Thompson Madrid: A Design-Forward Stay That Understands the Night

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

Madrid is a city that doesn’t reveal itself all at once. It unfolds in layers—morning light hitting stone facades, late lunches that drift into afternoon vermouths, dinners that stretch past midnight, and nights that refuse to end simply because the clock says they should. Thompson Madrid understands this rhythm instinctively. It doesn’t try to tame the city. It moves with it.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

Set just steps from Puerta del Sol, on the edge of Montera Street and Plaza del Carmen, Thompson Madrid occupies a building steeped in transformation. Once a church, later a commercial gallery, then a cinema, the structure itself mirrors Madrid’s constant reinvention. Today, it emerges as a modern luxury hotel that feels deeply rooted in place—less about spectacle, more about substance, and unmistakably confident in its point of view.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

From the moment you enter the lobby, there’s a sense that this is not a hotel designed for tourists passing through, but for travelers arriving with intention. The floors echo the city’s historic cobblestones; the check-in desks resemble sculptural suitcases—a subtle nod to journeys begun and continued. Gold accents, Spanish marble, leather details, and earth-toned textures create warmth rather than excess. It feels residential, composed, and quietly luxurious.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

The rooms follow the same philosophy. Spacious yet intimate, they’re designed to feel lived-in, not staged. Materials matter here—wood, stone, soft fabrics—and technology is present without ever announcing itself. Bathrooms open fluidly into sleeping spaces, reinforcing the idea of continuity rather than separation. Even after days of moving through Madrid’s energy, returning to the room feels grounding.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

Above the city, the rooftop delivers what every great urban hotel promises—but rarely executes so gracefully: escape. The heated outdoor pool, framed by skyline views, functions as an urban oasis rather than a scene. It’s calm, elevated, and intentionally guest-focused. By day, it’s a place to reset; by evening, it becomes a vantage point from which Madrid stretches endlessly in every direction.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

Its dining identity comes into focus at BAR/RA, a restaurant that feels deliberately fluid rather than fixed. Part kitchen, part creative lab, it plays with familiar Spanish flavors through a contemporary lens—anchovies from the Cantabrian coast, croquettes done just right, seafood and seasonal plates that shift depending on mood, market, and moment. There’s an ease to it that mirrors the hotel itself: relaxed but considered, local without being literal.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

What truly distinguishes Thompson Madrid, though, is its role as a cultural participant, not just a host. Art lives throughout the building—curated works by Spanish artists appear in corridors, common areas, and private spaces, creating a quiet dialogue between guest and city. The hotel’s “Culture Shifters” philosophy comes alive not as branding, but as lived experience: fashion, dance, design, and creativity are woven into the fabric of the stay rather than placed on display.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

This is a hotel that understands that modern luxury isn’t about insulation from the city—it’s about connection to it.  And then, when the night deepens, Thompson Madrid does something rare: it doesn’t send you elsewhere to finish the story. It invites you downstairs.

Photo Credit: Thompson Madrid

Hidden within Thompson Madrid is Jack’s Club—and it may be one of the most compelling additions to Madrid’s nightlife in years. Jack’s isn’t loud about its presence. It doesn’t need to be. Inspired by the gentleman’s clubs of Edinburgh and rooted in the personal history of founder Murray Lemmon, the space is built around an idea that feels almost radical in modern nightlife: intimacy, discretion, and genuine human connection.

Photo Credit: Jack’s Club

Named after Lemmon’s grandfather, Jack’s Club channels a time when evenings unfolded without phones, when conversation mattered, and when memories were made—not documented. That spirit defines the room. Noble woods, leather seating, warm lighting, and carefully selected art create an atmosphere that feels timeless rather than trendy. It’s elegant without being stiff, seductive without being performative.

Photo Credit: Jack’s Club

Music is treated with the same care. Early evenings are shaped by live piano—unexpected interpretations of rock, pop, soul, and jazz—before giving way to funk and soft house later in the night. The volume never overwhelms. The intention is presence, not distraction.

Photo Credit: Jack’s Club

The cocktail program is where Jack’s truly distinguishes itself. Each drink is narrative-driven, drawing from Scottish and British culture, literature, folklore, and family stories. These are cocktails with context—crafted precisely, beautifully presented, and designed to be savored rather than rushed. Even the menu design nods subtly to playing cards, a quiet homage to Jack himself.

Photo Credit: Jack’s Club 

Thompson Madrid succeeds because it understands the city’s cadence—from morning light to last call. And Jack’s Club completes that understanding with precision. Together, they offer something increasingly elusive: a hotel that doesn’t just place you in Madrid, but teaches you how to experience it—fully, stylishly, and on your own terms.

Thompson Madrid is located at  Pl. del Carmen, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain