
Spain’s luxury travel landscape is set for a transformation as IHG Hotels & Resorts announces its first Kimpton-branded hotel in Madrid. This exciting development introduces the lifestyle brand to the upscale and vibrant Barrio Salamanca, featuring 106 exclusive rooms situated on Goya Street, 89. Collaborating with El Corte Inglés, this project is poised to elevate Madrid’s urban tourism appeal.
Scheduled to open in the mid-2030s, the hotel is strategically located in a thriving area of the city that is experiencing significant growth in luxury tourism, international spending, shopping, culture, and gastronomy. This new addition marks a pivotal moment in IHG’s expansion within Spain’s luxury and lifestyle sector.
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The Kimpton brand’s entry into Madrid represents more than just another hotel; it enhances IHG’s footprint across key Spanish leisure and urban markets. Prior to this, the brand already enjoyed a presence in Barcelona, Mallorca, and Marbella, but Madrid offers distinct advantages as the political capital, a cultural epicenter, a bustling business hub, and a prime shopping destination serving as a gateway for international travelers.
This new Kimpton hotel will bolster IHG Hotels & Resorts’ competitive edge in the upscale lodging segment, catering to travelers who seek stylish design, prime locations, culinary excellence, wellness facilities, and a sense of local identity—all vital components for a memorable stay.
One of the most compelling aspects of the new hotel is its location in the prestigious Barrio Salamanca. Renowned for its luxury retail, sophisticated streets, and top-tier dining, this neighborhood is synonymous with opulence. Official tourism resources highlight the Salamanca area as Madrid’s Golden Mile, packed with international fashion boutiques, fine dining establishments, exclusive jewelry shops, and innovative retail experiences.
Nestled in the heart of a bustling shopping and commercial district, Goya Street beckons guests eager for quick access to high-end fashion, lifestyle, and urban leisure. For visitors choosing the Kimpton Madrid, the prime address will provide the perfect foundation for an immersive experience in one of the city’s most refined environments.
The planned hotel will occupy a stunning heritage building, which adds significant allure for discerning travelers. Increasingly, luxury guests are drawn to accommodations that showcase a strong local character and provide historical context. A heritage property can deliver architectural charm, visual appeal, and emotional resonance that newer constructions may lack.
For Kimpton, celebrated for its design-forward approach to hospitality, this setting represents an opportunity to blend contemporary comfort with the distinctive urban character of Madrid. The successful integration of heritage and modern hospitality will demonstrate how historic structures can be transformed into premium hospitality destinations.
The upcoming Kimpton Madrid is set to include a total of 106 guest rooms, a ground-floor restaurant, a wellness spa, an indoor pool, and a rooftop bar and restaurant boasting panoramic views over Madrid’s iconic skyline. Such facilities position the hotel as a vibrant lifestyle destination rather than merely a place to rest.
The rooftop venue is particularly important in Madrid’s hospitality scene, offering guests the chance to dine al fresco while enjoying spectacular views—an increasingly popular request among urban travelers. The spa and indoor pool are expected to attract both leisure visitors and business clientele seeking wellness options during their stays, while the restaurant aims to engage local residents, further strengthening the hotel’s community ties.
This announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Madrid tourism, with official data showing that international tourism spending in the city hit a staggering €17.896 billion in 2025, reflecting an 11 percent increase from the previous year and soaring 71 percent above 2019 levels. In 2025, Madrid welcomed 11.2 million visitors who contributed to 23.8 million overnight stays.
International visitors accounted for a significant portion, representing 59 percent of total visitors and 66 percent of overnight stays. This underscores the importance of overseas demand for Madrid’s ongoing growth, especially amid trends pointing towards increased average visitor spending.
The Madrid signing is part of a broader national tourism boom, with Spain attracting 96.8 million international tourists in 2025—a record high—and international tourist spending exceeding €134.7 billion. This surge indicates a positive outlook for hotel investors and operators. Spain is not only welcoming more visitors but also enhancing the value derived from each tourist.
Madrid’s appeal extends beyond seasonal beach tourism, drawing visitors for an array of experiences including culture, gastronomy, art, and vibrant urban life. The introduction of a Kimpton hotel in Madrid aligns seamlessly with the national shift towards experience-driven and high-value tourism.
The forthcoming hotel embodies a shift in luxury hospitality in Spain. Upscale travelers today prioritize more than just grand lobbies and spacious rooms—they seek neighborhood charm, curated aesthetics, distinctive dining, wellness amenities, and immersive local experiences. Kimpton thrives in this contemporary paradigm, favoring lifestyle-driven design and sociability over elitist concepts of luxury.
Madrid’s tourism culture revolves around vibrant experiences, and the hotel can cater to guests desiring refinement while remaining connected to the city’s daily rhythm.
The partnership with El Corte Inglés adds significant value to the project. This prominent Spanish retail group contributes a level of local relevance, as it is synonymous with shopping and urban foot traffic. Their involvement creates a symbiotic relationship where accommodation meets the retail landscape, enhancing the allure of Madrid as a premier shopping destination.
This project illustrates the synergy between hospitality and retail in high-value tourism hubs—catering to travelers who prioritize proximity to culinary delights, fashion, culture, wellness, and leisure. Hotels strategically located near such attractions can flourish as key commercial anchors for their destinations.
For travel advisors and luxury travel planners, the upcoming Kimpton Madrid hotel presents a compelling product for clients seeking a chic base in the capital. Its expected proximity to premium shopping, upscale dining, and cultural landmarks is likely to appeal to high-spending leisure travelers, couples, and design-oriented guests. It can also serve as an ideal option for pre- and post-tour stays linked to broader Spain itineraries, as Madrid is a well-connected gateway to other parts of the country.
By 2030, this property will provide expanded luxury accommodation options in the capital.
The signing marks a vote of confidence in Madrid’s luxury hotel market for the long term. With an expected opening in mid-2030, the project is planned with a forward-looking mindset, anticipating future demand rather than simply reacting to current high performance. This foresight suggests a belief in Madrid’s robust fundamentals: international draw, premium shopping, good air connections, cultural richness, business travel, and year-round visitor interest.
While premium hotels like this can support higher revenues with fewer rooms compared to mass-market accommodations, they must also integrate responsibly into their neighborhoods, taking sustainability and residents’ well-being into account.
The arrival of the first Kimpton hotel in Madrid is poised to be a milestone in Spain’s urban luxury travel sector, provided it delivers on location, heritage, design, wellness, and gastronomic offerings. For IHG Hotels & Resorts, this project strengthens its luxury and lifestyle strategy across Spain and Europe. For travelers, it represents yet another high-end option to experience the vibrant city of Madrid.
Although the hotel’s opening is still a few years away, the message is clear: Spanish luxury travel is set to ascend in Madrid, intensifying competition among design-focused and premium urban accommodations.
Image Source: IHG
Source: The post Spain Luxury Travel Shifts as IHG Signs its First Kimpton Hotel in Madrid’s Barrio Salamanca, Expanding New Lifestyle Hospitality and High-End Urban Tourism Growth first appeared on www.travelandtourworld.com.