At the entrance of the hotel, the doorman checked our name against his list of guests that were scheduled to check-in that day. This also means that non-guests are strictly not allowed into the hotel. This marked the first sign of exclusivity for us. Upon verification, a porter came over, set our luggage aside and brought us to the Red Level Lounge for check-in. The second sign of exclusivity. As we took a short walk towards the lounge, the porter spoke to us in unbelievably good English. If you've been to Spain, you'd know that it would be unlikely that a porter would speak such good English. Later, we learnt that he had been to an English school just to learn English. A third sign of exclusivity. We stepped past the hotel lobby (where check-in is usually done) and entered into the Red Level Lounge. Here, we were offered white wine and/or water while check-in was done. As we arrived early, we had the opportunity to check out the Red Level Lounge.
The room given to us was a corner room on level 2. According to the map of the level, the room is slightly bigger than the other Red Level Deluxe Rooms on the same level. As we entered, the door opens to a spacious and modern design of the Red Level Deluxe Room. We also noticed that Clarins amenities were provided by the hotel as well (We've lost count of the luxury/exclusivity signs). As we ventured into the room, we also saw our welcome gift - Spanish Nougat candies. There were 3 different flavours (chocolate, peanut and pistachio) that were nicely decorated round a serving plate. This was a nice gesture from Gran Melia Palacio de los Duques because Spanish nougats are famous and is usually a souvenir that one would bring home.
The design was cleverly thought out. Just in front of the bath tub is the rain shower. This means that showering and bathing (aka "wet" areas) are kept within the boundaries of the glass - unlike the new concept of boutique hotels where bath tubs are sometimes next to the bed. If you're watching TV, the volume within the bathroom can be turned up as well. If you want some privacy, simply draw the curtains on the outside.
The Red Level Lounge serves up different snacks throughout the day. As it was the New Year, there was a typical Spanish New Year cake known as rosca de reyes (aka Spanish King's Cake). We also particularly enjoyed the jamon (Spanish cured ham), oysters as well as the premium Ruinart Champagne.
Besides the beautiful champagne display, there's also an open bar that consists of various hard liquors, beers and soft drinks. There's also a coffee machine that serves up cappuccino or just plain ol' espresso. In addition, there's a doorway past the Red Level Lounge that leads to the palace garden, which is an outdoor private area, exclusively for Red Level guests and diners of Dos Cielos Madrid. read more