Raised between Madrid and Miami, Miguel Ardid, CEO of the burgeoning CoolRooms Hotels collection, has a natural flair for hospitality given his transatlantic upbringing. His father worked in real estate, primarily in the development of residences and offices, but in the late 1980s ventured into hotels with an NH property, forging Ardid’s own career trajectory in the process.When he turned 18, his parents took him and his younger sister to Paris, and he fell in love with the whole hospitality experience. He said, “I want to do this.” Following his education at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Ardid returned to Spain to work with his father at Grupo Didra, developing properties for the likes of Antonio Catalán Díaz’s AC Hotels.
CoolRooms Hotels, founded in 2018, specializes in converting landmark buildings into luxury hotels after careful restoration. It aims to combine historic grandeur with modern comfort and contemporary details. The award-winning collection includes Palacio de Atocha in Madrid, Palacio de Villapanés in Seville and Palacio de Luces in Asturias, with new openings in Porto and Lisbon in 2024 as part of its international expansion. CoolRooms Hotels seeks to offer memorable travel experiences that reveal local history, culture, art, gastronomy and landscapes. The company stands out for its excellent service and attention to detail, and is also committed to positively impacting local communities by collaborating with artisans and merchants. In addition, it promotes sustainability and responsibility, being certified in 2024 by Bioscore Sustainability and Choose My Company in its HappyIndex at Work.
