The Spa at Hotel Hospes Puerta de Alcala

"There are two meeting rooms and a spa"

"The bright, spacious, high-windowed rooms are pure comfort, with polished bare wood floors covered with soft white carpets, original 19th-century pillars, and very generous size beds (for Spain) with stylish silver-hued period bedsteads"

"And, yes, those pockmarks you see on the Puerta de Alcalá really are bullet holes left from the Spanish Civil War"

"In a historic 19th-century building facing Retiro Park, it has a stylish design that isn't overwhelming, a spa with a two-page service list, and an interior patio turned into a deck"

"Outside the rooms, the hotel is equally luxurious, with a full-service spa with a hammam and pool, an award-winning restaurant/bar with outdoor seating, and bicycles to borrow"

"And they even improved a few things, too, converting the old stables into a luxury spa and turning the top floors into duplex-style suites overlooking the park"

"For Spain’s famous espadrilles, visit Antigua Casa Crespo, which opened its doors in 1836"

"After a day of exploring, relax in the spa"

"Rooms come with phones, free Wi-Fi, safes, minibars, complimentary newspapers, all-natural toiletries, robes and hair dryers"

"It features French-made Cinq Mondes emollients, a menu of couples treatments, and amenities like cava (Spanish sparkling wine), and chocolate-dipped strawberries"