For a city break in art-lovers paradise in the Spanish capital of Madrid, a hotel is needed that shares a passion for art and celebrates the local history while at the same time having the contemporary flair that reverberates this European city; step forward Four Seasons Hotel Madrid.
The hotel only opened in 2020 and has been adopted by locals and discerning travelers alike. It is firmly placed not just on the Madrid hotel scene but also as one of the top hotels to visit in Europe.
Location
The Four Seasons Madrid is located in the very heart of the city at the intersection of the iconic streets of Calle de Sevilla and Calle de Alcalá. It would be hard to find a better place to base yourself. Puerta del Sol lies just steps away, the Prado Museum is a very short walk, and all the major sights are easily reachable on foot.
The airport is an easy 25-minute transfer, and the metro stop at Sol is super close, should you wish to explore that way. We loved the location, and for such a bustling area, the soundproofing was astonishing. A good night’s sleep is guaranteed here!
Style & Character
This hotel is just beautiful inside and out. An astounding 10-year renovation turned seven historic buildings into the Four Seasons Madrid. The oldest of these buildings dates back to 1887.
At the heart of the hotel is what was a bank. Many original features have been retained, including the huge pillars in the two-story lobby, the spectacular stained-glass ceiling, and the reception and concierge desks.
The exteriors of the building are also perfectly restored and somehow very cleverly look like a single building. Another delight for visitors is that the building has an unusual triangular shape which you do feel at times when you’re inside and realize you’re walking toward the front point of the triangle!
This makes it striking from the outside too. All this is topped with an orange and green tower, the colors of which are perfectly reflected in the hotel’s restaurant.
Inside, it somehow manages to respect and even honor the history while feeling exactlysons hotel (thos like a Four Seae marble bathrooms!). It is also perfectly Spanish, with cool floors, a simplicity to the décor, and contemporary white walls.
Art is very much a part of the Four Seasons Madrid. The popular Disney-esque giant black sculpture that keeps a watchful eye over the lobby is the only piece in the hotel not by a Spanish artist. When you consider there are some 2,000 pieces here, you realize that you’re essentially staying in an art gallery and one that truly celebrates local talent.
Rooms
When you stay at a Four Seasons hotel, you have certain expectations in terms of comfort, space, and style. Knowing that such a historic building had lent its walls to the Four Seasons Madrid, we had wondered if any of these expectations would be compromised.
No need to fear. Even the entry-level Courtyard and Deluxe rooms are the very largest in luxury Madrid hotels at 45–50 m2, or for a little more space still. The Premier Rooms are to be recommended. The suites really are worth that extra splurge with separate living and sleeping spaces.
Well-appointed to make the most of the city views, the suites are spacious enough to be the perfect frame for the hotel’s art pieces. For those extra special occasions, the hotel boasts a range of Speciality Suites, I was lucky enough to take a peek at one, and the feeling of space and light was something else.
You have that reassurance that you are in a Four Seasons hotel in the rooms and suites. The bed and bathrooms are exactly as hoped, with the large, classic Four Seasons wardrobes and, of course, the marble bathroom. The style of the guest rooms continues that celebration of the building’s history, with paneled walls, the Spanish art displayed to perfection, and walnut floors all oozing glamour and class while remaining refreshing and un-fussy.
Service & Facilities
The facilities at Four Seasons Madrid are seriously impressive for a city center hotel or for any hotel for that matter. Madrid’s largest urban wellness center spans four floors! You enter, and the reception and beauty salon are on one floor, the eight treatment rooms can be found on the next, followed by the fitness center, and last but most definitely not least, the stunning rooftop pool and sundeck.
The chic heated indoor pool enjoys a vast glass roof, so you are drowned in the sunshine with none of the uncomfortable heat. The space is somehow the perfect temperature, both in and out of the water. There’s a large hot tub if you insist on warming up too, or head to the sundeck and admire the cityscape views of Madrid as you catch some rays.
Further relax with a massage or hydrating facial, or if romance is on the cards, why not book a couple’s session and soak a while in the oversized circular tub? When you need to get the heart pumping again at some point, as well as using the excellent facilities at the fitness center itself, you can also reserve a one-hour yoga class or even take a personal training class.
There’s also private parking, a 24-hour front desk, a 24-hour multilingual concierge team, room service, and complimentary WiFi that I certainly found to be high-speed.
The hotel is connected to the luxury shops of Galería Canalejas, where Loewe, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton, among many others, have flagship stores. It also includes a luxury food hall where gastronomy lovers will be in total heaven. Surely sampling something from each outlet is a must, though it may take a little while! The venue was just opening when we visited but is already making waves as a must-visit culinary and shopping experience. Its direct access to the Four Seasons further elevates this hotel as the best place to stay in Madrid.
The service here is simply impeccable throughout the entire hotel. Yes, you do come to expect this at any Four Seasons hotel, but Madrid is so new that we did consider this could bring a less experienced team. Well, most definitely not! Instead, there is a fresh enthusiasm, a real joy and passion for the hotel, and the knowledge and efficiency to ensure your every whim is exceeded.
We were particularly impressed by the welcome given to our children. They were not only gifted with gorgeous, super-soft Four Seasons teddy bears but also a special Four Seasons passport. To win the goody bag prize at the end, they had to explore the hotel, collecting a stamp in their passport from each department. This included reception, the restaurant, the lobby bar, the spa, room service, and even the doorman didn’t escape! This was also an excellent test of the service! Which each and every department passed with flying colors. They all knew about the passport and were delighted to furnish the passports with their stamp, letting our children use the stamp themselves and discussing with excitement which others they’d collected already and which they had left to collect – a truly joyous memory for them that made them feel so special and welcomed. A model of excellent customer service.
Food & Drink
The swimming pool is kind enough to share its enviable rooftop position with the beautiful Dani Brasserie. Thanks to a privileged location on the seventh floor of Four Seasons Hotel Madrid at the heart of luxury and gastronomy in the city, Dani Brasserie has become one of the most sought-after places in the capital.
Rooftop dining here already comes with an already-established reputation. When Four Seasons secured Spanish celebrity and Michelin-starred chef Dani García, they ensured that the hotel would be adopted and celebrated by locals as much as by international visitors. Chef Dani García offers comfortable haute cuisine accompanied by a carefully selected list of wines that is designed to enhance gastronomic excellence. With Head Sommelier Agustín Trapero in charge of the liquid offer, the restaurant has 600 different wines in a constantly growing and refreshing selection. All this has earned Dani Brasserie the 2023 Best of Award of Excellence from the prestigious Wine Spectator magazine.
The restaurant is a Spanish sea of color and elegance, with the burnt orange and greens borrowed from the tower creating a lively and dynamic atmosphere and framing the panoramic views of the city below.
Onto the food, and here, Southern Spanish ingredients and techniques are employed with flair and finesse to create an already legendary menu of tapas. The a la carte breakfast is also a little dose of morning heaven! My top tip would be the Avocado Eggs Benedict, which was divine! The tasty buffet selection was also generous and plentiful.
The hotel is home to two bars; El Patio in the historic lobby area and trendy cocktail and Asian-inspired tapas bar Isa. The gorgeous El Patio is one of the spaces in the hotel which has been enthusiastically adopted by locals. This gives it a thoroughly Spanish vibe and makes for the perfect welcome when arriving at the hotel. Fabulous for people-watching, it’s a great spot for a morning coffee, afternoon tea, or a pre-dinner drink, admiring the sophisticated lobby while you pause for just a moment.
For a long moment, Isa is absolutely worth a visit; a warren of exquisitely decorated rooms with a buzzing ambiance and a live DJ playing great tunes at the perfect volume so as to be a feature but not intrude.
Whether the lure of the exceptional cuisine, the pull to that sun-drenched rooftop pool, or want to soak up the incredible architecture is what gets you to the Four Seasons Madrid, you can be sure once you’re there that the entire experience will utterly seduce you.
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