Hotel Barceló Emperatriz, Madrid, Spain

The hotel’s design is inspired by the life of Eugenia de Montijo, the last empress, and reinterprets the royal aesthetics of 19th century Madrid. The Barceló Emperatriz perfectly resembles the personality of the empress, who was characterised as cosmopolitan, intellectual and ahead of her time.

Furthermore, 25 leading women, from cultural, economic, political and creative arenas of Spanish society, representing “empresses” of the 21st century, were asked for their needs, aspirations and opinions. This input, together with ideas and suggestions from customers published in social media, were considered in the planning of the hotel.

The hotel’s interior design utilises materials such as wood, metal mesh and Neolith panelling in order to transmit the contemporary elegance. All of these premium materials were used in the relaxation areas as well as the high-traffic areas.
The 146 luxurious rooms combine classical elements with other elements of avant-garde character.

By using large-format Neolith panelling, the bathrooms seem to be carved in marble, reflecting quality, space and formality. Most of them are fitted with the wall-mounted washbasin from Laufen’s Ino collection, a reinterpretation of a classical washbasin shape. A place to stay and relax – the SaphirKeramik washbasin fits quite perfectly into the elegant ambiance of the 5-star Hotel.