Spain grows and changes under the Mediterranean sun; here's what's new.
Madrid
The capital of Spain continues to open new hotels. The newest notable lodging is H10 Vila de la Reina, Gran V?22 (tel. 91-523-91-01), in the exact heart of the city. The 73-room hotel is in a renovated reincarnation of an early-20th-century neoclassical structure. Well-furnished bedrooms open onto the Plaza Cibeles, which has splashing fountains that are lit at night. Special amenities include high-speed Internet access and a choice of pillows. Also intriguing is Intur Palacio San Martin, Plaza San Martin 5 (tel. 91-701-50-00), which used to be the American Embassy.Many of the original architectural details from 1883 remain, including fine woods, much marble, crafted ceilings, and original moldings. Bedrooms are decorated in an elegant, classic style, and several contain Jacuzzi-type baths. Modern facilities have been installed even though the building is old.
There's been a great renaissance in hotel dining in Madrid. Savvy Madrileños are flocking to established hotels to sample some of the most innovative dining in the Spanish capital. Some of Spain's top chefs are now creating their masterpieces in hotel restaurants. Creating the most buzz is Europe, Hotel Villa Real, Plaza de Las Cortes 10 (tel. 91-210-88-40), where dishes boasting intense Mediterranean flavors are served against a backdrop of Andy Warhol and Antonì Tapies lithographs. Chef Joaquin de Felipe is original in all his fish, meat, and poultry creations -- but just wait until you get to dessert. Try, for example, creamy yogurt blended with brown sugar with a touch of balsamic vinegar, presented over a tomato marmalade with a slice of brownie, a dollop of mousse, and white chocolate ice cream lathered with orange sauce.
Culture vultures with time to spare on the weekend are enjoying the five extra open hours on Sunday at the Prado, Paseo del Prado (tel. 91-330-28-00; museoprado.mcu.es), Spain's most important repository of art. Hours have been extended so that the museum is now open from 9am to 7pm on Sundays. Sunday admission remains free. There's more news: Sometime in 2004, an annex to the Prado is slated to open. Some $45 million was spent to add this new gallery space to display art that the Prado has had to keep in the "closet" up until now because of a lack of exhibition space. Much of this new space will be underground so as not to interfere the classic design of the present museum.
In other developments, a new Madrid Card (www.madridcard.com) grants access to dozens of museums, gives you discounts on public transportation, garners reductions (sometimes as high as 15%) at many restaurants, and gets you discounts on some nightclub cover charges (which sometimes include a free drink!). Available at local tourist offices, the card costs $32.55, $48.84, and $63.95 for 1-, 2-, or 3 days of use, respectively. The card also acts as a pass for 5 or 10 days of trips on the city's subway and buses.
Skiing near Madrid year-round?The new indoor Madrid Xanadú Complex, at Arroyomolinos, km 23.5 on the Carretera de Extremadura (tel. 90-226-3026; www.madridxanadu.com), makes this activity possible. Skilled skiers and snowboarders whip down an 820-foot run that's blanketed with artificial snow. Temperatures are kept at 32 degrees F. When you're finished skiing, you can go shopping at more than 200 stores that offer an array of international and Spanish merchandise. The complex is located 14 miles southwest of Madrid.
Barcelona
Set atop Mount Tibidabo, with a 360-degree view of the Mediterranean, Gran Hotel La Florida, Carretera del Tribidabo (tel. 93-259-3000;www.hotellaflorida.com), has been restored to the former glory that it knew in 1925 when it was a retreat for wealthy Catalans wishing to escape the heat of the city. Closed for three decades, it has opened after a $47 million renovation undertaken by the Stein Group, a Barcelona chain of luxury hotels. Many of the elegant bedrooms open onto balconies to take in the view of the Mediterranean. The hotel has an indoor-outdoor pool as well as a spa and a restaurant featuring Mediterranean cuisine.
Classic Catalan flavors are showcased at Colibrí, 33 Riera Alta (tel. 93-44-32-306), one of the city's newest and most acclaimed restaurants. Shopping every morning at the fabled La Boquería market, Chef César Pastor brings the freshest and most succulent produce to his miniscule kitchen, where he prepares the day's inspired delight. One exceptional dish is pig trotters that - unbelievably -- are as light as soufflé after they've been simmered for six hours (which melts the fat) and are stuffed with medallions of flap mushrooms and duck liver. And there's a lot more!
Seville
More and more visitors are choosing to stay at Palacio San Benito, an hour's drive to the north in the village of Cazalla de la Sierra (tel. 95-488-33-36; www.palaciodesanbenito.com), instead of in the heart of Seville. This 9-room hotel, installed in a palace dating from the 1500s, boasts exquisite taste and charm. Seville's best-known decorator, Manuel Morales de Jodar, offers beautifully designed bedrooms that mix eras and styles, including Spanish Victorian and Art Nouveau. It's funky but elegant.
Ronda
Deep in the heart of Andalucia, in the little town of Ronda, the 11-room El Juncal, Carretera de El Burgo (tel. 952-16-11-70; www.eljuncal.com) sits on a 300-foot-gorge. This place has emerged as the most desirable and sought-after hotel in town. A bit quirky, it's the personal statement of a local family who has decorated it with Philippe Starck furnishings mixed with old lace and antique flourishes. There's an inventive restaurant on site.
Valencia
The city of Valencia is experiencing a renaissance; even its former ghetto, the maze-like Carmen district, which was once known for its crime, is moving on up. Following massive renovations, it's become the place for trend-setting bars and shops, hotels, and restaurants, notably the restaurant La Lola, Subida del Toledano 8 (tel. 96-391-80-45).The giant red-and-white polka dots on the walls contribute to the festive atmosphere here. The menu is an eclectic medley of savory Mediterranean dishes such as veal sirloin with melon sorbet. Among the discerning palates of Valencia, one of the most sought-after addresses for dining is Ca' Sento, 17 Calle Méndez Núñez (tel. 96-33-01-775), with only eight tables. In plain surroundings, you're served some of the most outstanding seafood available along Spain's Mediterranean coast. Raúl Aleixandre cooks with astounding finesse. Paella has long been the specialty of Valencia, and we've never tasted a better version than the chef's squid-ink vermicelli paella or his brothy susquets (seafood stews).
Bilbao
Art-and-architecture buffs are flocking by the thousands to see the new Guggenheim Museum in this Basque capital, and hip restaurants and hotels are opening to cater to the discerning tastes of this new flock. Fans of Antonio Miró (called the Calvin Klein of Spain) are checking into Miróhotel, Alameda Mazzarredo 77 (tel. 902-11-77-75;www.mirohotelbilbao.com). The minimalist hotel, with black-carpeted floors and black marble bathrooms, is situated down the street from the Guggenheim. Even more exciting than the Miróhotel is the 145-room Gran Hotel Domine, Alameda Mazzaredo 61 (tel. 94-425-33-00; www.silken-granhoteldomine.com), a strikingly designed modern structure next to the Guggenheim. A government-rated five-star hotel, this is the leading signature hotel of the fast-growing chain. The concept was to create a hotel where every single element, from the restaurant to the handsomely furnished bedrooms, has "individual personalities."
Oviedo
In the capital of Asturias, in the verdant northwest of Spain, La Estacion de Luanco, Calle Gijon (tel. 985-88-35-16), is a very affordable new 28-room hotel with a swimming pool and a restaurant near the sea that, quite naturally, specializes in seafood. In a town that's filled with rather dingy hotels, this place is modernized and inviting, with such amenities as dataports in the rooms, 24-hour room service, and access for those with limited mobility.