INSIDE MADRID'S ART-FILLED VP PLAZA ESPANA DESIGN HOTEL

A striking contemporary stay overlooking Plaza de España.

VP Plaza España Design sits directly on historic Plaza de España, its striking contemporary art and design bringing a modern edge to one of Madrid’s most recognisable squares. Gran Vía, Madrid’s famous boulevard lined with theatres, restaurants and fashion stores, begins just outside. Directly opposite the hotel is one of the largest Zara stores in the world, spread across four floors of the Edificio España. Definitely allow some extra time to explore this one.

The Royal Palace, the largest royal palace in Western Europe, is close by, along with the manicured Sabatini Gardens beside it. In the other direction is the Temple of Debod, an ancient Egyptian temple dating back more than 2,000 years and an absolute must. It’s an ideal base for a quick Madrid stay, especially if, like us, your itinerary involves equal amounts of sightseeing and shopping.

Designed by architect Fermín Vázquez, VP Plaza España Design takes its art as seriously as its hospitality. The hotel’s private collection of almost 300 original works, including pieces by Jan Hendrix, Darío Urzay, Fernando Palacios, Nacho Zubelzu and Verónica Domingo, extends well beyond the lobby, appearing throughout the corridors, public spaces and guest rooms. We found ourselves stopping on every floor to see what was on display. Our floor featured a statement piece by Bilbao-born artist Ainhoa Moreno, whose sculptural works explore texture and unconventional materials.

The bespoke installation, The Waterfall by Spanish artist Pere Gifre is the showstopper. This enormous metallic sculpture stretches more than 25 metres through the central atrium, resembling water cascading from above before ending in a giant splash below. We stopped to admire it from different floors, and it’s quite a sight!

Our Deluxe Room on the eighth floor had a real sense of calm, with warm neutral tones, subtle touches of colour and an enormous bed dressed in crisp white linen and piled high with plush pillows. The room was wonderfully spacious, with comfortable furnishings and more than enough room to unpack (including all our shopping). Modern touches included electronic blackout blinds and easy-to-control bedside lighting, while the equally luxurious bathroom featured a generous rainfall shower and a bathtub we took full advantage of, complete with L’Occitane toiletries.

Turndown service came with a rather thoughtful touch: a leather pouch filled with beauty and wellness treats. But it was the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows that really raised the bar. Overlooking Plaza de España, we could see across Madrid’s rooftops and all the way to the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in the distance. Waking up to the sunrise over the city the following morning was quite something.

Breakfast overlooking Plaza de España included freshly baked pastries, local cheeses, eggs made to order and, of course, pan con tomate, the Spanish favourite of toasted bread topped with freshly grated tomato and olive oil.

The 214-room property also has two restaurants: Botania, a greenery-filled space at street level serving Mediterranean cuisine, and Ginkgo, an Asian-inspired restaurant on the 12th floor with spectacular views across Madrid.

We headed up to the rooftop for a late-afternoon swim, where part of the pool has a glass bottom that looks straight down into the atrium towards Pere Gifre’s The Waterfall. Swimming over it took a little getting used to, but we loved the unusual perspective. And of course, we were also distracted by the views across Madrid.

With only one night, we didn’t manage to squeeze in a visit to VP Biloba Spa, but its hydrotherapy pool, sauna and Natura Bissé facials are on our list for next time. There’s also a 24-hour gym, which we do feel slightly guilty about skipping.

With its striking art collection and impeccably styled interiors, VP Plaza España Design feels as much like a contemporary art gallery as a five-star hotel. The team were wonderful throughout, always happy to help with anything we needed. And with Madrid’s shopping, culture and restaurants right on our doorstep, there was just as much to discover outside the hotel as within it.