Madrid hotels offering halal food and special services

At the InterContinental guests staying in the royal suite get around the clock privileges

Etihad recently started non-stop service to Madrid four times a week from Abu Dhabi, while Emirates flies to Madrid daily from Dubai.

Hotels in Madrid are luring tourists from the Middle East with special services and halal food offerings.

The capital of Spain, known for its spectacular old buildings and a world famous football team, has 10 five-star hotels and dozens of boutique hotels.

The hotels expect the number of guests from the Gulf to increase as air connectivity strengthens. Etihad recently started non-stop service to Madrid four times a week from Abu Dhabi, while Emirates flies to Madrid daily from Dubai.

Hessa Abdullah Ahmad Al Otaiba, the UAE ambassador to Spain, said that more than 70,000 people from the UAE visited Spain last year and that the number is expected to go up this year. “Spanish culture with Islamic connection and football matches are attracting tourists from the UAE,” she said.

Hotels in the city go all out to attract Gulf tourists.

“The Middle East is an important market for the hotel and we participate in the ATM [Arabian Travel Market] fair in Dubai every year. We conduct Starwood roadshows in all the major cities of the Middle East in order to attract tourists from the region,” said Paloma Garcia, public relations manager of Westin Palace Madrid.

At InterContinental, meanwhile, guests staying in the royal suite are treated to special privileges round the clock.

“We build great relationships with embassies of the UAE and other Gulf countries. We hope to welcome more tourists this year from the Middle East,” said Mariluz Antolin, e-commerce and marketing manager of Inter Continental Madrid.