Palacio De Los Duques Gran Mel, MadridPalacio De Los Duques Gran Mel in Madrid, Spain has a corrected score of 4.2 ± 0.2 (fair evidence, 3 of 4 platforms), ranked 8 of 278 hotels we score in Madrid. Its platform ratings, normalised to 0-5, average 4.4 before correction: Booking.com 4.1, Tripadvisor 5.0, Google 4.3. Rooms from about $721 a night (cached, not a live quote).Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá is a luxury hotel in central Madrid, set in a former 19th-century palace and convent near the Royal Palace, Royal Theater and Almudena Cathedral. The building combines historic architecture with contemporary interiors inspired by the painter Velázquez, whose artwork appears throughout. Guests get a choice of three restaurants, a rooftop pool, a spa with sauna and massage services, gardens, a gym and valet parking. Rooms are elegantly designed and family friendly, with air conditioning, minibars and in-room Wi-Fi. Review scores are strong overall, though free Wi-Fi is reported as a weak point and some rooms are on the small side. Rates start around $721 per night, so it suits travellers seeking a high-end, well-located base for sightseeing.What stands out

Immaculate rooms with Velázquez artwork

Outstanding five-star service

Excellent soundproofing and comfortable beds

Rooftop pool, spa and three restaurants

Watch out for

Free Wi-Fi is a weak point

Some rooms are smallish

Better-scored in Madrid

Ayala 63, Madrid: 4.3 ± 0.2 (solid evidence, 4 of 4 platforms). Ayala 63 is a boutique apartment hotel on Calle Ayala in the Salamanca district of Madrid, about 1.5 miles from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

Coolrooms Palacio De Atocha, Madrid: 4.3 ± 0.2 (solid evidence, 4 of 4 platforms), from $275 a night. CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha is a four-star boutique hotel on Calle de Atocha in Madrid's Literary Quarter, set in a mansion built in 1852.

Room Mate Alba, Madrid: 4.2 ± 0.2 (fair evidence, 3 of 4 platforms), from $195 a night. Room Mate Alba is a four-star boutique hotel located in the Barrio de Las Letras.