Reception at the Hotel Orfila,Madrid
THE LOCATION
Set on a quiet side street in the heart of bustling Madrid,the Hotel Orfila is a peaceful oasis in this famously fun-loving Spanish capital. It's also an excellent base for sightseeing,just a 20-minute walk (or five-minute drive) from the Prado and Thyssen museums,the sprawling Buen Retiro park,and some of the city's best shopping districts,including Salamanca,Chueca and Malasana.
THE SPACE
Hotel Orfila's courtyard garden.
Converted from a small palace built in 1886,the decor of this Relais&Chateaux accredited hotel (the only one in Madrid) retains the grandeur of its past life,with all the homeliness you'd expect from a family-owned and run hotel. The marble lobby,decorated with ornate Venetian antique furniture,chinoiserie vases and period artwork,flows through to airy dining and sitting rooms,and a terraced courtyard garden beyond. With its elegant centre-piece fresco and fountain,it's the perfect quiet spot for relaxing with a plate of jamon and a glass of cava after a morning's sightseeing. The three floors above house the Orfila's 32 guest rooms,12 of which are suites.
THE ROOM
Big rooms are a big deal in this city,and my standard room is large. Alongside the upholstered bedhead,plush 19th-century armchairs,heavy curtains and big windows overlooking the courtyard,are all the mod-cons – a decent-sized TV,iPod dock and a massage tub in the marble bathroom. The room lacks a little of the glamour of the common areas but it is airy and comfortable,a relief when a stomach bug leaves me stuck in bed for half a day.
The breakfast buffet.
THE FOOD