January 2014

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TRAVEL
250 January14
WHERE TO STAY:
BARCELONA: Neri Hotel & Restaurante
is a Relais & Chateau boutique hotel in
Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter that matches
a superb location with equally impressive
interior décor and gastronomy. The hotel
is located off of Plaça Sant Felip Neri,
a quiet, shady square that has seen
everything from firing squads during the
Spanish Civil War to shoots for films like
Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
SEVILLE: Built to house dignitaries for
the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition,
the Neo-Mudejar Hotel Alfonso XIII
is a destination unto itself. The hotel
pays homage to the city’s heritage with
rooms in three different styles – Moorish,
Castalian and Andalusian – and a lobby
replete with intricate hand-painted Triana
tiles, sweeping arches and geometric
designs. The history of the building
is laid out in a special wing alongside
photographs of world leaders that have
graced its halls. The hotel is part of
The Luxury Collection, a group of 75
properties around the world that combine
local history, architecture and interior
décor with unparalleled service and
amenities.
MADRID: Opening in 1912, the 467-roomed
Westin Palace, Madrid is blocks from
Madrid’s three most renowned art
museums – the Prado, Reina Sofia and
Thyssen-Bornemisza – and two minutes
from notable tapas restaurant, Estado
Puro. The elegant yet comfortable
rooms feature original mahogany doors,
soundproof walls andmarble bathrooms.
The hotel has hosted everyone from
Bowie and Brando to Einstein and the
King of Pop. Sunday Opera brunches
feature live opera performances, perhaps
in a nod to Luciano Pavarotti, once
a regular guest of the hotel who was
known to belt out a few morning notes
from his balcony – in his bathrobe. ALSO RECOMMENDED: Barcelona’s Spanish Trails for tapas, wine and gourmet food
tours as well as day trips and bespoke adventures
Westin Palace Madrid
Hotel Alfonso XIII