Created at the initiative of King Alfonso XIII, to provide Madrid with a large luxury hotel establishment according to the needs of the capital of Spain, The Westin Palace, Madrid opened its doors in 1912 as the largest and most modern hotel in Europe.
Built on a 6000 m2 plot that occupied the old Palace of the Dukes of Medinaceli, it is located in the heart of the "Barrio de las Letras", place of residence of the great writers of the Golden Age, currently the most bohemian and chic neighborhood in Madrid, residence of artists and designers and which brings together a large number of art galleries, cultural centers, museums, as well as the most original boutiques in Madrid.
Opposite the hotel is the Congress of Deputies, across the street, the Prado Museum, one of the most important art galleries in the world, and the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum; as well as the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a five-minute walk away.
The Belgian businessman George Marquet, promoter and first owner of the hotel, awarded the project to the studio of Leon Monnoyer and the architect Eduard Ferré i Puig, winner of the competition called to adapt the project to the trapezoidal shape of the site. The first stone was laid on March 9, 1911 and construction was completed on September 20, 1912, eighteen months and eleven days later, beating all speed records.
The plot was acquired for 1.5 million pesetas and the total investment amounted to 15 million. It was inaugurated with 800 rooms, being the first hotel in Spain and the second in the world with a bathroom in each of its rooms, for which English plumbers were brought in, which meant the birth of this profession in Madrid.
It was the first hotel to incorporate a telephone in all its rooms and the first building built with the reinforced concrete technique, incorporating the most advanced techniques in the style of the Parisian buildings of the Belle Époque.
In 1914 the Madrid City Council awarded the building as the best construction in the city and in 1998 it was declared by the Community of Madrid an Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of monument.
From the outset it was conceived to become not only a hotel but also a fundamental element of Madrid's social life, a meeting place to meet, do business, parties and banquets. Josép Pla, renowned writer and journalist from the mid-20th century, defined the hall of the Palace as "the microcosm of Spanish life".
He particularly highlights the spectacular glass dome in the Art Nouveau style of the hall, the nerve center of the hotel, made by Maumejean House. It is decorated with geometric motifs of a vegetal and arabesque nature.
Three Flemish tapestries from the 17th century decorate the noble area, as well as a lamp, a unique piece in solid Art Deco bronze in the shape of a palm tree that until 1997 hung under the dome and now presides over the entrance.
Throughout its history, the building has undergone several reforms to adapt to the new times and provide it with all the necessary technical innovations. In 2013, as a result of an ambitious project, it incorporated 1,185 m2 of rooms for holding events at the Plaza de Neptuno level.
Currently the hotel is fully restored and has 470 rooms, 50 of which are suites, 2 restaurants, a bar and 18 banqueting rooms on the main floor.
TIMELINE OF A CENTENARY HOTEL
The hotel was owned by the Marquet family until 1977, when it was acquired by businessman Enrique Masó. In 1989 he sold the hotel to the Italian chain Ciga Hotels, owned by the Aga Khan. In 1995, the Ciga chain became part of ITT Sheraton until Starwood Hotels & Resorts acquired the chain in 1997. Since 2001 it has been managed under the Westin brand. In the year 2000 Host Spanish Operating TRS SL acquired the property without this affecting the management of the hotel.
The first hotel guest stayed in room 141 on September 21, 1912 and paid 7.5 pesetas, the equivalent today of 5 euro cents.
The official inauguration took place on October 12, 1912, it was one of the great events of that year in the city.
From the beginning of the century it began to receive illustrious guests such as Igor Strawinsky, the painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Marie Curie or the very double spy Margaret Gertrude Zelle (Matahari).
After World War I came the Roaring 20s and with them the famous mid-afternoon dances under the dome.
The period between 1920 and 1936 was a flourishing period for the hotel, El Palace, it was the meeting point and a must for all the artists and intellectuals who came to Madrid. Valle Inclán, Joséphine Baker, Buster Keaton, Richard Strauss, all of them stayed at the hotel. In those years, when they were still classmates at the Student Residence, Federico García Lorca, Luis Buñuel and Dalí had the hotel bar as a meeting place.
During the Spanish Civil War it was converted into a military hospital, where the glass dome played a leading role as it allowed surgical operations to be carried out even when there was a lack of electricity supply.
At the end of 1939, after a restoration of the building for more than 4 million pesetas (24,000 euros), the hotel reopened its doors.
During the 40s, Salvador Dalí returned to the hotel as a guest, he even painted a sketch on the wall of his suite, a pity that the chambermaid erased it. Through the halls, you could see Edgar Neville or Jorge Luis Borges
. Also during those years of World War II, the hotel was a center of operations for foreign agents and a source of information for journalists. In those years the writer Julio Camba began to live in the hotel.
The great economic boom of the 50s meant the visit to the hotel of great Hollywood artists such as Hemingway, Orson Welles, Lauren Bacall, Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner and many more.
In the 1960s, with the tourism boom, the hotel began to receive many international clients, including the Dukes of Windsor, or the Italian magnate Giovanni Agnelli.
In 1972, before officially opening its headquarters in Madrid, one of the floors of the hotel became the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, curiously coinciding with Henry Kissinger's visit to the hotel. It is even said that his meeting served to bring positions between the two nations closer.
