The Ritz in Madrid is not like other hotels: it belongs to the people of Madrid. Some have been regulars there for decades, while others have celebrated defining moments in their lives there. The renovation, therefore, had to be measured, respectful, and almost invisible in its boldness.

The primary intention was to return to the hotel’s roots. The Palm Court’s glass roof, which had become covered over time, was restored to bring back the hotel’s natural light and its historic connection to the Museo del Prado. This major architectural intervention breathes new life into the space and reaffirms the bond between the hotel, the city, and its cultural institutions.

In the public spaces, the original classicism is preserved but clarified. Gold-leaf domes, luminous marble, and dark oak create a dialogue between solemnity and softness. Contemporary elements, such as works of art and sculptural chandeliers inspired by Madrid’s arbutus trees, seek not to create a spectacle but to ensure continuity.
The guest rooms extend this elevation. Enlarged and entirely redesigned, they embrace the codes of stately spaces—molding, marble, and discreet gold leaf—to carry the spirit of the ground floor up to the upper levels.
The spa, which did not exist originally, was created from scratch; located beneath the garden, the space takes on a mineral quality, almost unreal, like a silent breath beneath the city.

At the Ritz Madrid, Gilles&Boissier aren’t simply reinterpreting the decor; they’re restoring a sense of continuity—that of a hotel deeply rooted in the collective memory, faithful to its royal and cultural heritage, yet firmly anchored in the present day.