The best hotels in Madrid for a relaxing honeymoon

Key takeaways

• Chamberí and Salamanca are the quiet bases. Both are residential, and five of the six hotels below sit in or beside them.

• Gardens are the draw. Santo Mauro, Orfila, and Único are all converted 19th-century mansions with private gardens.

• Two hotels have indoor pools you can use all year. The Mandarin Oriental Ritz and URSO. The Wellington's outdoor pool opens in summer.

• Spring and early autumn suit garden dining. Average highs run 72°F in May and 80°F in September, against 90°F in July.

Where to stay in Madrid for a quiet honeymoon

Madrid eats late, with dinner usually between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m., and the center stays busy into the night. For a restful honeymoon, that argues for a hotel on a quieter street, with a garden or a pool, that's still a short ride from the Prado.

The six hotels below were chosen for a garden or a pool, a quieter street, and a building with some history. Key ratings refer to the Michelin Guide's 2024 selection for Spain, its first for Spanish hotels.

1. Santo Mauro: a ducal palace with a garden

Santo Mauro was built in the 1890s as the Madrid residence of the Duke of Santo Mauro, on Calle Zurbano in Chamberí. Its three buildings stand in a garden of old chestnut trees, and the former library is now the restaurant. It holds one Michelin Key.

Best for: Couples who want a quiet garden of old chestnut trees in Chamberí

Location: Zurbano 36, Chamberí

Built: 1890s, as a private residence

2. Hotel Orfila: 32 rooms on a residential street

Orfila is a small 1886 palace in Chamberí with 32 rooms and suites. Its courtyard garden, with a trompe l'oeil and a fountain, holds the restaurant's tables in spring and summer. It's a Relais & Châteaux member, as Madrid's tourism board notes.

Best for: Couples who'd trade a pool for a small, quiet house

Location: Calle de Orfila 6, Chamberí

Built: 1886, as a private palace

3. Hotel Único: a walled garden in Salamanca

Único is a 19th-century mansion on Calle Claudio Coello, in the Salamanca district, and one of the 2024 Michelin One Key hotels. It has 44 rooms, some facing a walled garden at the back, plus a spa, sauna, and gym.

Best for: Couples who want shops nearby and a garden to come back to

Location: Claudio Coello 67, Salamanca

Built: 19th century, as a private mansion

4. Mandarin Oriental Ritz: a 1910 grand hotel by the Retiro

The Ritz opened in 1910 under César Ritz and reopened in 2021 after a three-year restoration. It has 153 rooms on Plaza de la Lealtad, between the Prado and the Retiro park. Below ground there's a heated indoor pool and a steam room, and the garden terrace serves meals outdoors. It was Madrid's only three-Key hotel in Michelin's 2024 selection.

Best for: Couples who want the museums and the park close by

Location: Plaza de la Lealtad 5, Retiro

Built: 1910; restored and reopened in 2021

5. URSO Hotel & Spa: a cellar spa off Chamberí

URSO is in a palatial 1915 building on Calle Mejía Lequerica, where Chamberí meets Chueca, and holds one Michelin Key. It has 78 rooms, and its spa, run with Natura Bissé, is in the cellar with a wood-lined pool and a steam room.

Best for: Couples who want a spa afternoon and dinner in Chueca the same day

Location: Mejía Lequerica 8, between Chamberí and Chueca

Built: 1915

6. Wellington: a summer pool near the Retiro

The Wellington opened on April 19, 1952, in a protected building by the architect Luis Blanco Soler on Calle Velázquez in Salamanca. It's the largest hotel on this list, with more than 200 rooms. Its outdoor pool and poolside terrace open in summer, a few minutes' walk from the Retiro.

Best for: Summer honeymoons with time for the pool

Location: Velázquez 8, Salamanca

Built: Opened April 19, 1952

How to choose a Madrid honeymoon hotel

• Quiet or central. Orfila, Santo Mauro, and Único are on residential streets. The Ritz and URSO aren't far from the museums or from Chueca's bars.

• Pool or garden. For a swim in any month, look at the Ritz or URSO. For garden lunches, Santo Mauro, Orfila, or Único.

• Season. July and August are hot, and October and November are the wettest months. You'll find the averages in our month-by-month guide to Madrid's weather.

• A second city. Adding Paris? Compare our list of Paris hotels for couples.

Frequently asked questions

Which part of Madrid is quietest for a honeymoon?

It's Chamberí and Salamanca, two residential districts north and northeast of the center, and both are a short metro or taxi ride from the Prado.

Which Madrid hotels on this list have a pool?

The Mandarin Oriental Ritz and URSO have indoor pools. The Wellington's outdoor pool opens in summer.

What's the best month for a honeymoon in Madrid?

May, June, and September. Average highs at Madrid's Retiro weather station run 72°F in May, 83°F in June, and 80°F in September, according to AEMET figures in our Madrid month-by-month guide.