During the coup d'état of February 23, 1981, the hotel occupied a leading place where the Provisional Government of the Nation was installed and a press room for more than 200 journalists from all over the world.
In the year 82 the hotel hosted the great socialist victory party.
In 1991 the hotel hosted the celebration of the Peace Conference between Arabs and Jews.
In 2001, the hotel was closed exclusively to hold a three-day summit with 40 heads of state, inaugurated by the President of the Government and closed by the King of Spain. There Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev met.
In 2004, on the occasion of the wedding of SSAARR Los Príncipes de Asturias, the hotel was once again one of the hotels chosen to accommodate its illustrious guests from all over the world.
On October 12, 2012, the hotel turned 100 years old and celebrated it throughout the year with a calendar of artistic, charitable and gastronomic activities.
On July 25, 2021, the Landscape of Light in Madrid was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape. The hotel building is one of the Assets of Cultural Interest that is part of this UNESCO World Heritage list that includes sites that have exceptional universal value.
Reception/ Concierge 's Office
It maintains the line of decoration with its fully restored wall paintings in which the artist has used the trompe l'oeil technique. Both counters, the concierge and reception, are made of marble and are very spacious to provide better customer service. It has safe deposit boxes available for customers and a specific area for the registration of groups and conventions.
Business center
Relaxed and comfortable space to work or read, equipped with the latest technology. Our staff will provide you with any assistance, personal or technical, that you need.
1912 MUSEUM BAR
Famous for its cocktail bar, it is decorated in a strong and classic English style, hardwood walls with engravings and paintings in perfect harmony with green leather armchairs, divans and armchairs in which alternate green and navy blue.
It currently houses the historical legacy of the hotel.
Hemingway loved his dry martini
ROOMS
The hotel has 470 rooms of which 50 are suites (1 Royal, 17 Executive and 32 Junior) and the rest are divided into 109 Premium and 309 Deluxe. All of them equipped with the renowned "Westin Heavenly Bed" or heavenly beds.
Complying with Spanish regulations, the hotel has rooms that are specially designed and equipped for the physically disabled.
Some rooms are decorated and furnished in a classic style and others with a more timeless design. Elements such as the original mahogany doors and the marble floors and walls have been preserved.
They have an individualized air conditioning system, windows with a soundproofing system and double glazing, retainers on the windows, a safe, a 32” flat screen TV, smoke detector and anti-fire water sprinklers and WIFI.
The bathrooms have been designed in marble combined with the most modern sanitary furniture. Special care has been taken to give fireproof treatment to all upholstery (curtains, wall scrim, bed headboards, sofas and armchairs, rugs and carpets).
SUITES
Special mention deserves the Royal Suite located on the fourth floor with an area of 160m2, it has balconies and impressive views of the city.
The interior design, the work of the London studio Areen Hospitality, brings a touch of contemporary elegance to a suite that, since the hotel's inauguration, has been a benchmark for hospitality, residence of the most glittering stars and the most important statesmen, the Royal Suite has welcomed personalities such as Prince Aga Khan, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Ava Gardner, Pavarotti, Sofía Loren, María Callas, Lauren Bacall or Dalí, among others, during their stays in Madrid.
The Executive Suites offer 95 square meters with a refined decoration and wonderful views of the city.
The Junior suites have 60 square meters and are ideal for business or leisure travelers who require a high level of comfort combined with a quiet residential environment.
RESTAURANTS
La Rotonda The
hotel's main restaurant, offers Spanish and international cuisine, both for lunch and dinner. From 7 to 11 in the morning it offers international buffet breakfast that includes specialties for Chinese, Russian or Arab clients. On Sundays it offers a very popular buffet lunch in the city known as Opera & Brunch with more than 120 gastronomic references and a live opera performance.
Asia Gallery
Flagship of the Zen Group, its Cantonese haute cuisine, this Cantonese haute cuisine restaurant is a favorite of politicians, actors and celebrities. It offers an extensive menu, the Peking Duck is its speciality. Asia Gallery opened its doors in 1997 and soon became one of the most recognized Chinese restaurants in the city. The interior design is carried out by Ignacio García de Vinuesa who has used wonderful antiques and Chinese silks.
Green T Sushi Bar
Relaxing and cozy sushi bar that offers a menu that blends Japanese cuisine and Spanish tapas. The interior design combines oriental furniture with some Spanish pieces.
MEETING ROOMS
The Westin Palace, Madrid has a unique location for all types of events, as well as magnificent spaces such as the dome and the entrance. The hotel houses both modern and classic meeting spaces, connected to each other by a historic staircase.
In 2013, as an ambitious project, the hotel inaugurated the Espacio Palace, a versatile and modern space that contrasts with the renovated halls on the main floor, which are celebrating their 100th anniversary.
This new space makes The Westin Palace, Madrid the largest conference center in a five-star hotel located in the heart of Madrid, as it has 2,600 square meters divided into 23 independent rooms, capable of holding up to 800 people.
The possibilities of these versatile and functional rooms are perfect for holding any type of event: banquets, intimate celebrations, elegant weddings, product launches.