
Madrid, Spain · Mandarin Oriental · Apex Luxury
King Alfonso XIII pushed for Madrid's first true luxury hotel after touring Europe's courts, contributing capital and instructing César Ritz's company to match London and Paris. Charles Mewès and Luis de Landecho opened the Belle Époque Ritz on 2 October 1910 beside the Prado, one of Madrid's first reinforced-concrete buildings, with carpets from the Royal Tapestry Factory. Mandarin Oriental bought it in 2015, spent about $103 million on restoration, and reopened it in April 2021 with a listed façade and Quique Dacosta's Deessa.
- 153 rooms
- Opened 1910
- Neighborhood: Puerta del Sol / Plaza de Celenque
- Architect: Charles Mewès & Luis de Landecho
- Interiors: Gilles & Boissier
About Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
- Alfonso XIII helped finance the hotel so Madrid would equal the Ritz houses in London and Paris; he officiated the 2 October 1910 opening.
- César Ritz was meant to supervise personally but could not because of depression; French architect Charles Mewès designed it with Luis de Landecho.
- It was among Madrid's first reinforced-concrete buildings; carpets came from Spain's Royal Tapestry Factory, china from Limoges, cutlery from The Goldsmiths.
- Belmond sold the hotel to Mandarin Oriental and The Olayan Group in May 2015 for $148 million; renovation scaffolding collapsed in 2018, killing one worker.
- Reopened 16 April 2021 as Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid; Deessa holds two Michelin stars and the hotel carries MICHELIN Three Keys.
History
King Alfonso XIII, back from European courts and marrying Victoria Eugenie, wanted Madrid to match the Ritz houses in London and Paris. He put in capital and told César Ritz's company to build it. Depression kept Ritz himself away. Charles Mewès and Luis de Landecho designed the Belle Époque hotel; it was among Madrid's first reinforced-concrete buildings, with carpets from the Royal Tapestry Factory. Alfonso opened it on 2 October 1910 beside the Prado. Designs date to 1908; building ran 1908-10 on former circus barracks and Tivoli gardens.
The hotel served as a military hospital in the Spanish Civil War. Belmond sold it in May 2015 to Mandarin Oriental and The Olayan Group for 148 million dollars. A 103-million-dollar restoration followed. On 18 September 2018 scaffolding and part of the sixth floor collapsed, killing one worker. The listed facade survived. Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid reopened on 16 April 2021, with Quique Dacosta's Deessa later taking two Michelin stars and the hotel MICHELIN Three Keys.
The setting
Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid faces Plaza de la Lealtad 5 in the Retiro district, built at the behest of King Alfonso XIII and inaugurated in 1910 as Spain's first true luxury hotel — designed by Charles Mewès, architect of the Paris Ritz, on the site of the former Tivoli Theatre. The hotel's Belle Époque façade is a listed national monument and the restored glass dome a symbol of the era's architectural ambition. The Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza are each a four-minute walk, El Retiro Park eight minutes on foot, and Reina Sofía fourteen minutes, anchoring the property at the centre of the UNESCO-recognised Paisaje de la Luz — the Golden Triangle of Art — that Madrid's most culturally ambitious visitors prize above all else. 4-minute walk to Museo del Prado. 15 km from Madrid-Barajas Airport.
Restaurants and bars
- Deessa — Restaurant · Spanish · Chef Quique Dacosta · Two MICHELIN Stars
- Palm Court — Restaurant · All-day dining · Chef Quique Dacosta (culinary oversight)
- El Jardín del Ritz — Bar · Al fresco amuse-bouche tapas, cocktails and wine · Quique Dacosta (culinary oversight)
- Champagne Bar — Bar · Signature tapas menu with an ever-changing champagne selecti · Quique Dacosta (culinary oversight)
- Pictura — Bar · Classic cocktail menu
Experiences
- Deessa restaurant with hidden Chef's Table — Signature Quique Dacosta restaurant overlooking the famous hotel garden, with a hidden Chef's Table.
- Palm Court afternoon tea — Traditional afternoon tea served under a spectacular glass canopy ceiling.
Amenities
- spa
- indoor pool
- 24-hour fitness
- steam room
- sauna
- concierge
- Fine dining
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels 51-100 (2025)
- 3 Michelin Keys (2024)
- Condé Nast Traveler Gold List (2024)
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