MADRID’S GRAN VIA TRANSLATES AS THE “GREAT WAY” – A FITTING DESIGNATION FOR THE BUSTLING BOULEVARD. SINCE THE 1920S, THIS CENTRAL STREET LINED WITH ART NOUVEAU AND ART DECO FACADES HAS BEEN A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR SHOPPERS AND SIGHTSEERS, WHO FLOCK TO THE AREA’S MANY BOUTIQUES, CAFES, THEATRES, AND CLUBS. AT THE HEART OF IT ALL SITS THE CÍRCULO GRAN VÍA HOTEL. This adults-only hotel and casino occupies the former headquarters of the Circle of the Mercantile and Industrial Union of Madrid. Built in 1924, the historic building is defined by a stone façade decorated with neo-Renaissance motifs and a tower with a pointed dome. Inside, a marble staircase ascends the first three floors around a soaring atrium, where the original 1920s chandeliers still hang. A 2017 renovation brought modern design to each of the 71 guest rooms and social spaces. Before (and after) hitting the casino floor, guests can relax in the hotel’s “living room,” furnished with plush chairs and decorated furniture; dine at Círculo Mercantil Restaurant, where avant-garde cuisine is paired with views over the Gran Via; enjoy champagne, oysters, and caviar at the Champagneria “bubble bar”; and take in Madrid’s many sights from the sixth-floor terrace cocktail bar.