As the home of several luxury hotel brands and the host of Virtuoso’s global symposium next year, Madrid has truly arrived on the luxury scene, but its chief concern is to not lose sight of its true essence.
Hector Coronel, Director of Tourism, Madrid City Council, and Princess Béatrice d´Orléans, Honorary President of Luxury Spain, in Dubai for key meetings, speak to TTN about how the country and its capital have come a long way in building a luxury narrative, which is both sustainable and respective of its history.
“Madrid is a partner of Virtuoso – in fact, Virtuoso has even invested in a retail setup in the capital - and we are collaborating to bring Virtuoso’s annual symposium to Madrid next year. More than 500 to 600 travel agents from all over the world will come to us and the time is just right - Madrid is now booming in the international market. We now have all the top luxury brands, like the Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, Rosewood, Edition and JW Marriott. We also have great experiences: The Royal Palace, the Royal Theatre, which is the best opera theatre in the world, Reina Sofía, Spain's national museum of 20th-century art, are all located within just 500 metres, making it one of the most valuable cultural assets in the world all located within one block.
“We are now comparable to other big European cities and capitals,” Coronel says. “While we create this new narrative for Madrid, my chief concern is that we shouldn’t lose the core essence of Madrid in the process.
“Luxury means perfection and Spain has it in abundance”
– Princess Béatrice d´Orléans
“We want to show a different Madrid, but without losing its essence, which comes in the form of its traditions, its handicrafts, its artisans and of course, its gastronomy. In Madrid, we are implementing a new strategic plan, and one of the key main pillars, is the artisans, the handicrafts that reflect the history of Madrid and of Spain, and its multi-faithed people.”
Madrid has put sustainability squarely on its agenda, and not just environmentally but also culturally and socio-economically. “We have a commitment to be a carbon-neutral destination and since last year, we have started measuring, reducing and compensating our footprint. We are aligned with UNDP’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the same vein, it is our hope and aim that artisans will bring tourists to every part of the city, and not just to the downtown – to complete the economic circle, give tourists the opportunity to give back to the community.”
There have been a lot of restorations, refurbishments and openings in Madrid over the pandemic. So, for people who visited Madrid, maybe four or five years ago, need to revisit. Madrid is very well connected with the rest of Spain – a two-and-half-hour high speed train connects Madrid to Malaga, and Madrid Barcelona we have very good connectivity, says Coronel.
“To immerse in unique and select experiences that can be found only in that place at that time and nowhere else in the world - for me, that’s luxury. In Madrid, we are now creating unique activities, which are very much rooted in our tradition and culture. For instance, a flamenco show in the Prado Museum will be one of those luxuries that only Madrid, the original home of the flamenco’s tablao, can offer.”
“Luxury means perfection and Spain has it in abundance,” says Princess Béatrice d´Orléans, a Parisienne and self-confessed “cent per cent French” who fell in love with Madrid 20 years ago and has called it home ever since. “When I came to Madrid, there was no luxury association, so I decided to change that. I have worked with LVMH for 22 years and know the luxury industry inside out.
“Spain has beautiful, artisanal products starting from gastronomy, hospitality, leather products to fashion and lifestyle, that are top of the line and deserve a global audience. What I do, through Luxury Spain, is to provide these brands, these luxury artisanal products, a global voice.”
Some 20 hotels are part of Luxury Spain including a mix of well-known and soon-to-be-well-known brands: Las Caldas Thermal Villa, Sarm - Villa Pyrenees, Grand Hotel Central Barcelona, Serene Estate, Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa, Six Senses Ibiza and Bless Hotel Madrid.
“Luxury Spain started small in 2010, grew from there and we are still very strict in our vetting process, when including members and partners,” the princess tells us.