Located in a side street near the fashionable Salamanca district in Madrid, Hotel Orfila welcomes you into an oasis of calm as you step off those sunny Spanish streets. The initial impression is an intensely sweet and refreshing smell exuding from the bouquet of blooming flowers that grace the creamy marble lobby. In fact, everything is sparkling clean and smells delicious here.
Hotel Orfila is a resplendent example of 19th century palaces in Madrid. The magnificent marble in the lobby reminds you of the grand interiors of private homes that were once the de riguer amongst the ruling classes. Plush red velvety cushions await you in the cocktail bar and reclining arm chairs seduce you, threatening to consume your hours as you lounge about in the salon.
The hotel is elegantly decorated with period furniture and fine art on the walls – a tasteful reminder of the Spanish masterpieces that can be found in the Museo del Prado, located a short distance from Hotel Orfila. The hotel takes pride in El Jardin de Orfila and justly so. The grand wall fresco, with its trompe l’oeil effect in the garden is a sublime attribute to artistic ingenuity and a marvelous sight to 
behold as you open the curtains from your suite. The garden is not extensive, yet it shows what one can do with a small garden and a little bit of imagination and remains a tribute to the stylish decoration found throughout the hotel.
Suites are spacious and the classic décor is a reminder of old world class. Luxurious en suite bathrooms offer modern twists such as bath ‘whirlpools’. The small gestures, such as the half bottle of Xeres in the evening, enhance the pleasure of staying at the Hotel Orfila. One of the most remarkable aspects of this hotel is the immaculate level of service, comparable only to that in Badrutt’s Palace and a winning feature.
As I arrived at the Hotel Orfila, I overheard a gentleman proclaiming to the concierge that his friend voted Restaurant El Jardin de Orfila the best in Madrid. A tribute to the standard of service is the creativity and improvisation with which they served me a light tapas degustation at 11.30PM after I had been to the opera. The delicate arrangements of the tapas and strong flavours were heaven at that hour. I was presented with a plate of anchovies amidst dollops of jalapenos and tomato sauce and salmon bites generously wrapped around cheese. They almost made me regret asking for a light version, they were so tantalizing tasty, yet midnight beckoned as did the soft sheets of my bed and so I made a mental note to return and see what magic the chef is fully capable of.
For the health conscious or sportier types, they might be disappointed that Hotel Orfila does not have these facilities in the hotel. However, membership for the duration of your stay is generously offered at a nearby club. Whilst it seems a pity that the hotel lacks these facilities, the charm of the establishment is a gentle reminder that the finer indulgences in life perhaps ought to be enjoyed for what they are – rather than what they lack. It is also refreshing to reduce the pace at which one enjoys the little luxuries within this life and for that reason, as well as a myriad others, Hotel Orfila is your point of rest for the good life in Madrid.
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Calle Orfila, 6, 28010 Madrid, Spain
+34 917 02 77 70
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