Review: Four Seasons Hotel Madrid (Spain)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last September, I was supposed to travel to French Polynesia for a holiday of a lifetime. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing pandemic, that trip was cancelled two weeks prior to departure, so I had to look for a last minute holiday elsewhere. In the end, I choose Spain as a travel destination, where I enjoyed a wonderful time, despite some unusually rainy and dreadful weather. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: Tui Boeing 737 MAX from Brussels to Ibiza
Review: W Ibiza Hotel
Review: Six Senses Ibiza Resort
Review: Hacienda Na Xamena
Review: Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
Review: Hotel Arts Barcelona, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Review: Four Seasons Hotel Madrid (today)

Today: Review of Four Seasons Hotel Madrid (Spain)

Location: Google maps
Hotel website: Four Seasons Madrid
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso

Set in the heart of Spanish capital, the stunning, recently opened Four Seasons Madrid Hotel is within walking distance of all of the city’s must-sees. Accommodations are adorned with traditional and modern details, plush furnishings, and al fresco spaces to soak in the views. With rooftop dining by Spanish celebrity chef Dani García, a four-level world-class wellness center, and a sun-splashed pool terrace, Four Seasons is bringing a new level of luxury and service to Madrid.

Have you ever stayed at Four Seasons Madrid? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my Youtube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Four Seasons Hotel Madrid enjoys an unbeatable location in the very heart of the Spanish capital between Puerta del Sol and Barrio de las Letras, just steps from Kilómetro Cero (the central point of the entire country). Sitting on the crossroads of the three iconic streets – Canalejas, Sevilla and Alcalá – the hotel is within easy walking distance to most of the city’s key attractions. The chic boutique shops and dining venues at the recently opened La Galería de Canalejas can be accessed directly from the hotel. From here, it’s only short stroll to the 125 hectare (300 acre) Retiro Park and three of the world’s most important museums: the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. The hotel is also just 25 minutes by car from Madrid-Barajas International Airport.

Four Seasons Madrid is housed in collection of seven historic buildings. The meticulous restoration of these buildings took eight years and was undertaken simultaneously, ensuring a common identity while preserving their independent styles dating back to the late 1800s. The most prominent building is La Equitativa, a former American insurance house located in the “bow” of this triangle-shaped block. Later, in 1920 this building became one of Spain’s most important banks, Banco Español de Crédito. Its rotunda, topped by a copper cupola, has become a city landmark. During the renovation, more than 16,000 pieces were extracted, catalogued and painstakingly restored, with around 3,700 being brought back into the building. Many can now be found in the suites and public areas of the hotel.

Four Seasons Madrid features a stunning interior created by an international team of designers including BAMO, BG Architecture, Martin Brudnizki, AvroKO and Luis Bustamante. Incorporating a mix of contemporary and historical elements, a sophisticated color palette of copper shades, graphite blue, and pearly whites brings tranquility and old-world luxury to the public areas. A nod to Spanish high fashion comes via saturated olive green, saffron, and gold hues. The hotel interior is at its most impressive in the soaring grand lobby that was once the main bank’s hall. Supported by impressive green marble pillars with gilded, the lobby is covered by a dramatic stained glass ceiling by Spanish artist house Maumejean. The lobby’s grand staircase features repurposed brass banisters and contrasts angular aspects in the space with a sensuous, flowing design.

The hotel’s artwork deserves a special mention too. Much of the hotel’s contemporary art collection is the result of a competition held among the students of the fine arts universities in Madrid, Malaga and Seville, and has been curated by Paloma Fernández Iriondo, formerly of Sotherby’s. The spectacular art collection around the hotel features more than 2,000 pieces of art all by Spanish artists, including paintings, photography, engravings, sculptures, and replicas of original art pieces that can be found in the Thyssen-Bornemisza located walking distance from the hotel. One the highlights of the art collection is the Starry Night installation by Eduardo Pérez-Cabrero in the lobby’s staircase formed by star constellations representing human virtues of intelligence, creativity, joy, love, talent, generosity and hope.

