CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha

The sumptuous interiors of this luxury hotel in the heart of Madrid reveal its origins as a 19th-century palace-house, from the richly decorated molded walls and ceilings to the bright and spacious rooms and suites. Add the name of its neighborhood and that of its locally headquartered parent company and you’ve got the full title: CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha.

And cool they are — though you’d be forgiven for a bit of surprise at their historically informed elegance as well. On balance these 34 rooms and suites are among the largest in town, ranging from the comfortable deluxe rooms to the penthouse-level CoolRooms, which come with private terraces that provide a magnificent view of the city.

Like the suites, the hotel’s restaurant, El Patio de Atocha, combines the best of traditional and contemporary influences, while the El 34, the less formal tavern-style bar and restaurant, offers an avant-garde take on Madrid’s traditional bar-food culture. Meanwhile the self-explanatory Pool-Garden serves its own signature cocktails and light meals by the side of a lovely little swimming pool — this space shines on weekends and holidays when it hosts an elaborate brunch service.