A luxe boutique lodge with genuine Spanish model and verve: Thompson Madrid

Snapshot

Why you’ll love it

There’s plenty to adore about this new hotel, from sophisticated guest rooms to a lobby where you might want to hang out all day.

A convivial lobby

Thompson hotels envision themselves as visitors’ nexus to the surrounding neighborhood or city, and Madrid’s outpost is no exception, absorbing the creative energy of nearby Gran Via and Calle de la Montera. Vibrant works by local artist Nicolas Villamizar (who also created bespoke maps for hotel guests) and sartorial pieces by Madrileno couture house Oteyza adorn the public areas.

The light-filled lobby’s mismatched furniture includes midcentury modern armchairs, cushy contemporary sectionals, low-profile credenzas and coffee tables with art books on display and hanging lamps with glass orbs.

There’s also a generous smattering of plugs and outlets to encourage all-day coworking (the lobby cafe-bar will help you fuel up with a cafe con leche, or wind down with a cocktail), and the reception agents who stand beneath a spectacular copper overhang are happy to offer recommendations for exploring the city.

Sophisticated rooms

On the guest floors, each of which displays works by local artists, the carpeting is a cheery play on Madrid’s classic cobblestone streets, while the decor in the 175 rooms (including 22 suites) might best be described as “Mad(rid) Men” thanks to moody but inviting colors and textures.

Standout design elements include dark wood flooring and paneling, colorful wingback chairs and ottomans, beds dressed in white linens with that Thompson signature stitched piping and dramatic black-and-white headboards.

Bathrooms are tiled in sleek gray marble and feature stand-alone slim-profile soaking tubs plus walk-in rainfall showers stocked with full-size D.S. & Durga Bowmakers products.

Floor-to-ceiling windows let the sunshine stream in, and if you snag one of the suites, there’s a good chance it’ll have an outdoor terrace for panoramic views of Madrid’s iconic rooftops.

Raid the minibar, which resembles a classic turntable cabinet, for its bottle of Rioja plus jars of nuts and olives and have your own tapas hour as the sun sets.

Primo location

It doesn’t get more central than this. The hotel is mere steps from Madrid’s main thoroughfare of Gran Via, with its many shops and offices, a two-minute stroll to the city’s beating heart in the Puerta del Sol and the fancy flagship fashion stores of Madrid’s Golden Mile, and a little farther to the picturesque Plaza Mayor. The LGBTQ-friendly Chueca neighborhood is a 10-minute walk away, and attractions like the Royal Palace and the Prado are a mere Metro ride away from numerous nearby stations.

Value for points

Why you might not love it

There are a lot of reasons to recommend this exciting new hotel, but a few caveats to keep in mind, too.

Construction zone

The streets around the hotel can get clogged with foot traffic given its location, and there’s quite a lot of construction in the area, including not only the massive infrastructure project underway in Puerta del Sol, but also a somewhat disruptive undertaking that has caused Plaza del Carmen, which the hotel overlooks, to be entirely fenced off for now. It makes getting a taxi or Uber more difficult, too.

Dining doubts

Chef Nino Redruello, whose family has run the famous La Ancha restaurant for over 100 years, helms The Omar, and it is certainly a see-and-be-seen place to dine out.

However, the high-priced dishes like a tart broth with king crab and zucchini and sole with black garlic and mushrooms seem more like experimental flavor and texture combinations than well-orchestrated taste sensations. Given the plethora of fabulous venues in Madrid, you should take the opportunity to dine out instead (though the Spanish-skewing wine list is phenomenal).

Work it out

The hotel has a gym tucked away on the first floor (second by U.S. standards) and has a decent cardio collection. But if you’re serious about weightlifting or want some space to practice yoga or Pilates, you’ll need to venture out from the hotel.

Alternatives

Not sold on the Thompson Madrid? Not a problem. Madrid has been experiencing something of a hotel boom lately, including some fantastic other options where you can redeem points.