Madrid has seen a surge in world-class hotel openings, multi-million euro infrastructure upgrades, all on top of its well known commitment to sustainability for events, all of which has helped the Spanish capital climb the ICCA rankings. The city is now 13th globally for hosting international association meetings, recording 108 international congresses, and sits at #3 Europe in Cvent’s annual ranking of European meeting destinations.
In those same Cvent rankings Meliá Avenida América took the top spot overall for meeting hotels in Europe.
Other Notable Madrid Hotels: The Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Centre and the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding also ranked within the prestigious regional Top 10.
I recently paid a flying visit to a real heritage star in the Spanish capital’s hospitality firmament – The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, now resplendent following a 22-month, €90m restoration, which has included full restoration of its Belle Époque façade.
First opened in 1912, when it was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII, the hotel is packed with heritage and its art tells a thousand stories, from themed carpets and paintings to prints that challenge the viewer’s perspective. Each room, too, is a work of art telling a story about this remarkable city.
The historical guest list is not short on artists either: Dalí and Picasso have stayed, and literary giants signing the guest register have included García Márquez and Hemmingway, after whom meeting rooms are now named. At the recent ceremony event to unveil officially the renovation work, the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, called The Palace “a great reference for Madrid’s history”.
I first visited the hotel pre-Covid and pre-renovation. It was then, and is still now, a haven in the city, near to parliament and traditional famous old streets where many of the shop frontages also tell tales of glorious times past and reflect a unique and tasty seam of Madrid cuisine.
The Palace sits in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site Paisaje de la Luz, and its renvoation work has seen many of the former original features restored, including the sweeping main staircase, lobby and stunning main feature – La Cúpula Restaurant & Bar – a work of art in itself – where the dome is decorated with 1,875 glass panes. Each afternoon the chefs bring guests a tapas treat and special complimentary cocktail. The day I visited we were offered a traditional local vermouth with a gilda, an anchovy, olive and pickled pepper skewer. Quite an explosion of sensations for the taste buds.
Meeting spaces have also been spruced up during the big investment: the main ballroom, Neptuno Room is a jewel in the crown and able to sit 285 guests, and the 21 dedicated event spaces across 2,500sqm now have the latest meeting tech and high-speed Wi-Fi, providing ultra-modern tech within the stunning heritage architecture.
The full gamut of meeting sizes, from small boardroom style meetings to full on gala dinners and large weddings are on offer at The Palace, where there are 470 guestrooms and suites – all renovated and with wallpaper inspired by the nearby Retiro Park.
Director of marketing and communications Paloma Garcia is another stylish fixture, having spent a long career devoted to this magnificent Madrid venue. She shared much history and tales of high society bookings and events that have passed through the doors.
She reminded me: “In 2001, The Palace hosted one of the most relevant political events of modern times: the World Conference on Democratic Consolidation. The hotel closed to the public for three days while hosting figures ranging from Mikhail Gorbachev to Bill Clinton, alongside 32 heads and former heads of state and government. The event was presided over by prime minister of Spain at that time, José María Aznar and closed by the former King Juan Carlos I. Interestingly, Spain’s current Queen, Letizia Ortiz (journalist before becoming queen), reported live from The Palace for Spanish TV during the conference. For those days, the hotel became a true fortress with extraordinary security measures.”
In more current times, key events hosted have included June 2022’s NATO Madrid Summit, when The Palace was the headquarters hotel. There were 180 VIP bookings per night, Garcia remembers.
The hotel was also a key HQ for VIPs at sporting events such as the UEFA Champions League (2019) and NFL (2025).
“The outlook for the MICE segment for the remainder of the year is very positive,” said Garcia, “with strong demand and we are already receiving a significant number of enquiries for 2027.”
She added that she expects the hotel to be sold out during the September 2026 first F1 Madrid Grand Prix dates.
A favourite spot to unwind is The Palace’s 27 Club, a nod to the literary Generation of ’27, including Lorca and Buñuel. Heritage wood panelled walls are the backdrop for drawings, books and illustrations telling many more stories. The cocktail list also reflects key events and characters who haunted the hotel’s many rooms.
At the Palace your event is buying into an historical DNA of high society, famous writers and artists – even top footballers have held weddings here. If any of the heritage magic can rub off on your corporate event the conference cocktail mix might just be as powerful as the 1912 Tom Collins.
Madrid Marriott Hotel Princesa Plaza
The Palace Luxury Collection Hotel Madrid is co-owned by Marriott International and the Singapore government’s hotel investment vehicle, Archer Hotel Capita. As well as The Palace, Marriott has under its management the newly rebranded Madrid Marriott Hotel Princesa Plaza which boasts a prime location in the up market Argüelles district and convenient for business, being just 14km from the airport.
The hotel is a 1970 modernist landmark and is close to the El Corte Inglés department store and the Municipal Market of Vallehermoso.
The hotel has a freshly refurbished feel and 12 meeting rooms and a total event space of 1,200sqm. The largest meeting room has capacity for 375 people and the 414 guest rooms were redesigned with references to Spain’s cultural heritage and more than a nod to the masterpieces hanging in the nearby Prado Museum.
The meetings and event spaces are located separately from the main leisure guest areas and an outdoor patio area can be hired for events. The hotel’s new-look represents more money well spent on MICE by Marriott in Madrid.
