Hotel Check: Hotel Indigo Madrid

HOW MANY ROOMS? 85 rooms and suites

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: An excellent location with entertaining artwork and photography inside, this boutique hotel stands out from the pack.

PRICE:  Internet rates for a traditional room on the random dates we checked start at $147.

WHERE IS IT : Tucked into a side street two seconds’ walk from Gran Via, this hotel enjoys is in the heart of it all. Puerta del Sol, Gran Via shopping, and the city’s famous trifecta of art museums are all within a quick stroll. Business travelers, too, will find this location to be exceptional especially for its convenient access to numerous metro lines.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? Public areas are slim and trim with a friendly reception desk in the middle of two lounge areas where guests and locals can gather to enjoy drinks. A business center provides free computers and a printer. Plastered on the walls are massive photographs of various scenes of Madrid, which quickly becomes a fun guide for travelers to learn more about the city. Fruit-infused water and whole fruit are always available at reception.

ROOM FACILITIES:  Guest rooms vary in size given their position within the building. Most face the interior courtyard or neighboring buildings, but guests don’t stay here for the views (besides views of Madrid are found on accent walls of the rooms, too). You stay here for the location. Hotel Indigo is a boutique hotel with a design inspiration that brings part of the local neighborhood to the room. You can learn more about Madrid using the free Handy smart phones that guests can use around town to make free local calls or surf the Internet. Beds have soft pillows and duvets with alarm clocks and power outlets on the nightstands. Small desks feature Nespresso machines and more power outlets. Aveda-stocked bathrooms have scenes of Madrid etched on the shower doors and makeup mirrors.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS:  The sole restaurant is busiest at breakfast where a menu of Spanish specialties is especially tempting with dishes like “churros con chocolate” and “Spanish omelets with Padron peppers.” Later in the day, local, all-natural ingredients form the theme of the menu. The lounge serves light fare and cocktails, but it is the rooftop bar that is the best place to clink glasses. Here, an infinity-edge pool provides entertaining views of the city’s skyline. There is no shortage of restaurants and bars within walking distance either.

LEISURE FACILITIES:  A small fitness center is located one level below the lobby. The rooftop infinity pool is more for relaxation than swimming laps.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES:  Free wireless Internet works everywhere with several spaces for guests to gather over coffee or to discuss business.

VERDICT:  The location can’t be beat, and any hotel with a panoramic rooftop pool in the heart of the city is surely a winner. With comfortable rooms and plenty of free amenities, Hotel Indigo immerses guests in local culture and cuisine.

CONTACT:  Hotel Indigo Madrid, Calle de Silva, 6, 28013 Madrid, Spain. Phone +34-91-200-8585. ​www.indigomadrid.com/en/