UMusic Hotel, Madrid: the perfect base for audiophiles and tapas lovers alike

Location is everything for this music-themed hotel in the heart of Madrid's busy Centro district — the first opened by record label Universal — which boasts a historic theatre, alongside more modern touches.

Where is it?

At the UMusic Hotel Madrid, in the heart of the Centro district, you really are slap bang in the middle of everything you might want to explore on a visit to the Spanish capital. The bustling Puerta del Sol is just a few steps away (with a handy Metro station), Plaza Mayor is a five minute stroll. I got up early one morning to trot off to the Prado, and was there in about 15 minutes.

There are big name shops aplenty — from the obligatory Zara to the popular El Corte Ingles department store — but step off the main squares and the streets around the hotel soon become the sort of higgledy-piggledy labyrinth Spain does so well. They are crammed with tapas bars and more pharmacies per square metre than is surely necessary.

The hipster Malasaña barrio is a 15-minute walk away, as are the medieval streets of Lavapies. And you can find yourself exploring the historic neighbourhood of Barrio de las Letras — once home to some of Spain’s great writers and paved with their most famous quotes — in less than 10 minutes.

Style

It might be a modern concept: a hotel built by the Universal Music Group, but the UMusic has a historic past. The building was once the city’s 19th century Royal Printing House, where the Madrid Gazette was published, then in 1867 became the Post Office. By the 1920s, the site had become a joint venture not unlike the one that sits there today — the Poymar Hotel and Poymar Theatre (now renamed the Albéniz).

In 2022, after a two-year restoration, it reopened as the UMusic Hotel — a joint project between Universal and Dakia Entertainment. To that end, there are music videos playing in the lobby — something that might normally drive me a bit nuts, but which never seem to impinge.

The walls are covered in posters and photographs of music’s biggest stars (and presumably also Universal’s) from Kiss to Rod Stewart, Queen, Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley. Only the selection of merch available to buy in the lobby makes the place feel a little like you’re leaving a music venue post-concert.

It means the hotel is a curious mix of the historic and contemporary - bronze statues and colonnades top the exterior, chandeliers dress the marble-heavy lobby. But there’s also plenty of slate grey, concrete touches and pared back design in an effort to achieve the owners’ vision of a hotel that combines ‘hospitality and entertainment’. It doesn’t feel out of place hosting both business visitors and families - I see plenty of both on my visit.

Which room?

The 130 rooms largely have that minimalist, industrial-chic vibe that chains such as The Ace have popularised in recent years among city-breakers.

The bathroom is a white marble affair and my premium room also features plenty of bleached Scandi-style wood, rose gold lighting, a Marshall speaker, coffee machine and smart TV. There’s a small balcony with a pleasant view of a Madrid side street on which locals enjoy an early evening cerveza (though it’s never noisy).

The feel is fun, but it’s a quirkier take on a five-star hotel than some might be used to. I had to call reception to request a bathrobe to use for my huge bathtub (surprisingly welcome after a day walking the city) and my room service croquettes are inexplicably served in an egg tray — now we’re really talking first world problems.

Food and Drink

Breakfast is served in the second floor El Albeniz restaurant, with all the delicious cheeses, hams and pan con tomate options you’d expect from a Spanish hotel (though the accompanying singer is more of a surprise), as well as continental options.

Head to the rooftop if its views you want — right across the city, with the Sierra Oeste mountain range peeking out in the distance. There’s a rooftop bar and guests can enjoy al fresco snacks, although sadly it was closed due to high winds during my visit.

Not to worry, though, as the hotel is practically on a tapas trail — with tiny bars and cafes round every corner. I enjoyed bar snacks and beer at the counter of Taberna La Fragua de Vulcano (lafraguadevulcanomadrid.eatbu.com), but it’s hard to go wrong. Follow your nose, stomach and the sound of clinking glasses.

After days of patatas bravas and croquettes, a friendly hotel receptionist recommended Honest Greens (honestgreens.com) — a small chain of vegetarian canteen-style eateries, serving large salads with the likes of falafel and grains. The branch I visited was rammed with locals enjoying lunch, chatting and reading — a health kick for the metabolism and mood.

Highlights included a perfect pot of tea and a tiny carrot cake at the equally tiny Cafe Angelica, in the Centro district — think window tables and walls lined with urns of loose leaf tea in what was formerly Madrid’s first spice shop. Tapas at Alimentacion Quiroga, a bar dating from 1958.

And, whatever you do, don’t miss lunch, dinner or any meal you can make, at Farah in the Latin quarter — an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant founded by chef Heba Kharouf, who was behind the bar chopping herbs and chatting warmly with her patrons. Octopus, a perfect tomato salad, chocolate ice cream with olive oil. Rarely have I eaten so well on a city break, surrounded by diners who were clearly thinking the same thing.

Facilities

At this point, I’d usually mention the in-house gym and pool, but how many hotels can boast that they have a 900-seat historic theatre within their walls? The Albéniz Theatre has hosted everything from Broadway musicals Company and the Phantom of the Opera to well-known Spanish singers.

There is, of course, a rooftop pool (again sadly closed due to high winds during my visit) and a fitness room.

Extracurricular

Most visitors to Madrid will have a must-see — whether the Prado (arrive before opening time, as I did, to join the already enormous queue but get in before elevenses) or the glorious Retiro park, where you can wander around the exterior of the UNESCO listed Glass Palace and relax on the grass, watching turtles swim in the ponds.

Stroll over to La Almudena Cathedral to marvel at the 400 columns hidden in the crypt below — not to mention the awesome church itself — and the paintings inside the Cathedral Iglesias are also worth a look.

Afternoons are for sitting in squares. I loved the Plaza de San Ildefonso in trendy Malasana — perfect for people watching with a cold beer, before wandering around the local vintage shops and clothing boutiques. I particularly liked a little boutique called La Antigua, which sells clothing, jewellery and illustrations by local designers — the perfect place for individual gifts for those back home (or those on holiday, too). And be sure to enjoy tapas in the Mercado de San Ildefonso food hall.

Then walk it off — really, you can’t go wrong getting lost in Madrid and stumbling from barrio to barrio. There’s always a Metro station close by, and, at the very worst, a sunny plaza at which to pause and find your bearings.

Best for

Culture and comfort, with the heart of Madrid on your doorstep.

The details

Rooms at the UMusic Madrid start at Euros 225 per night. umusic-hotels.com