Football enthusiasts are familiar with this expression, as it refers to supporting the Madrilenian team, Real Madrid. Fernanda Langhammer explored what this capital has to offer while staying at NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa. Let’s go!
Travelling is one of my passions; I wish I could do just that for a living – discovering new cultures and cuisines and exploring ancient architecture and museums. Despite visiting many countries in Europe, Spain was still not marked green on my visited destinations board until now. I had the opportunity to escape to Madrid with my family for four days and five unforgettable nights – a quick trip that we enjoyed every minute of.
THE PERFECT STAY
We stayed at NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa, and the highlights of this spectacular hotel are – location, location and location. Of course, there are other outstanding characteristics, but its position made the visit to the city a walkable one (we love walking everywhere, observing the buildings and locals’ everyday life). Close to all the must-visit landmarks, such as the Plaza Mayor, Royal Palace, Prado Museum and Reina Sofia and surrounded by an array of restaurants, I have to say that it couldn’t get better than that.
The hotel is set in a 19th-century palace. During renovations, an old foundation was discovered and cleverly covered with a glass structure located behind the reception. The setup allows you to observe the remains of the old construction below, with information about the building’s history.
I adored the idea of starting my exploration of the city in our own hotel. When entering our Junior Suite, we found a space divided into two levels. The bathroom (with all the necessary amenities and a bathtub) and the living area with a sofa bed on the first level and a king bed and a desk on the superior level. It had plenty of space to place our luggage and move around. There was a floor-to-ceiling window with a small balcony that allowed natural light in and was a great spot for sitting at night and chatting about our day. The hardwood flooring and light colour palette gave a modern feel to the historical place.
We were surprised with a personalised touch. The team at the hotel knew that one of our party members was a child and provided small slippers, a kid-size robe and child-friendly toiletries in a special pouch. My son was thrilled; it was the first time he could enjoy these items in his size.
EXPLORING SPANISH CUISINE
This year, NH Collection is celebrating its 10th Anniversary, and to mark the occasion, a few NH Collection hotels around the world have been selected to offer the Signature Breakfast – Chef ’s Constellation Edition created by Michelin-starred chefs. Luckily for us, NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa was one of them. The renowned Spanish chef Paco Roncero created a drink made with orange, apple, ginger, turmeric and cardamom and glass bread toast with cucumber, miso yoghurt, parmesan and extra virgin olive oil pearls. The drink was a boost of energy, and the toast was a refreshing start to our first day in the city. The following mornings, we enjoyed the buffet, which offered an array of bread types, fruits, cold cuts and much more. There is also a menu where you can order egg dishes, such as Spanish omelettes (also known as Spanish tortillas made with potatoes and eggs), which we became addicted to.
In the same restaurant, called Entre Letras, we experienced the Paella Menu for dinner. The special spread included two starters, croquettes and Salmorejo (a cold tomato soup). The croquettes were to die for, crispy on the outside and incredibly creamy with their various fillings on the inside; we devoured them. However, the Salmorejo was my favourite dish, made with ripe tomatoes, bread, garlic and vinegar. Unlike gazpacho, this is much thicker and served with chopped boiled eggs and, if you prefer, with pieces of the country’s famous Iberian cold cut. It was refreshing, tangy, sweet and savoury – an explosion of flavours. The paella followed, and we had two options: the vegetarian, which featured asparagus and artichoke and was full of flavour, and the seafood, also delicious, with tender pieces of cuttlefish and prawns. Paella is a staple dish in Spain, and at Entre Letras, it was comforting and delicious. The menu concluded with a citrus sorbet to cleanse the palate; it was a terrific dinner.
MORE OF NH COLLECTION IN MADRID
Spain’s capital city is home to seven NH Collection hotels, and we had the chance to visit two more. At NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding, I enjoyed drinks at Bikini Bar and a truly special dinner at Casa de Comidas. Located on the ground floor, the restaurant interprets traditional dishes under the careful eye of Chef Rafa Zafra. Listed in the MICHELIN Guide, the eatery’s intention, as the name suggests, is to offer homemade food with seasonal and top-quality ingredients. The popular Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian salad), which reminded me of a potato salad, came with a delectable tuna belly, beautifully cooked and placed on top, which was absolutely stunning. The Puerro Confitado, leek confit with black olives and hazelnut praline, had an earthy touch with a striking balance between sweet and salty, something new to my taste buds. For main, we had Merluza fish fillets cooked to perfection and, to end the beautiful meal, Casa de Comidas has a unique dessert trolley, which is a temptation to any sweet tooth out there.
For a sunset experience, we headed to NH Collection Madrid Gran Via. Luckily enough, we got a spot at the busy (and super trendy) Picalagartos rooftop. During our visit (June), the sunset occurred at 10pm, and the 360-degree views of the city were stupendous! The weather was pleasant, with a gentle breeze, and we enjoyed chatting and watching the colours of the sky change – a lovely ambience with excellent service from our host, Jota, who helped us choose our drinks and tapas. Our selection of bites included a delicious Pan con Tomate (bread with a freshly squeezed tomato spread), the classic Gilda Pintxo (a toothpick with anchovies, Guidilla Peppers and olives), which was salty and rich in flavours, another Ensaladilla Rusa, Picalagartos version, with crispy small shrimps giving it a more complex bite, Burrata Salad with crunchy cubes of bread and pieces of roasted sweet potatoes, which added a refreshing touch to the spread, Croquettes filled with creamy Iberian cold cut and bechamel and, my favourite of them all, the scallop ceviche served on a bed of tartar sauce garnished with crispy fried onion. The unique mix of ingredients worked amazingly well, playing with my taste buds. Below the rooftop, Picalagartos offers a culinary experience with four distinct areas that cater to all types of diners. Every area is named after chapters of the play written by Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Bohemian Lights – you are right if you’ve guessed that this is the best spot for a truly poetic dining experience.
WHAT TO SEE
Madrid is a beautiful and historic city in the heart of Spain, an incredible capital for lovers of art and history. We enjoyed paintings by Velázquez, Goya and Picasso in El Triángulo del Arte (the art triangle), which includes the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums – creations that I had only seen in books. The queue to the Royal Palace of Madrid was too long, so we headed to the Gallery of the Royal Collections right next to it to learn a bit about the Spanish royal family. If you want to see some royalty without enduring the crowd, that is an option.
The city also offers incredible parks and gardens for those wanting to escape the historic city streets for a while. We stopped by the Real Jardín Botánico, an astonishing garden by the Paseo del Prado, founded in 1755. In my opinion, if you ever go to Madrid, this is a must-visit spot for a botanical experience. But the best of all is to walk the cobbled streets and explore the food and flea markets. Sundays are the best days for that. And if you have a football-mad son like me, don’t miss the tour at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium – even if you don’t like football, you will leave with the Hala Madrid spirit!
For more information or to make a reservation, WhatsApp +34 670501769
or email nhcollectionpalaciodetepa@nh-hotels.com
@nhcollection.es