Silken Puerta America ★★★★★

Stunning. It’s the only word to describe the work of art that is our hotel for the weekend. I feel like a movie star on set, the design is so breathtaking. The lines are fluid, the colours are bold, and the furnishings are luxe. This hotel, I decide, is not for the faint of heart. I wander through the hallways, wondering what surprise it has in store for me next and find myself making excuses to spend more time here, even though the capital is just beyond the hotel doors. A romantic weekend was the proposal my husband gave me before we left, but that didn’t prepare me for the luxury I was about to experience. I have always loved Madrid, with its impressive museums, its classic tapas bars, and its glam nightlife, but this hotel certainly raised the bar on local attractions. When we arrived, I was struck first by the sinuous curves of the place, which stood in contrast to the cool clean lines of the furnishings. I soon realized that nothing is predictable in this place and simply gave myself up to the mystery of it all.

Our Junior Suite room is 50 square meters of pure design. The stark simplicity of the bedroom is breathtaking: a vision in white with sweeping curves and a flat screen television set into the wall. I am ready to move in permanently. Separate from the bedroom is our large living room surrounded with curved, floor to ceiling windows, giving us spectacular views of the city. It is hard to leave our romantic suite, but we have a full evening ahead of us and we wouldn’t want to miss the other luxury perks the hotel had to offer.

We have a difficult time deciding which bar to stop into first, but it doesn’t take much convincing to get me up to the terrace bar on the top of the hotel, where we have our drink overlooking the night lights of the city. The view from Sky Night Bar is impressive, equal only to our expertly mixed cocktail. We finally tear ourselves from the view so that we can have a go at the see-and-be-seen atmosphere of the swanky Marmo Bar. From the minute we sidle up to the impressive marble bar, we are enamoured of the retro chic feel of the place.

But my husband hasn’t finished with his surprises. He has booked us dinner at the hotel so that we can be coddled from start to finish. We dine at Lagrimas Negras, the gastronomic prize at the heart of the hotel. As our server explains to us, with Chef Raúl Cabrera at the helm, we won’t be disappointed. Together with his team, he has put together a menu worth savouring. With several dishes developed in homage to award-winning Chef Martin Berasategui, we know we are in for a treat. We feel like truly indulging, so we go ahead and order the tasting menu because clearly this is a weekend for indulgences.

The next day, we decide we need to drag ourselves away from our hotel so that we can finally see the city that brought us here. In only a few minutes, we are at the metro stop that takes us into the centre of Madrid. We have a long day of sightseeing before us, and yet, with memories of our magical night still fresh in my mind, I anticipate that returning to the Silken Puerta America will be the highlight of our day.