Last Updated on June 25, 2025
A Stylish Stay in Madrid’s Literary Quarter
On a recent trip to Madrid, I had the opportunity to review the NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa, a flagship property in the NH Group’s premium portfolio.
If your idea of a stay in Madrid involves shopping, bar hopping to sample wonderful tapas, sherries, vermouths and sangria, then it is to the literary quarter, the Barrio de las Letras, that you should head. And it is in the centre of this historic area, which evolved from farmland to become home for many Spanish literary giants, that the Madrid NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa is situated.
As its name suggests, Palacio de Tepa was once a palace, becoming a hotel in 2010. Built for the Earl of Tepa and designed by the architect of the Prado Museum, Juan de Villanueva, with interiors by the award-winning designer Ramón Esteve, the Palacio de Tepa is a short stroll from the must-see Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, the Royal Theatre and the Puerta del Sol. The hotel is also well situated for the historical city centre, the Madrid de las Austrias, the picturesque La Latina neighbourhood, and the hustle and bustle and shopping in the Callao area.
The hotel’s ground floor features a treat for architecture buffs, with the remains of the 16th-century La Castellana canal system on display.
The Madrid NH Collection Palacio de Tepa features 83 rooms, including Premium rooms, Junior Suites, and Suites, which have a mezzanine level. Some rooms offer views of the Plaza del Angel and Calle Huertas, so it’s worth checking when booking.
The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi, a gym, 24-hour room service, well-designed conference spaces, and world-class wellness and spa facilities. The hotel has its own wellness centre with spa access available just over the road at We/On – Palacio Santa Ana, which features a Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, and sauna, all available at a special rate for hotel residents.
I was particularly impressed with the Guest Relations team, who can help you with your restaurant booking, to find a personal shopper and more. With an early departure planned, we didn’t have time for breakfast, and as we checked out, we were presented with two breakfast picnic bags that more than kept the wolf from the door.
We had the opportunity to view a variety of rooms, all of which were impeccably clean and well-appointed. Our Junior suite had a dark wooden-tiled parquet floor, cosy low-arched ceilings and folding indoor window shutters. It was very atmospheric and like having your own luxury flat in the centre of town.
Our sitting room overlooked the buzzy, leafy and pedestrianised Plaza del Angel. With a two-seater sofa in a golden, velvety fabric, the space featured a flatscreen TV, oatmeal Hessian wallpaper with tropical motifs, and deep windows with an attractive wrought-iron balcony. The room’s facilities included a desk, a well-stocked minibar, a coffee maker, and a kettle. There were two sliding door wardrobes with ample storage space and a safe for storing valuables.
The bedroom had two windows overlooking the street, a large flat-screen TV, a pair of armchairs, and a small table. I was slightly worried about noise levels, but the double-glazed windows completely shut out any sounds that might have been coming from the street at night. I loved the king-size bed with its mattress from Flex, the top natural fibre manufacturer in Spain. It was extremely comfy and was dressed with high-quality cotton bed linen and fancy silver-embossed pillows. There is also an Alexa in the room loaded with the NH app and ‘set up to answer all of your questions’ and plenty of electrical sockets and charging points to keep your gadgets happy.
The marble-walled bathroom featuring a contemporary-styled sink was built around a large bath with a built-in raindrop shower. It wasn’t the biggest bathroom I’ve been in, but that was made up for by the size of the tub, which allowed you to really stretch out. In addition to providing dressing gowns and slippers, a shaving mirror, and a hairdryer, you can also find a sisal pad for exfoliation, a dental kit, a comb and hairbrush, mouthwash, and vanity and shaving kits.
As always with NH hotels, the breakfast buffet looked splendid, and the in-house restaurant, Entre Letras, the bar, and the tavern, Castizo, all seemed popular with guests. However, there are a plethora of options locally, including a two-Michelin-star restaurant, La Terraza del Casino.
Whether you are a business traveller or, like me, a tourist looking to explore the city, the NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa is a stylish, central option. If you’re interested in tips for a Madrid cultural staycation, take a look at my article, which offers numerous suggestions for a two or three-day stay.
We also stayed at the NH Collection Madrid Paseo del Prado (see our review), perfect if art is your thing, as it is situated in the centre of the ‘Golden Triangle’ of museums (the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Bornemisza) allowing you to notch up your cultural brownie points catching up with Picasso, El Greco, Velazquez et al.
Madrid NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa
San Sebastian, 2 28012 Madrid, Spain
