Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid [In-Depth Hotel Review]

For my 31st birthday, I took a 5-night trip to Ibiza, Spain, with my girlfriend. It was a fantastic experience of rest and relaxation. On our way home, we spent a day in Madrid, experiencing some of the city’s culture and food.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid as I had a free night and wanted to save on additional costs. This review details our experience at the hotel during our quick stay.

Booking the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid

I booked a 1-night stay at Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid with a Brand Explorer award from the World of Hyatt program. I was awarded a free night after staying with 5 different Hyatt brands.

I didn’t realize this perk was part of the World of Hyatt program until I received an email notifying me of the free night award. You can see your progress toward earning a free night in your World of Hyatt profile. It looks like this:

The room rate for our mid-November 2024 stay was $275 at the time of booking, so this free night came in handy for our last night abroad before returning home.

I typically use my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from Chase to Hyatt, but the free night is even better.

Location of the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid

The Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid is in the middle of the city, only about 10 miles from Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD).

Getting There

We took a ride-share (Uber) from the airport for simplicity. With traffic on a Tuesday morning, it cost us roughly $20 and took about 30 minutes.

If you prefer to take public transit, the Madrid Metro is a fantastic option. The Metro picks up from the Madrid airport at the T1-T2-T3 Station and T4 Station, both on L8. The operating hours are from 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Hot Tip:

Be sure to account for traffic getting to and from the hotel. Madrid is notorious for bad traffic, especially on weekdays when people travel to the city for work.

Checking In

Before our short flight from Ibiza to Madrid at 8 a.m., I checked in on the Hyatt app. The app said it would let us know when our room would be available. We landed around 9:30 a.m. and were thrilled to get a notice that our room was already ready for us. This was a pleasant surprise, as we hoped to throw our bags in our room before our expedited day of exploration.

We were impressed with the lobby aesthetics and check-in when we arrived at the hotel. The lobby’s design was very artistic, with bright pops of color, beautiful art on the walls, and impressive statues on display. There was plenty of seating space, from couches and nooks to bistro tables and armchairs.

There was plenty of seating as we walked into the main lobby.

Beyond the check-in desk was even more lounging space.

We approached the front desk and had our room keys within 3 minutes. We were running low on toothpaste, and the front desk agent was kind enough to provide us with some complimentary toiletries.

Room

We stayed in a quiet and spacious 269-square-foot king room on the eighth floor. Our single window did not provide a memorable view, as we faced a brick building next to us, but this wasn’t a concern for a 1-night stay.

The room had nice features, including a large 65-inch flat-screen TV with Chromecast. We also had blackout curtains and the ability to control the temperature, which made for a pleasant last night’s sleep before heading back to the U.S.

The total room space was slightly small, but it did the job for a night. I loved seeing 2 complimentary water bottles next to the bed.

The built-in outlets included standard U.S. plugs.

On the left side of the bed was the expansive closet space.

Directly in front of the bed was the TV and a small amenity stand with coffee and snacks for purchase.

The room had a minifridge, but items for purchase largely filled it.

Bathroom

The bathroom was spacious, with a walk-in rain shower, luxury bath amenities, and plush robes and slippers.

On the other side of the shower was a small vanity/seating area with a light-up mirror, perfect for hair and makeup.

Amenities

The hotel had many amenities, even as a hotel property mainly catering to business travelers and conferences.

There was a club lounge available, but unfortunately, we didn’t have any of the requirements to access the lounge. To get in, you must have World of Hyatt Globalist status, have booked a Club Access room, or use a Hyatt Club Access award.

The hotel also offered unique add-on experiences, such as test-driving Porsches, as part of the room purchase.

Wellness and Fitness

One of the coolest parts of the hotel was the fitness center on the top floor. It was a glass enclosure that looked over the city, had plenty of machines and weights, and provided complimentary cold bottled water and towels. The best part? It was open 24/7.

The gym had treadmills, elliptical machines, bikes, and weights.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi in the room was outstanding. Connecting was simple, and the 138 Mbps speed was plenty for using my phone and streaming videos.

Pets

The hotel is pet-friendly, with a €20 (about $21) per night fee. You can bring a maximum of 2 pets, each with a weight limit of 40 pounds. A special pet kit is available on request from guest relations.

Parking

Valet parking was available with direct access to the lobby and 24-hour security. Parking was €4.95 (about $5) for 1 to 6 hours and €35.20 (about $37) for 7 to 24 hours.

Food and Beverage

The hotel had various food and drink options, including a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant experience at Smoked Room Restaurant.

Breakfast

The hotel’s breakfast buffet was available from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Mery Barbola Bar

Mery Barbola Bar, located in the hotel lobby, was the perfect place to relax and enjoy a glass of red wine or indulge in a sushi tasting. It was open until midnight, starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday through Sunday. Menu offerings included traditional tapas, a full meal, or a refreshing beverage.

Smoked Room

The stars of the dining show at the Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid were 2 attached restaurants by chef Dani Garcia: Leña and Smoked Room. While we could not snag a reservation at the 14-seat, 2-Michelin-starred Smoked Room, we heard immense praise.

The unique smoke-driven omakase menu consists of 15 dishes selected by Garcia. Each dish varies according to seasonal ingredients and is based on smoking, flame-grilling, and curing techniques. If we go back to this hotel, we’ll be dying to snag a reservation, as its 2 Michelin stars were awarded within 6 months of opening — a crazy feat!

Leña

Despite not getting a table at Smoked Room, we were lucky enough to get one at Leña, which I booked in advance online. Open daily from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., Leña is a steakhouse with a unique Spanish touch to each of its dishes. It was so hard to decide what to order as the entire menu looked delectable.

The restaurant was easy to find. It was through the dark doorway adjacent to the hotel’s main entrance.

The vibes were immaculate, and the menu had a fantastic arrangement of drinks and food at a very reasonable price. We started with bread, salami, and smoked butter carved at the table for us.

My girlfriend ordered the Mexica, which came out on a volcanic rock with smoke falling from it.

For a main entree, we split “the burger that made it all make sense,” served as 2 small burgers. It was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.

La Manzana Restaurant and Santceloni Restaurant were also at the hotel but were not open during our visit.

Service

Given that we were at the hotel for less than 24 hours, we had limited interactions with its employees, but the initial interaction at check-in was great. The associate was glad to check us in much earlier than anticipated and gave us complimentary toiletries.

As we toured the hotel after check-in, we asked a few employees for directions around, and they were kind enough to direct us to the various amenities.

Final Thoughts

The Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid is perfect for several types of travelers, including business and quick leisure travelers (less than 2 nights). If you need a comfortable bed, solid dining options, and not to spend much time at the hotel, this property is perfect.

When we have more time to spend in Madrid, I would aim to stay somewhere that focuses more on leisure. But for a 1-night stay that would have cost approximately $300, this was an excellent use of a free Hyatt night.