Why stay?
The hotel's location puts you in the heart of one of the most lively neighborhoods of Madrid. You’ll experience the bustle of the Gran Vía and nearby Madrid streets, which buzz with the energy of the city day and night. There is no other luxury hotel with better views of the Puerta del Sol, home of the clock that plays the leading role in Madrid’s, and Spain’s generally, New Year’s Eve celebrations. We expect that rooms at the Thompson Madrid will be highly coveted when 2022 comes to an end, a perfect location to take part in the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight. In the summer, on the other hand, it’s important to remember a reality about Madrid. It’s hot—very hot—and it’s getting hotter each year. The generous pool area at the Thompson is arranged like an open-air spa with 360-degree views from the sprawling rooftop which has Jacuzzi areas, shaded zones, a restaurant, hammocks, and more. It is, excuse the cliché, a true urban oasis.
The atmosphere
Traditional, warm, and cosmopolitan. The reception area manages to feel both spacious and discreet, with some trunks serving as a check-in desk in a clever wink to travelers. A bar with comfortable couches provides an ideal place to have a drink, meet a friend, and watch life in Madrid unfold. At the time of our visit, the Plaza del Carmen, where the hotel’s entrance is located, was under construction and it will be for at least several more months. For now, guests will have to wait to enjoy it and the terrace that will be in front of the Omar, the hotel’s restaurant-bakery. The Omar has direct access from the street and also through an entrance connected to the hotel. After its renovation is completed, the plaza full of trees will once again act as a small green lung amid the streets leading to the Puerta del Sol. The most notable feature of the building, designed by the firm López y Tena, is its two large central courtyards which allow light to enter and which provide striking, cinematic perspectives. The homage to travel and travelers is another ubiquitous theme. You almost expect to come across a contemporary Willie Loman dragging his suitcase through the dimly lit halls. It is in those moments that the Thompson feels like a hotel that truly wants to be a home. The hotel’s gym, located on the first floor, offers private training and group classes. On the fourth floor, there is a large meeting and events space with state-of-the-art conference rooms, three ballrooms, and a reception area with a patio. Each space is named after a famous Spanish woman: Lola, Carmen, Penélope, Isabel, and others.
History
The Thompson Vienna will open in 2024, but for now, the Thompson Madrid is the only European property in the group of 18 hotels. (Two are in Mexico, the rest in the United States.) The brand is part of Hyatt and it takes its name from the original Thompson, located on the street of the same name in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. When the first Thompson Hotel opened, in 2001, it played a key role in the transition of SoHo from an emerging artists’ neighborhood to a shopping and dining destination requiring sophisticated meeting places. The first Thompson has since closed, but the group has three other properties in the city. Two are downtown (The Beekman and Gild Hall) and one is on the Upper West Side (Thompson Central Park New York).
The rooms
The 175 rooms include 22 suites, spread over the eight floors of the building, as well as a Penthouse Suite, located on floors 9 and 10, with its own separate entrance. While the Penthouse Suite was still missing some finishing touches when we saw it, the 2,390-square-foot space had a bar, dining room, private balcony, and lounge on its lower floor while the upper floor had a bedroom, bathroom, a living room, and a small kitchen—as well as sweeping views. Luisa Olazábal was responsible for the interior design of the penthouse, which maintains the same mid-century aesthetic and the palette of amber tones, dark woods, and bold fabrics found throughout the hotel. She also used spectacular marble pieces, like a beautiful green slab found in the bathroom. The hotel’s carpeting pays an homage to Madrid’s cobblestoned streets while works by local artists including Andrea Torres, Marta Bermejo, Pils Ferrer, Mercedes Garrido, and Miguel Vallinas hang from the walls—each has a different floor dedicated to them. We thoroughly explored every corner of suite 701 on its debut. Although it is hard to choose which suite has the most panoramic views of the city, after we compared a number of them we can now say, without hesitation, suite 701 wins. As you admire the cityscapes outside your windows, you’ll likely come to fall in love with Madrid’s Velazquez skies, its rooftops, the cupolas of its churches, and even the near-skyscrapers on the Gran Vía that look like they could have been lifted from New York. An 'L' terrace wraps around the suite from the living room and dining area. The mini bar comes complete with a cocktail set and everything you need to prepare a few drinks while the spacious bedroom has a king size bed. The suite also has two 55-inch TVs with Chromecast, a black marble bathroom with shower, freestanding bathtub overlooking the Puerta del Sol, double sinks, a dressing room, and amenities from the eco-friendly firm DS & Durga. The switches and lights are intuitive and simple which, let's be honest, is appreciated in these times when many hotels prefer state-of-the-art—and often incomprehensible—setups. The interiors of suite 701 and all the guestrooms are by Madrid firm López y Tena. An abundance of wood, marble, warm tones, and careful lighting create a homy atmosphere. The result is a little bit like Mad Men meets the Museo Chicote (the legendary Madrid cocktail bar where Hemingway, Hayworth, Sinatra, and many others imbibed); it has the spirit of both the Madrid of Lola Flores and the New York of Truman Capote. Once again, this time at the Thompson, the two cities prove to be a perfect match.
