The charm of this Renaissance palace, the former residence of Empress Eugenia of Montijo (wife of Napoleon III), converted into a five-star hotel, serves to further embellish Toledo, a city in La Mancha which boasts a rich heritage of art, history and cultural fusion.

The 2006 refurbishment transformed such features of the building as the old Moorish apartments into today’s spa, or the splendid dining-room, whilst other elements restored include the finely-carved 16th-century coffered ceilings, the Roman sewage system and the 14th-century Moorish walls. The restoration work helped to recover a true treasure of Spanish cultural heritage. Superbly located, the Palacio Eugenia de Montijo Hotel stands in Toledo’s old town, a stone’s throw from the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of Santa María de Toledo and not far from the campo Layos GolfClub.

Both the rooms and the common areas are decorated with works by outstanding artists, both international and from Toledo and the rest of Spain. Generally speaking, the decoration is classical in style, with a French touch. Perhaps the most outstanding feature in the palace is the spectacular dome over the hall, where special celebrations take place.

CLUB GOURMAND

The Palacio Eugenia de Montijo houses the Restaurante Belvís, leading off the hall and decorated in perfect harmony with the rest of the hotel. Here, the cuisine is traditional Manchego fare, served up under the watchful eye of restaurant manager and business partner Adolfo Muñoz, himself a Toledan.

CLUB WELLNESS

The facilities provided by the Palacio Eugenia de Montijo include the private PEM Spa and Fitness Club, just 200 metres from Plaza de la Catedral de Santa María de Toledo. Ideal for relaxation and curing all symptoms of stress, the Spa Club guarantees peace and quiet, well-being and beauty in an exclusive environment. Here, visitors can get into shape, enjoying massages and hydrotherapy sessions in the swimming pool and spa.

CLUB BUSINESS

The hotel contains 2 independent rooms equipped with all the latest technology for organising business meetings or any other special event (for which the Hotel Hall is also available).

Decorated with works by local artists such as Giles Rojas and Beato as well as such other nationally and internationally known artists as Bonifacio Alonso, Luis Gordillo and Marina Anay, the Palacio Eugenia de Montijo has 40 rooms commanding views of the Cathedral, the Cigarrales – an area of the city which once captivated such illustrious figures as Lorca, El Greco and Zuloaga – and the Alcázar.

Moreover, the Suites and Junior Suites enjoy a particularly magnificent, magical situation in the palace tower.

Surrounded by the River Tagus and the city walls, standing on a hill, the city of Toledo - capital of Castilla-La Mancha – is a fortress town that once gave shelter to Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures, a fusion that encouraged the Toledo School of Translators to flourish. Thanks to this cultural wealth, Toledo contains churches, mosques and synagogues, and the city was catalogued as World Heritage in 1986.

Austere palaces, magical squares and steep, narrow, winding side streets; these are just some of the outstanding attractions in Toledo. Cervantes provides one of the most precise possible definitions of the city: “Rocky gravity, the glory of Spain, and light of her cities”.

Amongst the most outstanding monuments in the city is Toledo Cathedral, built on the site of the main mosque. Construction began in 1227 and was finally completed in 1493. The principal elements in this Gothic-style cathedral, with nave and four aisles, are the choir, the stalls, the high chapel and the impressive, artistic stained-glass windows, dating to the 15th and 16th centuries.

For its part, the Alcázar, which was built in Roman times and was also used as a fortress by Visigoths and Moors, dominates and has become a symbol of the city. Under King Charles I, the site was altered and extended by the addition of a palace, transformed to the extent that, today, each of its four fronts represents a different architectural style. No visit to Toledo is complete without taking the chance to see the painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz, a masterpiece by El Greco in the Church of Santo Tomé. Plaza del Zocodover is a key meeting point for locals and visitors alike, and an excellent spot for picking up such typical souvenirs of the city as marzipan, damascene jewellery and famous Toledo steel swords.

Toledo also boasts both excellent museums and fine restaurants serving such typical local dishes as roast lamb, partridge and tortilla a la magra, a potato and ham omelette. And what better way to round off the day with some delicious Manchego cheese accompanied by a glass of DO La Mancha wine?

Finally, Toledo’s proximity to Madrid means that this outstanding destination is well-communicated and easy to reach.