{"id":1208,"date":"2015-07-23T10:43:52","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T09:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/?p=1208"},"modified":"2015-07-23T11:15:04","modified_gmt":"2015-07-23T10:15:04","slug":"lofty-ideals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/2015\/07\/23\/lofty-ideals\/","title":{"rendered":"Lofty Ideals"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hotel<\/a>

Hotel \u00d3scar<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019ve just touched down in Madrid, and your grasp on the Spanish language is limited, one phrase may still stand out amongst the rest: \u201cQu\u00e9 Calor<\/em>!\u201d (It\u2019s so hot!).<\/p>\n

Madrid is currently in the midst of a heat wave, but the truth is, the standard summer in the Spanish capital is usually a pretty hot affair. As you walk down the steaming streets, passing Spanish se\u00f1oras<\/em> fluttering handheld fans and hordes of Madrile\u00f1o youngsters licking ice creams<\/strong>, you may be hoping for an oasis<\/strong> to materialise on the shimmering horizon.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re in luck. In recent years, the city has begun reclaiming its rooftop<\/strong> realm as a way to escape the heat and commotion on the ground. A combination of hotels<\/strong> and daring entrepreneurs<\/strong> are leading the push, creating a network of towering bars and restaurants that have become instant hits. If you\u2019re looking for the perfect vantage point to catch the summer breeze<\/strong>, sip on a delicious cocktail<\/strong>, or simply laze around into the night<\/strong>, all you need to do is look up.<\/p>\n

\"Gymage

Gymage Lounge Resort<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooftop 01: Gymage Lounge Resort<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Calle de la Luna 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Once an abandoned cinema, this building in Malasa\u00f1a<\/strong><\/a> has been revitalised by a group of young, determined entrepreneurs. The complex is now a thriving gym<\/strong>, theatre-restaurant<\/strong> and health and beauty centre<\/strong>, but the most coveted space is up on the roof<\/a> where a bar, restaurant, and small solarium with a pool<\/strong> attract hordes of attractive locals. If you\u2019re looking to embrace the summer heat \u2013 make a day of it. Head up to the restaurant for the delicious \u2018Men\u00fa del Dia\u2019<\/strong> (set lunch menu) and then pay a small fee to laze by the pool and work on your tan \u2013 cocktail in hand, of course.<\/p>\n

\"Tartan

Tartan Roof<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooftop 02: Tartan Roof<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Calle del Marques de Casa Riera 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>People once paid a small fee just for the privilege of the beautiful 360\u00ba vista<\/strong> from the C\u00edrculo de Bellas Artes<\/strong> <\/a>building. However, it was only in 2013 that a group of visionary entrepreneurs enlisted local design studio Cuarto Interior to refit the rooftop to include a comfortable bar and well-appointed restaurant<\/strong>. You still need to pay a small fee to get up there and should probably arrive before the sunset to avoid the queue, but once you\u2019ve secured your coveted spot, order a mojito and marvel at the panoramic view of Madrid\u2019s red-tiled rooftops \u2013 you\u2019ve got one of the best seats in town.<\/p>\n

\"TheHat\"

The Hat<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooftop 03: The Hat<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Address: Calle Imperial 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>One of the newest trends in Madrid\u2019s accommodation sector is the up-market hostel. Younger travelers<\/strong> have higher standards than ever and the forces behind The Hat<\/a> (just a short walk from Plaza Mayor<\/strong><\/a>) have responded to this demand by creating their beautifully designed and well-located hostel. The rooftop bar and restaurant<\/strong> is open to the public and includes both an interior and exterior space. Grab yourself a seat, order a drink with a pincho de tortilla<\/em><\/strong> (a serving of Spanish omelette) and spark up a conversation with the neighbouring table \u2013 the atmosphere here is suitably familiar and friendly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"The

The Principal<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooftop 04: The Principal<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Calle Marqu\u00e9s de Valdeiglesias 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>If you\u2019re looking to lap up a touch of luxury<\/strong>, The Principal<\/strong> hotel should be at the top of your to-do list. The hoteliers behind the high-end Hotel \u00danico<\/a> opened The Principal in 2014 after an ambitious renovation effort just a few steps from the beginning of Gran V\u00eda<\/strong><\/a>. The restaurant run by the talented chef Ram\u00f3n Freixa<\/strong><\/a> has beautiful views of the iconic Metr\u00f3polis building<\/strong>, while up above, the split-level rooftop is a stylish affair with sweeping city views.<\/p>\n

\"Hotel<\/a>

Hotel \u00d3scar<\/p><\/div>\n

Rooftop 05: Hotel \u00d3scar<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Plaza de V\u00e1zquez de Mella 12<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>This azotea<\/em> (rooftop) is hardly new, but after a renovation, it recently opened anew<\/em>. The Room Mate hotel group<\/strong> is renowned for friendly service and style<\/strong>, and these qualities are on full display in their flagship Hotel Oscar<\/a>. If you\u2019d like to lounge on a sun-bed by the small pool<\/strong> during the day, you will have to pay for it<\/a> (although it\u2019s worth it if you intend on staying for a few hours), but the space opens up after 6pm as a fashionable spot to sip on an iced drink<\/strong> and watch the sun set over the Sierra de Guadarrama<\/strong> in the distance. This is a Sunday evening must.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve just touched down in Madrid, and your grasp on the Spanish language is limited, one phrase may still stand out amongst the rest: \u201cQu\u00e9 Calor!\u201d (It\u2019s so hot!).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":1209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,3],"tags":[72,189,188,132],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1208"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1222,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1208\/revisions\/1222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}