Mr & Mrs Smith

Style-conscious gatronomes will be delighted to find Phillippe Starck-designed Ramses (+34 91 435 1666) right next door to Hospes Madrid. The city's in-crowd have got their feet in the door and their names on the waiting list – make sure you book at least three weeks in advance if you want the bistro. The more informal area, Petit, overlooks the in-demand cocktail bar, and is ideal for intimate tête à têtes. Also nearby, on Calle de Valensuela, Le Garage (+34 91 522 6197) is at the forefront of the city's Japanese cuisine scene – call two weeks beforehand and book for the first sitting at 9.30pm. 

In the heart of upmarket Salamanca on Calle de Velazquez, La Paninoteca d'E (+34 91 426 3816) is the brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Sergi Arola and it's perfect place for the perfect sandwich,  salad (from foie gras and mango to bacon, rocket and walnuts), or plate of jamón ibérico and a bottle of rosé. Definitely one to head for if you've missed the strict 2pm–4pm Spanish lunching hours of if you fancy a mid-shopping aperitif.

Madrid's Prado Museum may nab all the cultural limelight, but the glass and steel modern art gallery La Reina Sofia (+34 91 774 1000) on Calle Santa Isabel gives it a run for its money, with a high-calibre permanent collection featuring Picasso, Dalí, and Miró. The privately owned Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (+34 91 420 3944) is also close to the hotel on Paseo del Prado and houses an inspiring collection of works spanning several centuries, from Gothic to Pop Art.