21 January 2010

Sweet Stay: Hotel Santo Domingo in Madrid, Spain


Not to be confused with the Hotel Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, this pretty hotel is not "surrounded by 14 acres of lush tropical gardens". It is, however, smack dab in the historic center of Madrid--within walking distance of the Puerta del Sol and all the other famous Madrid attractions you'll want to see when you're in Madrid. You should also not be put off by the fact it is part of the Best Western chain--chain hotels and restaurants often being something I try to avoid when I'm traveling. This little gem is a darling (forgive me) but it really is, boutique hotel in the best sense of the word. Every room is different, so perhaps I was just lucky, but I loved my pale pink girlie room. I walked in and my first thought was that this would be a perfect place for sisters (or best girlfriends)to stay if they were spending time in Madrid. The bathroom was lovely: Check out the tile.

And yes, that tub is a mini personal jacuzzi-like tub. Here is a shot of the framed print over the bed. I liked how they framed the poster between panes of glass so that the pale pink of the wall shows through. I thought that was a cool decorating idea.

Here is a shot of the view from my window. One of the things I love about staying in Spain (or anywhere in Europe) is how you can crank open the windows wide (no screens! no bugs!). Why is that? I looked out over tile roofs and onto another pink sided building. I never saw anyone over there, but I wondered what it would be like to live in a place like that.

The hotel is also a "little museum" with beautifully framed paintings throughout. I wish I would have had more time to look at them. Here are two that were in the restaurant where I ate breakfast.




The lobby was filled with overstuffed striped sofas and more paintings, the staff friendly and helpful (several spoke English). It was an entirely sweet stay here. Best of all, I slept like a princess.

INFO:
Best Western Premier Hotel Santo Domingo
Plaza de Santo Domingo, 13-28013 Madrid Spain
www.bestwestern.es