Meliá Hotels International announces Gran Melia Palacio de los Duques, Madrid

• The company stimulates superior quality tourism and invests € 19 million in the recovery and transformation of one of the most emblematic hotels in the centre of Madrid
• A unique and steeped in history space, destined to become a favorite meeting point and as a venue for events in the ancient Madrid

Meliá Hotels International has refocused its sights on Madrid with a major investment that will provide a stimulus to the luxury hotel market and the competitiveness of the hotel industry in the city. The company led by Gabriel Escarrer now has 23 hotels in the city and is working on the comprehensive renovation of the old Ambassador Hotel, a prominent feature on the Madrid-Velázquez walking tour, which will open in 2016 as the new five-star Gran Melia Palacio de los Duques, already a member of the exclusive "Leading Hotels of the World" list.

The hotel occupies the space that was the greatest Dominican convent in the XIII Century and also the former residence of the Dukes of Granada de Ega and Villahermosa, art collectors and members of the Madrid intelligentsia in the mid-nineteenth century, and is located 200 metres from the Teatro Real (Royal Theatre). Their passion for the art of Velazquez, one of whose works they donated to the Prado Museum, can be felt in every corner of the hotel thanks to the exquisite decoration of the guestrooms and public areas, making art the genuine core of the hotel experience.

This elegant palace, with original features such as the spectacular central staircase and a small private lounge, is home to 180 rooms and suites which pay tribute to the genius of Velázquez, and ten meeting rooms, all with natural light. Guests may also enjoy the exclusive RedLevel Service offered by Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, designed to provide a boutique hotel within the hotel which houses the most luxurious rooms and services as well as an Asian-style wellness area, the Thai Room, and various upscale dining options that include a gourmet restaurant, a wine cellar with a selection of products from the different Spanish regions, and a signature cocktail-bar.

The hotel renovation project led by the Spanish architect Alvaro Sans is a further sign that the company remains committed to developing urban leisure resorts; hotels located in urban destinations but with a significant leisure component and high-value complementary services and facilities to enrich the customer experience, including signature dining experiences, "after-work" bar concepts that also attract the local public, as well as swimming pools or spa and wellness facilities.

Meliá Hotels International is successfully developing this hybrid model in its most emblematic Madrid hotels, such as the ME Madrid, the Gran Melia Fenix, the more modern Innside hotels, and the more traditional Melia Castilla and Melia Madrid Princesa, achieving a perfect combination of business and leisure travel and helping optimise profitability. As a result of this strategy, the company increased its RevPAR in Spanish cities above the market average in the first half of the year, with a 17% increase in the Spanish capital.

Gabriel Escarrer, Vice Chairman and CEO of the hotel company, stated that "Madrid's enormous potential as an urban destination comes not only from its importance for business, but also from its outstanding cultural heritage and Art, that enrich the traveller's experience; we are thus committed to helping Madrid become the destination of choice that it deserves, contributing with unique and exceptional hotel products to enhance its competitiveness and the competitiveness of the destination on the whole."