Agape - Destinations

There’s no confusing the raison d’être of Madrid-

based firm Proyecto Singular’s design for this luxe hotel

in the Spanish capital: Cool Rooms Atocha is a luxury

hotel with a little bit of edge. Located in a palace house

originally constructed in 1852 in Madrid’s historic Barrio

de Las Letras, the hotel deftly mixes a contemporary spirit

against the background of the building’s rich 19th-century

architecture, which includes intricate molding in the

entranceway, elaborate Art Nouveau-style frescoes on

the walls and ceilings, and a grand sunlit staircase that

ferries guests up to their rooms.

Within the suites, however, the designers kept things

fresh and modern. They opted for neutral colors and

textures: pale parquet wood floor, cream-colored linens,

drapery and walls, and plush wool carpets, all offset by

subtle gold-tinted details throughout. Stepping across the

threshold from the dramatically rendered hallways, awash

in a deep shade of inky blue, and into the private domain

invites a feeling of quiet and calm.

Meanwhile, in the bathrooms, the designers preferred

a more graphic composition. Following a palette of black,

white and grey, in several rooms they installed a patterned

pathway of tiles that lead from the floor up along the wall,

creating a visual structure for the room against which the

rest of the features respond. In other rooms they let the

materials speak loudest. In the penthouse suite, they lined

the walls of the generous shower room with white marble

surrounded by a stark black trim and installed the deep

Cuna soaker tub, creating the perfect place to revive and

ready yourself for another night on the town.