BRACH Madrid, Madrid
A soulful Gran Vía retreat where Philippe Starck blends Madrid’s creative energy, romantic nostalgia, and contemporary luxury into a world of warmth and imagination.
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● Philippe Starck’s theatrical yet deeply personal interiors transform a 1922 landmark into one of Madrid’s most distinctive design hotels.
● A rare luxury hotel that favors texture, storytelling, and emotion over conventional notions of glamour.
● Perfectly positioned on Gran Vía, placing guests at the center of Madrid’s cultural, architectural, and creative life.
A Landmark Reimagined
Standing proudly on Madrid’s iconic Gran Vía, BRACH Madrid occupies a historic building completed in 1922 during the avenue’s golden age. Long before it became a hotel, the property housed cafés, ateliers, and creative spaces that reflected the energy of a rapidly modernizing city. Today, under the direction of French designer Philippe Starck and the Evok Collection, the building has entered a new chapter. Rather than erasing its history, Starck embraces it, creating what he describes as a form of “modern nostalgia” inspired by Madrid of the 1920s and 1930s. The result feels both timeless and unmistakably contemporary—a hotel that celebrates memory without becoming trapped by it.
Philippe Starck’s Madrid Love Story
Unlike BRACH Paris, which Starck conceived as a cultural hotel, BRACH Madrid is built around a more intimate narrative. Throughout the property, guests encounter traces of an imagined love story expressed through objects, materials, colors, and carefully crafted details. Wood paneling, leather furnishings, pottery, basketwork, books, travel journals, musical instruments, and handcrafted decorative elements create spaces that feel lived-in rather than staged. Starck fills the hotel with references to romance, memory, and personal history, allowing guests to construct their own interpretations. It is storytelling through design rather than decoration.
Warmth Over Glamour
Many luxury hotels seek to impress through scale, polish, or extravagance. BRACH Madrid chooses a different path. The atmosphere is intimate, tactile, and deeply human. Terracotta floors flecked with stone, rich woods, caramel leather, bronze details, handcrafted ceramics, and softly glowing lighting create a sense of warmth that immediately distinguishes the hotel from many of its competitors. The public spaces feel closer to a private residence or literary salon than a traditional luxury hotel lobby. Even the color palette contributes to the mood. Earthy tones dominate, punctuated by flashes of vibrant pink, orange, moss green, and deep reds inspired by Spanish culture, dance, and tradition.
Rooms with Character
The hotel’s 57 rooms and suites continue the narrative established throughout the public spaces. Each accommodation feels like a personal collection of memories, objects, and stories gathered over time. Jatoba wood, leather headboards, handcrafted pottery, woven elements, curated books, and bespoke artwork create richly layered environments that reward closer inspection. Bathrooms combine stone, terracotta, and moss-green surfaces, offering a calming counterpoint to the energy of the city outside. Some suites feature private terraces overlooking Gran Vía, while others create a more intimate atmosphere tucked within the building’s historic structure. No matter the category, every room feels distinctively BRACH—sensual, inviting, and full of personality.
A Grand Café for Modern Madrid
Food and drink play a central role in the BRACH experience. The hotel’s restaurant draws inspiration from Madrid’s grand cafés of the early twentieth century—places where artists, writers, intellectuals, and dreamers gathered to exchange ideas. Wood-paneled walls, tilted mirrors, dramatic frescoes, leather banquettes, and theatrical lighting create a setting that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. Chef Adam Bentalha’s Mediterranean menu reflects a similar balance, combining French refinement with Spanish ingredients and influences. The atmosphere encourages lingering, whether over a long lunch, an evening meal, or a late-night glass of wine.
The Art of Indulgence
Adjacent to the restaurant, La Pâtisserie celebrates one of the rituals shared by both Madrid and Paris: coffee and pastries. Visible from the street through large windows, the space fills the entrance with the aromas of freshly baked croissants, éclairs, flans, and Paris-Brests. More than simply a bakery, it acts as a social hub where locals and guests mingle throughout the day. Hidden within is an intimate cocktail bar, adding another layer to the hotel’s rich social life.
A Sanctuary Above the City
Beneath the warmth and energy of the public spaces lies La Capsule, BRACH’s wellness retreat. Here, Starck abandons the darker textures found elsewhere in favor of pale marble, soft light, and a sense of weightlessness. The centerpiece is a twenty-meter swimming pool, accompanied by an extensive wellness offering that combines traditional therapies with advanced recovery technologies. Infrared saunas, flotation baths, oxygen therapy, ice baths, steam rooms, cryotherapy, and personalized treatments create one of Madrid’s most comprehensive urban wellness experiences. Yet despite its sophistication, the atmosphere remains calm and understated.
The Spirit of Gran Vía
Location remains one of BRACH Madrid’s greatest assets. Positioned directly on Gran Vía, the hotel sits at the crossroads of many of the forces that define modern Madrid: architecture, fashion, gastronomy, nightlife, theater, and art. The Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums are all within easy reach, while the surrounding streets reveal a constantly evolving mix of historic cafés, contemporary galleries, independent boutiques, and cultural institutions. Few addresses offer such immediate access to the city’s creative heartbeat.
Madrid, Through Starck’s Eyes
Many luxury hotels seek perfection. BRACH Madrid seeks emotion. Through architecture, materials, storytelling, gastronomy, and hospitality, Philippe Starck has created a hotel that feels deeply connected to the city around it while remaining entirely its own. The result is one of Madrid’s most compelling new arrivals—a place where romance, nostalgia, design, and urban energy coexist effortlessly. For travelers seeking a hotel with personality, atmosphere, and a genuine sense of place, BRACH Madrid offers one of the most memorable stays in the Spanish capital.
