Hotel Urso & Spa: 5-Star Luxury Meets Real Sustainability in Madrid

A Palace with Purpose

In the heart of Salesas, a neighborhood that strikes a balance between cutting-edge modernity and timeless tradition, stands a building that is itself a statement of intent. Hotel Urso & Spa isn’t just a five-star destination; it’s the resurrection of a 1915 bourgeois palace, once home to the Spanish Paper Company. In an era when “luxury” often gets confused with generic sameness, URSO champions the first and most fundamental form of sustainability: heritage preservation.

My visit wasn’t just as a guest, but as a journalist. And what I discovered, after staying in a Junior Suite overlooking the palace and thoroughly inspecting its spaces, was an admirable consistency between what the hotel promises and what it actually delivers.

The Immersive Experience: Verified Sustainability

A hotel’s true purpose is measured in its details. At URSO, those details are tangible and have a direct impact on their surroundings.

1. The Zero-Mile Connection: From Terrace to Market

My culinary experience began, unknowingly, on the Terrace Suite. Looking out, the connection to the neighborhood became literal: there, just steps away, sits the iconic Mercado de Barceló. This view isn’t just an aesthetic privilege; it’s the cornerstone of the hotel’s gastronomic philosophy.

That afternoon, in the hotel’s welcoming lobby, I had the opportunity to enjoy their tea service. The experience was a perfect reflection of URSO’s zero-mile philosophy: the pastries and sweets accompanying the infusion came from artisan bakeries in the neighborhood, continuing that tangible connection to Salesas. Each bite was a celebration of local talent, served in an atmosphere that invites calm and unhurried conversation.

The next morning, at breakfast served in the bright courtyard of “El Invernadero,” that connection arrives on your plate. The “proximity” policy here isn’t a marketing slogan; it’s a logistical reality. Much of the fresh produce I enjoyed crosses the street from the market, directly supporting local merchants and ensuring unquestionable freshness. The same applies to the tea service in the lobby, which relies on artisan workshops from the neighborhood.

2. Inner Wellness: “Made in Spain” Luxury and Social Consciousness

My stay allowed me to experience the two pillars of wellness at URSO: the spa and the gym. The spa is an urban sanctuary that champions national excellence, using products from the prestigious Spanish brand Natura Bissé. Among its treatments are experiences designed for urban disconnection, such as personalized massages, facial rituals with advanced technology, and therapies that combine ancestral techniques with cosmetic innovation. Each treatment reflects that same philosophy of conscious quality that defines the hotel.

But I found the most impactful sustainability in my own suite. The laundry and hairdryer bags aren’t anonymous; they’re the result of a collaboration with vocational training workshops. The hotel donates its discarded textiles to be recycled and converted into these products, closing a perfect circle of circular economy and social responsibility.

The Commitment: Víctor Vacas’s Signature

A commitment without visible leadership can evaporate. At URSO, the sustainability policy bears the signature of its director, Víctor Vacas, and goes beyond good intentions to detail a real action plan.

During my stay, I was able to verify the authenticity of its key points: from the use of 100% renewable energy (with 65% coming from their own solar panels) to waste management and support for local artists in the “La Vitrina” space. It’s proof that sustainability, to be credible, must be measurable and integrated into daily operations, not just in communications.

Conscious Luxury

Hotel Urso isn’t simply in the Salesas neighborhood; it is of Salesas. It defines a new paradigm of luxury, one that is quiet, conscious, and deeply connected to its surroundings. It’s proof that you can offer a five-star experience that doesn’t just care for the guest, but also cares for its community and its planet.