Thompson Madrid in Spain [In-depth Hotel Review]

After a grand tour of some of Spain’s best coastal hotspots earlier this summer, I decided to stop in the country’s capital, Madrid, for my last hurrah, and chose to stay at the still-new Thompson Madrid while I was there.

Thompson’s foray into Europe started with this very hotel, which opened in the fall of 2022. Better still, it’s just the first of many Thompsons to come across Europe, as we’ll soon see more in cities like Rome and Vienna.

If you’re a fan of the sophisticated Thompson brand back home, here’s everything you can expect when staying at this property in the heart of the sunny Spanish capital.

Thompson Madrid Location

It’s hard to beat the location of Thompson Madrid, nestled between iconic destinations like Gran Vía and Puerta del Sol. Though these areas are typically bustling with crowds, Thompson Madrid sits atop a small hill on a smaller side street. The hotel’s location provides a balance of easy access to the major attractions without the pressing noise of cars and people.

Whether you’re arriving on the rails via Madrid’s Atocha train station or flying into Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), it’s easy to get to Thompson Madrid in under a half hour thanks to the city’s efficient and reliable public transport network. The closest Metro station, Sol, is just a 3-minute walk to the property, which easily connects you with the rest of Madrid.

The hotel itself is rather small, with a modest 10 floors and balconies boasting city views. Upon first look, its façade resembles a dreamy European apartment building rather than a hotel.

Once you inch closer, you’ll start to see signs that it is indeed a hotel — with its brass and copper touches and its unmistakable signage.

Booking Thompson Madrid

Summer in any European city tends to cost an arm and a leg, so having access to points and miles can help subsidize the cost of your travels.

Thompson Madrid is part of World of Hyatt, a fan-favorite loyalty program thanks to its reasonable award rates at top-rated properties worldwide. While the hotel initially opened as a Category 4 property, it (already) got bumped up to a Category 5 this past spring, indicating the hotel may be a hit with travelers.

If you plan to use points at this property, you can expect to pay 17,000 points for off-peak nights, 20,000 for standard nights, or 23,000 points for peak nights.

Thanks to my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, I was able to transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned with the card instantly to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, covering the 23,000 points per night rate for my June 2023 stay. Compare that to cash rates at ~$700 per night, and I was elated with my 3 cents-per-point redemption.

Hot Tip:

We all want to earn more Hyatt points. A great way to do so is by signing up for Hyatt’s co-branded credit cards: The World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.

Check-in

I felt boutique-hotel vibes the minute I walked into the lobby. There was a relatively small check-in area adorned with the Thompson brand’s sleek aesthetic and pops of color throughout — a nod to the vibrant Spanish capital.

The lobby opened up into an expansive seating area, where guests could lounge around, catch up on work, or grab a handcrafted cocktail at this stunning bar. Usually, Thompson hotels can be quite dim, but I loved how many windows there were to capture the maximum amount of natural lighting.

I arrived right around the stated check-in time (3 p.m.), and the check-in process was fairly straightforward. Even as a World of Hyatt Explorist member, I was surprised to find that I was upgraded from a standard King Bed room to a King Bed With Balcony, which is the room type just below suites.

The check-in agent, Pedro, also provided excellent service throughout, as he thanked me for my loyalty to Hyatt and personally showed me up to my room.

Amenities

Thompson Madrid is centrally located, making it a great choice for visitors to the city. However, if you prefer to spend more time at the hotel, there are several amenities on offer to keep you occupied.

Rooftop Pool

Perhaps the greatest selling point of Thompson Madrid is its rooftop bar and pool. If you book during the summer months, you’ll get to soak up the sun and lounge by the infinity pool. Even during the winter months when the pool is closed, Madrid still gets a considerable amount of sun, and there are plenty of lounge chairs and high-top tables from which you can admire the cityscape in front of you.

The bar offers a long list of cocktails along with a few small bites — however, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the food from here (more on this later).

Even in the heat of June, the pool area remained quite calm (read: not rowdy), with some light ambient music to keep the good Spanish vibes going.

Hot Tip:

Thompson Madrid earned a spot on our list of the best Thompson hotels — keep reading to learn more about our other favorite Thompson hotels where you can redeem World of Hyatt points!

Fitness Center

If you want to stay active in between rounds of tapas and sangria, Thompson Madrid has a solid gym that remained completely empty during my stay. Like the rest of the hotel, you’ll get sweeping views of the city while you exercise.

It’s not the most extensive hotel fitness center I’ve been to, but it offers a decent range of equipment by way of cardio and weight machines.

Wi-Fi

I had to catch up on emails and work for a few hours during my stay, but I had no problem connecting to the World of Hyatt guest Wi-Fi (no password required). The speeds were fast and reliable — what more could you ask for?

Parking

On the off chance you’re parking your own vehicle at Thompson Madrid, it’s important to know there isn’t a designated hotel or valet lot. However, you can park nearby at the Parking El Carmen garage if need be.

Pet-friendly

All Thompson hotels are pet-friendly, which makes this luxurious hotel a great option for your furry friends. However, there is a 22-pound weight restriction and a $55 surcharge per night.

The Room

The Thompson’s 175 guest rooms span floors 1 to 7. My room was located on the fourth floor, which happened to be on the same level as the hotel’s events and ballroom spaces.

I also noticed during my stay that the 2 main elevators were quite slow (but when you’re in Spain, you should never be in a rush anyway!).

Thompson Madrid’s dark elegance shone through here. However, without any windows in the hallways, the corridors were quite dark.

By the elevators, there was a gorgeous courtyard that did bring in some natural light. It’s worth noting that some rooms are courtyard-facing rather than out onto the street, which is likely why the hotel invested a lot into embellishing this space.

