Harper’s Bazaar Saudi Escapes to Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz Madrid joining forces was a marriage made in hospitality heaven. But did her complete renovation after the union — and reintroduction to high society as Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid — secure her position as the belle of the ball?
Ritzy – a descriptor derived from the name of this hotel – immediately conjures up images of fashionable excess. It literally means luxurious, elegant, elusive. F. Scott Fitzgerald, known for his intuitive takes on lifestyles of the fabulously wealthy, even titled a short story The Diamond as Big as The Ritz.
So, it’s fair to say that this landmark Madrid property – only one of three in the world stewarded by the famed Swiss hotelier Cesar Ritz – that was opened as the ultimate luxury dwelling in the city in 1910 by King Alfonso XIII, has a name that’s a lot to live up to. And, it always did – which is why its merger with the Asian hotel chain came with high expectations, and admittedly a dose of trepidation from regulars – the visitor’s book ticks off everyone from Grace Kelly to Jennifer Lopez along with high-society Madrileños.
Luckily, her glow-up has been nothing short of a triumph. Attracting a new clientele keen to check out The Beauty Concept – a subterranean sanctuary, set with twinkling ceiling lights – and equipped with every spa and treatment highlight you could think of, plus Spanish star chef Quique Dacosta’s dishes in always-bustling Palm Court, and fine-dining Deessa. El Jardín del Ritz – the hotel’s al fresco terrace that’s always been the place to pose and star-spot – is more enchanting than ever, with a squid ink seafood paella that’s as spectacular to look at as it is to savour, and a collaboration with Moët et Chandon adding literal sparkle.
An added bonus? Familiar faces among the staff, who resumed their roles after the renovation. Concierge Jesús Toledo is still the smiling face that instantly conjures up impossible-to-get restaurant reservations, curates cultural experiences and, in our case, retrieved a lost mobile phone left in an unidentifiable taxi that had long since spirited away (but was located thanks to Jesús’s astonishing little black book of contacts and summoned back). This feat alone earned the hotel our unwavering loyalty.
Rooms were previously grand but snug. They now retain their historic glamour, but are enhanced with instinctive tech, marble bathrooms with stand-alone tubs for soaking, and are palatial for European room standards. The 2,013-square-foot Presidential Suite is particularly loved by Middle Eastern families who appreciate that this seemingly very grown-up property, welcomes fans of all ages with multiple touches including mini bathrobes and slippers, colouring, kids’ menus and special in-room amenities.
This grande dame is now even grander. And the fact that the hotel is as much a must-see Madrid destination, as the Prado Museum adjacent to it, is testament to her continued (and resurgent) popularity.
For more information visit Mandarinoriental.com
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From Harper’s Bazaar Saudi’s Autumn 2025 Issue