Food and drink
Thompson Hotels has chosen to place a safe and solid bet when it comes to its dining and drinking venues. By going with one of the great names of Madrid’s culinary scene, they are set to impress both foreign hotel guests and locals as well. Nino Redruello is only in his 40s, but his venture at Thompson Madrid is backed by more than 100 years of history through the family restaurant La Ancha, which he has been able to update and use as a base to build the Familia La Ancha group. It includes a number of Spain’s top restaurants: Escalope Armando, La Taberna de la Ancha, Las Tortillas de Gabino, and the successful Fismuler (all in Madrid). There is also a Fismuler location in Barcelona, where Familia La Ancha recently opened Molino de Pez. Redruello was missing a hotel from his resume and now Thompson has given one to him. He and his team have come to play and have a good time, and we expect most diners will find themselves eager to join the fun. Redruello already delights patrons at The Omar, a bakery-restaurant attached to the hotel. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries is mixed with the smells of dishes from both his native Madrid and San Sebastian, in the Basque country, where his mother was born. Sandwiches of pig’s-ear in a brava sauce share the menu with Ondarroa tuna with a red pepper ponzu (available seasonally), a spectacular tarte tatin of young leeks and truffles, the chef’s signature ham croquettes, smoked rice with an egg and LumaGorri chicken (a celebrated poultry farm in the Basque country), the catch of the day (like fried hake with a green wasabi sauce), and meat dishes like beef Stroganoff with Oscietra caviar. Flour makes an appearance in many dishes including a Chinese bread with fresh sea urchins, a flaky oyster with cava, and quail baked in a crust of unleavened bread. For the time being, breakfast is served at the Omar, although plans are to move the meal to the rooftop during some months. Guests will be able to enjoy pleasant mornings while ordering from a “pool service” menu, also created by Redruello and his team. On September 15, another key part of Redruello’s offerings at the Thompson opened: Hijos de Tomás (or “Thomas’s sons”). A play on the hotel’s name, this bar is serious about becoming a new destination for night owls. This cocktail bar with the soul of an intimate boite is centered around an enormous piano. It has its own entrance and will be open until the early hours of the morning.
The neighborhood
We won’t pretend otherwise. The truth is that Calle Montera has never been described as the most pleasant in Madrid. Yet if you look up, you’ll see some interesting buildings and the effort, both on the part of cultural institutions and local businesses, to improve the area is evident. Stores, cafes, and bars with terrazas now dot the streets of this pedestrian area and a replica of a famous modernista entrance to the Gran Vía metro station has also recently been installed. The hotel is less than five minutes on foot from the intersection of the Gran Vía with Fuencarral and Hortaleza. In other words, it is near the neighborhoods of Malasaña and Chueca, busy at every hour and full of stores, restaurants, cocktail lounges, dance clubs, and more. This area has been described as a new “Golden Mile,” a claim strengthened by the recent openings not only of the Thompson, but also the Four Seasons and the Madrid Edition, as well as the imminent arrival of Nobu, JW Marriott, the UMusic Hotel (located in the former Teatro Albéniz), Metropolis (a complex with a hotel, restaurants, spa, and other amenities), Brach Madrid (designed by Philippe Starck), and according to some rumors, a Fairmont will soon open in front of the historic Teatro de la Zarzuela. But let’s stop pretending this is some new Golden Mile. It is simply Madrid, authentic Madrid, without any disguises or tricks. It is the Madrid that Madrileños go to when they want to experience their city, and that’s saying a lot.
The service
Carlos Erburu, general manager of Thompson Madrid, takes the helm with a long history in the hospitality industry, including the openings of other hotels in Madrid. His challenge has been to build a team filled with enthusiasm and smiles, despite delays that resulted in the hotel opening being pushed back from early summer to early fall. The young team is excited at the hotel’s launch, and the possibilities to find new ways to connect with guests that don’t simply follow the codes of classic luxury and that add a bit of Madrileño attitude. Even the hotel uniforms were designed by Modesto Lomba of Devota & Lomba, while the restaurant uniforms were designed by Tom Black. When we visited the hotel, during its soft opening when occupancy was low with most of the guest from the United States, we could see that the staff is excited about sharing the best of Madrid with visitors. The hotel even provide maps, drawn by the artist Nicoläs Villamizar, that introduces guests to another side of the city, with stores, museums, restaurants, and bars that are not as well known. He is part of a creative community that will be closely connected to the hotel, a group that also includes Oteyza, a local haute couture and contemporary tailoring firm that is central to Madrid’s fashion scene. Villamizar will be painting a large mural on one of the black walls alongside the pool. It will likely be one of the most photogenic corners of the hotel when it is completed.
Sustainability
All bath products are provided in large, refillable containers to reduce plastic waste and there is also a towel reuse program. Through Hyatt’s World of Care initiative, the hotel is working to reduce waste by embracing circular economy principles as part of its corporate responsibility initiatives.
Accessibility
There are no stairs or other obstacles near the entrance or in the lobby and the hotel has rooms designed for guests with reduced mobility, as required by Spanish law. Hyatt also has an initiative, Change Starts Here focused on promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity at individual hotels and on a company-wide level. Pets up to 30 lbs are welcome in rooms at no extra charges, but they are not allowed in the hotel’s bars or restaurants.
A final note
“Con la cultura por Montera,” or “with culture by Montera” (the name of the street where the hotel is located) is the motto that the staff will have to translate and explain to guests who don’t speak Spanish. The phrase was chosen to express the hotel’s mission: to connect with the local culture, to become a gathering place for artists, curious visitors, and anyone strolling through the neighborhood. It aims to be the epicenter of a movement in the heart of Madrid—one that embodies the ways in which this city is always a little bit New York.
Pl. del Carmen, 28013 Madrid, Spain, Madrid 28013
Spain
https://www.lopezytena.es/