Bedroom

My room measured about 350 square feet in total, which may feel on the smaller end by American standards. However, it felt more than adequate by notoriously small European standards. The oak finishes continued throughout the room, and I loved that the rooms had hardwood floors instead of carpet.

Upon walking in, I found the lighting controls for the room — which operated without the need to put my key into a wall slot. There was also an open “closet” that housed the room’s safe and even an umbrella. While I would’ve preferred an enclosed closet, it was handy to lay out my suitcase on top of the drawers to grab things easily.

Past the closet was a full-length mirror and plenty of amenities at the center console table. Here, there was a Nespresso machine and a built-in minibar.

The coffee and tea were complimentary for guests, while the minibar was fully stocked. However, expect to pay extra for any of these premium spirits and sodas.

While there was a small table and leather lounge chair, it’s worth noting that there wasn’t a formal desk in the room. If you need to work, the hotel’s rooftop or lobby, or even a nearby café, may be better locations to set up shop.

I loved having my own mini-terrace that looked out onto the city, but upon closer inspection …

… you’ll see that the Plaza del Carmen, a small square below the hotel, was an unsightly scene that looked like a major excavation zone.

However, construction was slated to wrap up in the coming months, so the refurbished green space should add to the charm of the hotel when complete.

While it wasn’t necessarily bothersome or loud, you may want to opt for a room without a balcony until then.

Housekeeping provided nightly turndown service, drawing the curtains closed and prepping the bed for sleep. I loved the king bed with crisp Thompson-signature linens and oversized pillows.

There were water bottles placed on either side of the bed, which were free as a World of Hyatt elite member. You could also control the lights in the room from here, and on the wall, you could adjust the air conditioning (a saving grace in Europe!) to your liking.

On one side of the bed, there was an alarm clock, radio, and Bluetooth speaker all in one.

I was disappointed to see that there was only 1 USB-A and a European outlet rather than a universal outlet or USB-C ports. Fortunately, the front desk had universal adapters that I could borrow during my stay.

All in all, the guest rooms at Thompson Madrid met the quality of a 5-star hotel, with the amenities to match.

Bathroom

The bathroom felt just as stylish and luxurious as the rest of the room, with an oversized sink and excellent lighting controls.

It was spacious, but as there were glass panels dividing the shower and toilet, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable sharing with your travel partner.

A standout of this bathroom? It was fully stocked with complimentary take-home amenities, including a shaving kit, makeup removal pads, and more.

The hanging robes were also replaced nightly during turndown service.

Furthermore, the rainfall shower was great, and it was nice to be able to use both shower heads at the same time. The products were from Thompson’s signature line of products produced by D.S. & Durga’s Bowmakers. They smelled of mahogany and cedar, which I loved.

Just to the right of the shower, the motion-sensing toilet was a nice touch.

Food and Beverage

As the hotel is located in Puerta del Sol, there are dozens of restaurants and bars within walking distance. With that said, here’s a look at the food and beverage options on-site.

the Omar

If you’re dining on-site, Thompson Madrid’s main restaurant is the Omar. Located behind the oversized oak doors to the right of the check-in desk, it’s an all-day bistro with an industrial-chic flair. The menu items are certainly on the pricier end for Madrid, but there were plenty of inventive seafood and meat dishes that looked appealing.

During my short stay, I only had the chance to dine at the Omar for breakfast, which was open from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. daily. If you’re a Hyatt Globalist member, you’ll get to enjoy complimentary, made-to-order breakfast.

Enticed by the waft of pastries fresh-baked from the oven, I ordered a chocolate croissant and latte to start, then a manchego cheese and Iberian ham spread. Luckily, I found the prices for breakfast to be on the low end, as I managed to spend less than $15 for my entire breakfast.

Hot Tip:

Itching to try out Madrid’s culinary scene for yourself? Check out our guide to flying to Spain with points and miles.

Thompson Rooftop

Upon checking into my room, I beelined up to the Thompson Rooftop to grab a beverage and a bite to eat. However, the menu was quite limited with a few salads and rice bowls. As it was nearing 4 p.m., I was famished, so I ordered the chicken Caesar salad and the salmon poke bowl, which rang up to a steep $40 in total.

Although the ingredients felt fresh, the meal was nothing special — the rice in the salmon bowl was undercooked, and the chicken Caesar was bland at best. You can find much better food in Madrid for a much lower price point.

Hijos de Tomás

Finally, there’s a hidden “speakeasy” piano bar called Hijos de Tomás on the basement level of the hotel. However, it’s only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. While my stay fell outside of these days, there’s a great list of cocktails, wines, and even some tapas to choose from.

Service

When visiting a 5-star hotel like Thompson Madrid, the staff tends to go above and beyond for guests. Whether it was escorting me up to my room or providing nightly turndown service, I noted a high caliber of professionalism and service throughout my stay.

During my stay, I also called the front desk to see if they had an outlet converter — as all of the outlets in the room required European plugs. Without hesitation, a staff member delivered the converter just minutes after I made the request. So, if you also forgot to pack something, chances are the Thompson Madrid staff can make it happen for you.

Final Thoughts

With the ability to book with World of Hyatt points, Thompson Madrid is a fantastic addition to Hyatt’s growing portfolio in Spain and Europe as a whole. While I would skip out on dining at the restaurants next time to discover more of the local cuisine, Thompson Madrid exceeded my expectations as a boutique-style hotel with an unbeatable location.

Once the Plaza del Carmen officially reopens for guests, this hotel will become even more of a hotspot for tourists and locals alike.