Review of AC Santo Mauro, by Ramsey Qubein

This lavish ducal palace's former life as embassy of Canada, Romania and the Philippines has set the stage for a unique boutique hotel near Madrid's Paseo de la Castellana. The bold contemporary décor is hidden by the graceful façade and the common rooms show French windows with gathered drapes and marble or parquet floors scattered with Oriental rugs. The highly trained staff operates the AC Santo Mauro at a very professional pitch. Convenience to public transportation and business areas makes this property a hotspot for both professionals and tourists.

The intimate and formal restaurant fills the grand space that was once the ambassadorial library. An international menu is matched with an excellent wine list. Breakfast is served here and is a regal affair with a hushed, yet congenial, atmosphere. Fair weather finds diners out by the pretty garden pavilion, which is also used for functions. A sauna is on-site, and the indoor pool has filled a big gap in the recreation department here. wireless internet access keeps everyone a click away from their e-mail. The hotel has a guarded parking lot and friendly pet policy.

Accommodations, including studios and duplex suites with fireplaces, offer more bold creative color combinations, as well as contemporary furnishings meshing with such traditional treatments as gathered drapes, glamorous fabrics, antique prints and parquet floors topped with rugs. Concealed mini bars are filled daily with free drinks and snacks, and TVs, CD players, full-length mirrors, robes, slippers, good soundproofing and fully equipped marble baths with massaging shower heads top off the amenities. All suites provide deluxe bath toiletries from the famous Acqua di Parma line and Germaine de Capuccini facial serums.