You expertly navigate around your fellow tourists soaking up the atmosphere and architecture as they amble. As you approach the entrance to Hotel Atlántico ****, you are similarly entranced. Its regal white façade, so intricately carved and historic, has graced the Gran Vía for nearly a century.
After the vibrant colours of a city so vivid, the calming, muted tones of the lavish classical interiors are soothing to the eye. You enter your room, grateful for the light reprieve offered by excellent soundproofing, and the cacophony of central Madrid fades out with the satisfying thud of the door.
The evening stretches before you. With the Callao Metro station just metres away, the whole of Madrid is within touching distance, yet with neighbouring Puerta del Sol and Chueca filled with bars and restaurants a stroll away, why venture any further?
The sun dips below the horizon, outlining the city rooftops in shades of terracotta and magenta. The waiter delivers your beverage, condensation glistening as warm air hits cold glass. As the city lights blink on one by one, you feel as if you too are glowing from within. The calm sanctuary of Hotel Atlántico **** has been perfectly juxtaposed with the electric and often frenetic energy of the capital.
Excited by the promise of a night of flavours, music and vibrancy, you leave ready to set your own story of Madrid in motion.