A luxe boutique hotel with authentic Spanish style and verve: Thompson Madrid
Although Thompson Hotels has been one of Hyatt's fastest-expanding boutique brands, most of its recent openings have cropped up stateside in cities like Los Angeles, Washington and San Antonio.
That changed in September 2022, however, when the chain opened its first European hotel in Madrid. Here's what you need to know about the exciting new Thompson Madrid.
Snapshot
This hotel combines high style and low-key luxury at an affordable price point in one of Madrid's most central neighborhoods. Plus, its rooftop pool and restaurant should be some of summer's most happening hot spots in the Spanish capital.
Why you'll love the Thompson Madrid
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
Considering room rates start around $400, the fact that award rates range from just 12,000 to 18,000 World of Hyatt points seems like a steal. Especially considering Hyatt Globalists stand a good chance at upgrades to suites (like the one our Guest of Honor booking scored us).
Breakfast bonanza
The hotel's main restaurant, The Omar, is a pared-down, industrial-style space adjacent to the lobby, where servers bustle around the central island and the open kitchen toting tapas and other plates to diners.
If breakfast is included with your stay, either because of elite status or as part of your rate, be sure to take full advantage. If you can't be seated right away, enjoy complimentary coffee, juice and pastries in the lobby … then have some more at your table.
There doesn't seem to be a limit to what you can order, so start with fresh seasonal fruit, yogurt, house-baked pastries and acorn-fed jamon iberico, then take your pick of egg dishes including a classic tortilla espanola with potato or cheese, or ratatouille with egg, avocado and grilled mushrooms. It's enough food to last you till a typically late Spanish dinner.
Rooftop pool
For a city that boasts 350 days of sunshine each year, Madrid has a dearth of rooftop hotel pools, but the eighth-floor one here is bound to be a popular spot when it opens this summer.
The marble infinity-edge pool itself is quite small, with just a few loungers, but there are casual seating areas for hanging out, shady spots and a terrace restaurant and bar serving light bites and drinks from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
The subterranean Hijos de Tomas speak-easy wasn't open yet during our stay, but serves cocktails that are both classic and creative.
Why you might not love the Thompson Madrid
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.
Just a short stroll from the Thompson, the Madrid Edition brought one of Marriott's coolest brands to the Spanish capital and has been a hit thanks to a lobby that sits somewhere between a nightclub and a club lounge, utterly chic rooms with baroque-inspired headboards and a hopping rooftop pool scene of its own.
Also near Puerta del Sol, the tony Four Seasons Madrid, another relative newcomer, took over a series of historic bank buildings and has converted them into some of the city's most luxurious accommodations. The Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid is another historic stunner that is looking more fabulous than ever thanks to a multiyear refurbishment, while Rosewood's reflagging of the Villa Magna is a great pick for those who prefer understatement to ostentation.
On the affordable side of things, the Hyatt Centric Gran Via is a great use of points for a stay in the heart of the capital (just 17,000 points or $249 per night), while the Westin Palace, Madrid delivers grande dame vibes at a surprisingly low price point that starts under $250 (or 42,000 points) per night.
Accessibility
The Thompson Madrid's entrance and lobby are wheelchair accessible with no stairs and automated doors (as well as doormen to open them for guests). Elevator buttons are placed at levels that can be easily reached from a wheelchair, guest hallways are wide and, per Spanish regulations, a number of guest rooms are designed for guests with reduced mobility.
Want to learn more about Thompson, Hyatt or Madrid? Start here:
- The most award-friendly hotel program: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt
- The ultimate guide to redeeming Hyatt points
- The best hotel credit cards
- 'One of the most valuable hotel cards': A review of the World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Here's how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation
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