Due to the enormous complexity of gracefully joining together seven different buildings, the Four Seasons Madrid’s 161 rooms, 39 suites and 22 private residences come in 118 different layouts. Some rooms overlook greenery in the courtyard, while others have views of over Madrid urban landscape. Even the smallest rooms are unusually spacious for a premium capital city hotel. During my visit, I was upgraded to a Premier Terrace Room. the gorgeous room featured a kingsize and gave way to a furnished balcony with city views. The ensuite, marble clad bathroom was equipped with a walk-in rain shower, deep-soaking bathtub and two sinks. Hermés toiletries were provided. Sound-proofing of the room was excellent, a serious plus in an up-and-coming neighborhood still rife with construction sites.

Crowning the iconic hotel is The Spa at Four Seasons, the biggest wellness center in Madrid. Features include eight treatment rooms (including one couples room), steam room, sauna and a salon. Whether grounded in ancient knowledge and natural products or with 100 percent focus on the latest cutting-edge wellness and beauty technology, spa treatments are delivered by a team of experts in a sanctuary of wellness that provides abundant space for personal seclusion and privacy. During massages, therapists use signature oils created by one of the world’s top 10 aromatherapists, Michelle Roques-O’Neil. Spread over four floors, the spa also features a state-of-the-art gym, a show-stopping 14 m (46 ft) indoor pool and an expansive terrace where guests can take in sweeping views of the city while sunbathing on balmy days.

One of Spain’s most celebrated chefs and a champion of the country’s culinary heritage, Michelin-starred Dani Garcia leads the main restaurant at Four Seasons Madrid, a dining concept so close to his heart that it bears his name. Casually elegant, Dani is a dynamic brasserie combining Michelin-starred specialties with traditional Andalusian cuisine. Signature dishes include nitro tomato & green gazpacho, roasted monkish, and sliced scallops. Located atop the hotel, the restaurant and bar offer panoramic views across the city and beyond to its surrounding hills, with both indoor and outdoor seating year round. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and extending to leisurely evenings over tasty tapas and Spain’s incredible wines, it’s the newest must-visit destination in a city known for its culinary leadership.

The property is managed by Four Seasons, probably the best known luxury hotel brand in the world. The Toronto-based company has transformed the hospitality industry in a tale of continual innovation, remarkable expansion and a single-minded dedication to the highest of standards. Four Seasons was founded in 1960 by the young architect Isadore Sharp, but the real breakthrough of the brand came in the seventies with the opening of the Four Seasons London. Although the company went public in 1986, the Sharp family – along with a group of like-minded investors such as Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal – took the company private again in 2007 to protect the integrity of the brand well into the future.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is set in a lively neighborhood that’s currently undergoing a renaissance and, as a result, a series of construction works are taking place in the area around the property (for example, a JW Marriott Hotel is being built next to the Four Seasons). However, soundproofing throughout the hotel is excellent and you won’t really notice any of it, except when spending some time during the day on your private balcony or on the rooftop terrace.

Some of the entry level room & suite categories do not come with an open city view as they overlook the hotel’s inner courtyard. On the plus side, these rooms are very quiet and the courtyard is lush with greenery, so it’s not a bad sight at all.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 9/10
Food: 9/10
Breakfast: 9/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10
Overall experience: exceptional 9/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Four Seasons Madrid (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit the Spanish capital is in the fall (September to November) or spring (March to May), when balmy temperatures and sunny days are the norm. But if you don’t mind cold and rainy weather and a rather listless Madrid, visit in the winter when hotels reduce their rates. Peak tourist season is summer — despite nearly unbearable heat and humidity — but the city may appear empty as many Madrileños take vacations themselves.

HOW TO GET THERE

Right in the heart of the Spanish capital, the Four Seasons Madrid is located between Puerta del Sol and Barrio de las Letras. It’s just a 25-minute drive to Madrid-Barajas International Airport. Click here for a continuously updated list of airlines that offer direct flights to Madrid.