Review: The Madrid EDITION

Why book?

For a blast of modern hotel design at its most glam and to witness first-hand the good fortune that has been bestowed on Madrid. Despite its many virtues, the Spanish capital has never been replete with top-notch hotels; but in the last five years, the situation has improved beyond recognition. But even in the face of tough competition from the Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Rosewood Villamagna, et al, the new EDITION is plainly the cherry on the cake—or the prawn on the paella. 

Set the scene

Madrid’s most exciting new hotel is a rich aesthetic statement imbued with a passion for contemporary design emanating directly from its co-creator, celebrity hotelier and disco patriarch Ian Schrager. The drama of the building—cunningly repurposed from a boxy modern former bank HQ on the old-town Plaza de Celenque—begins with the ornate 18th-century granite doorway by Pedro de Rivera (one of the few historic elements remaining from the original site) and continues into a vast spiral staircase in pearly-white stone, curving spectacularly upwards like a giant seashell. The public spaces have a low-lit calm but go all-out for contrast: An antique tapestry hangs behind an all-white pool table lined with electric-blue baize, and you might find a minimalist bench artfully draped with a traditional Spanish shawl. 

The backstory

An incoming tidal wave of top marques, powered by huge investments largely coming from the Americas, has propelled Madrid into the Premier League of European hotel cities. The Marriott empire’s contribution was the brainchild of Ian Schrager and “his” minimalist architect John Pawson. Barcelona’s take on the brand came first—a laid-back, supremely comfortable boutique. Madrid’s is a bigger, bolder version, a contemporary grand hotel consecrated to the religion of design.

The rooms

The hotel’s 200 rooms and suites are all-white chambers of sound-proofed silence, enlivened only by the rococo shapes of the bed headboards—also white. Though deliciously stylish, they are so minimalistic they border on the anodyne. Two top-floor penthouses, each with its own private pool and distant views of the snowcapped Sierra de Madrid, up the ante in no uncertain terms—along with the €20,000 price tag. 

Food and drink

You won’t find classic Spanish cuisine here: The emphasis is firmly on Hispanic traditions from the other side of the pond. On the ground floor, chef Enrique Olvera disembarks from Mexico City with a restaurant (Jerónimo) that eschews fancy fine dining for a streamlined modern interpretation of traditional Mexican cuisine. One of Madrid’s grooviest dining rooms pits Castilian-style paneled walls with lime-green chairs and a hot pink feature wall. Meanwhile in the top-floor zone, Diego Muñoz rocks a menu of casual Peruvian classics in a high-ceilinged room festooned with vegetation. Madrid’s cocktail crowd has taken to the Punch Room bar with its dark, clubby vibe and cutting-edge mixology based on punches served in silver bowls. 

The service

Uniformed, discreet, and supremely efficient, with a generous dash of Spanish friendliness.

Who comes here?

Guests range from collect-the-set fans of the EDITIONs around the world (15 and counting) to Asian Hispanophiles steered away from Barcelona by Madrid’s new magnetism. (Not forgetting wealthy Mexicans lured by the breakfast huevos rancheros at Jerónimo.) This is a hotel pitched so high in the design stakes that many of its guests seem out of place in their slouchy hoodies and sweatpants. We say, ditch the “athleisure” look, and make an effort to blend in with something sleeker.

For families

This sophisticated wholeheartedly urban property makes no special provision for children (though they may well love its quirky, playful interiors). 

Accessibility for those with mobility impairments

Care has been taken over the accessibility issue here, with grab rails as standard in the bathrooms, WCs at wheelchair height throughout the hotel, and service animals welcome. The vaulted entrance tunnel, lit with a soft pink glow, has a gently sloping ramp. 

The neighborhood

For decades, the downtown streets abutting Gran Via have been losing their shine as they decayed into dreariness. The smart new hotels landing in the barrio seem destined to reverse that process. For the moment, there are adventures to be had and jewels to be stumbled upon within a few steps of the EDITION’s front door—none more precious than the Descalzas Reales monastery, founded in 1559 by a Spanish princess and a treasure house of Renaissance art and architecture.

The spa

A moody, fragrant, candle-lit space lined with noble woods and hung with baroque candelabras, the basement spa is on the small side but scores highly for atmosphere and the covetable wellness products by Natura Bissé and Le Labo (also responsible for the hotel’s agreeably musky signature Black Tea fragrance). 

Is it worth it?

Emphatically yes. Though if budgetary restrictions apply, an evening in the EDITION’s rooftop wonderland would be a great way of catching the hotel’s hedonistic vibe.

Anything left to mention?

In a city that prides itself on its high-concept rooftop venues, no other we know of boasts an olive grove and a real lawn, a great Peruvian restaurant and coctelería, and an infinity pool from which bathers can gaze down at the terracotta roofs of the Descalzas Reales. At street level, the hotel’s Limited Edition shop is worth a browse for its careful selection of locally-sourced items, including pottery by Tomas Alía, accessories by Malababa, and artisan candles by Mad et Len.