Hotel Fénix, a Gran Meliá Hotel: A Golden-Mile Icon with Zuma

Hotel Fénix, a Gran Meliá Hotel, has been a symbol of Madrid glamour since it opened in the 1950s, on the Golden Mile at the edge of the chic Salamanca district. Long a favorite of celebrities and royalty, it pairs that storied past with a contemporary luxury feel and a prime shopping-and-dining location.

The dining is a draw for the whole city. Zuma brings chef Rainer Becker's acclaimed contemporary Japanese cuisine across a dining menu, robata grill and sushi bar; the seventh-floor Aduana serves fusion cuisine with views over Salamanca; and the Balmoral bar mixes signature cocktails in an atmosphere of Spanish la dolce vita.

For a glamorous, central Madrid stay, Hotel Fénix is a standout.

Planning Madrid? Book your stay with me for preferred-partner perks.