If you wander along Madrid’s Gran Vía, touching on the capital’s iconic Chueca neighbourhood, you’ll likely stroll past the entrance to Brach Madrid. This newly opened hotel, the 2025 addition to the Evok Collection, doesn’t court attention but earns it slowly. The second hotel under the Brach name, following its Parisian predecessor, the Brach Madrid brings a warm, boutique luxury to the Spanish capital. For travellers looking for an intimate and emotional stay in Madrid, the hotel offers an introspective, less performative kind of luxury. It’s opulence, but done in a delicately nostalgic way. Its materials of wood, leather, pottery, breccia and terracotta confer warmth and energy, giving a wonderful touch of past poetry.
With the design of Brach Madrid overseen by Philippe Starck, the interiors play with accumulation and form, warm terracotta palettes, rounded corners, layered textures, and materials that absorb both sound and tension. Inspired by the history of the building, throughout the 57 rooms — of which 4 suites — Starck seems to tease out a story through the objects, memorabilia and letters – that of a husband who’s lost his wife, and travels through Spain on a country-wide search for his beloved partner. Vintage photographs, knick-knacks, books and other objects let us wander through the imagination of Starck, all whilst letting ours tease out the links between the objects – from castagnettes, mandolins, to maps – even the wallpaper has traces of hidden messages on it. These warm, sculptural furnishings and a restrained palette give the hotel an atmosphere of calm nostalgia. The rooms are compact and intimate, which makes it all the more special.
The building itself was built by architect Jerónimo Pedro Mathet Rodriguez between 1919 and 1922. The central marble staircase leading up through the seven stories, with its cast iron railings, is a prestigious reminder of the 1920s Madridian elegance. From the rooftop terrace, sweeping views of the Gran Vía skyline and Madrid’s cityscape give you a sense of the city’s energy, all whilst being coveted by the Brach Madrid’s design. The poetry of the place is palpable — the perfect place for a slow drink, a late conversation, or an early morning view of the city waking up.
For those staying the weekend, the Brach Madrid brunch is a standout. Rather than the formulaic buffet, Brach delivers a spread that feels genuinely generous and curated with care, prepared with great attention by the hotel’s chef, Adam Bentalha. Dozens of dishes are lined up, beautifully presented, from delicate fish carpaccios to tender slow-cooked lamb. These dishes sit alongside a selection of Mediterranean vegetables, fresh pastries, and a considered selection of cheeses and fruit. More than just indulgence and quantity, the Brach Madrid emphasises hospitality. This is a place you want to linger and lounge. The staff, wonderfully attentive, make for a particularly homely and humble experience.
But the hotel’s real centrepiece lies below ground. The spa’s wonderful draped design and the cutting-edge gym facilities are exceptional, both in design and in atmosphere. For your workout, the space is light, state-of-the-art, and rarely crowded. The spa, with its hammam, plunge pool, and treatment spaces, feels like a private sanctuary. It’s a space which is designed for you to decompress, and is beautifully executed.
What Brach Madrid does particularly well is balance. Between the visual and the visceral, the public and the private, the urban and the serene. It’s a hotel that makes you feel at home, cajoled, pampered, but rather than staging luxury, it gives a sense of intimacy — humble in tone, but rich in experience. And perfect to reconnect with Madrid on a weekend break.
For more information, visit brachmadrid.com
words. Patrick Clark
