VP Plaza Espana Design

VP Plaza Espana Design is a 214-room five-star design hotel on Plaza de Espana, close to Gran Via and the Royal Palace. It is known for a large private art collection, the rooftop Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar, a seasonal glass-floored rooftop pool, the VP Biloba Spa and LEED Gold sustainability credentials.

"A contemporary 214-room design hotel on Plaza de Espana, with an art collection, the Ginkgo sky bar and a seasonal rooftop pool."

Aggregate 8.8/10 on our editorial scale (Room & Design, Service, Location). Independently scored; see our methodology. This is our opinion, not an aggregate of user reviews.

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from bookings at no cost to you. We never accept payment for placement. Facts verified against official sources and the 2026 Michelin Guide in July 2026.

What makes VP Plaza Espana Design special?

VP Plaza Espana Design is a contemporary five-star hotel occupying a prominent modern building on Plaza de Espana, at the western end of Gran Via and a short walk from the Royal Palace. Operated by the Madrid group VP Hoteles, it is the largest and most design-forward of the four hotels in this comparison, with 214 rooms, a strong emphasis on art, and a rooftop that has become one of the city's better-known sky bars. The hotel presents itself around art, design and sustainability: it holds a private collection of more than 300 original works by over a dozen artists, anchored by The Waterfall, a kinetic sculpture more than 25 metres tall by the artist Pere Gifre that rises through the building's atrium. It was also among the first hotels in Spain to earn LEED Gold certification for environmental design. Unlike the historic palaces and intimate boutiques nearby, VP Plaza Espana is a purpose-built modern property, which brings consistent, generously sized rooms, city and landmark views, and full facilities including two restaurants, a spa, a gym and a seasonal rooftop pool. It suits travellers who want a stylish, contemporary base with a lively rooftop scene and a central, well-connected location rather than period character.

Which room should you book?

VP Plaza Espana Design has 214 rooms, notable for their space, comfort and views, an advantage of a modern purpose-built structure over the variable layouts of converted historic buildings. Categories rise from entry-level rooms to higher grades and suites, many taking in views over Plaza de Espana, Gran Via or the wider city skyline, with some higher rooms enjoying particularly open outlooks. Interiors are polished and contemporary, with glossy, design-led finishes, rain showers and L'Occitane bath products among the details reported by guests and the hotel. Because the building was designed as a hotel, rooms are more uniform in size and quality than in the period properties elsewhere in this comparison, which appeals to travellers who want predictability. The design theme runs through the accommodation, in keeping with the hotel's art-and-design identity, and larger categories deliver extra space and enhanced views. Technology, connectivity and modern comforts are up to current five-star standards. For guests who value a bright, contemporary room with a view and consistent proportions over the character and quirks of a historic building, VP Plaza Espana's accommodation is a strong fit, and the landmark-facing rooms are a particular draw for a first stay in the city.

Where should you eat and drink?

VP Plaza Espana Design has two restaurants. The headline venue is Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar, on the rooftop, serving a menu described as selected Asian and Spanish cuisine with international influences, alongside signature cocktails on a terrace with 360-degree views over central Madrid and regular live music from its Ginkgo Live Music programme. It is one of the more prominent rooftop destinations in the city and draws locals as well as hotel guests. At ground level, Botania Restaurante offers fresh, natural market cuisine in a plant-filled setting on Plaza de Espana, operated in association with the Larrumba hospitality group. Neither Ginkgo nor Botania holds a Michelin star; the appeal is the rooftop setting, the views and the social atmosphere rather than starred gastronomy. The rooftop is also tied to the hotel's seasonal pool and terrace, making it the hub of the property's food, drink and evening scene in warmer months. For guests, this means a genuine on-site dining and nightlife draw without leaving the hotel, complemented by the extensive restaurant options of Gran Via and the surrounding centre. Booking ahead for Ginkgo is advisable in high season, as the sky bar is popular with the wider Madrid public.

What is the spa and pool like?

VP Plaza Espana Design has a solid wellness and leisure offering built around its rooftop and spa. The standout is a seasonal rooftop pool, open in the summer months, featuring a glass floor that looks down onto The Waterfall sculpture, set alongside the terrace and sky bar for one of the more striking swimming settings in central Madrid. The hotel also operates the VP Biloba Spa, offering relaxing massages, facials and body treatments, and a 24-hour gym for guests who want to exercise on their own schedule. Together these give the property a more complete wellness and leisure package than the historic Palace, which lacks a pool, and a broader facility set than the smallest boutiques. The rooftop pool is a seasonal, leisure-focused feature rather than a year-round thermal spa circuit, so travellers visiting in cooler months should note it will be closed, while the Biloba Spa operates year-round for treatments. For a design hotel of this scale, the combination of a photogenic rooftop pool, a treatment spa and a round-the-clock gym is a genuine asset and part of what distinguishes VP Plaza Espana from the more heritage-led or intimate options in this Madrid comparison.

Where is VP Plaza Espana Design, and how do you get there?

VP Plaza Espana Design sits at Plaza de Espana 5, postcode 28008, directly on one of Madrid's major squares at the western end of Gran Via. The location is central and highly connected: Gran Via's shopping and theatres begin at the doorstep, the Royal Palace and the Sabatini Gardens are a short walk south, and the Templo de Debod viewpoint and Parque del Oeste are close by to the west. The historic centre, Malasana and the Prado's art triangle are all within walking distance or a short Metro ride. Plaza de Espana is a Metro interchange served by lines 3 and 10, with Ventura Rodriguez on line 3 also nearby, giving fast access across the city and towards the airport corridor. The recently remodelled square itself provides green space and fountains at the hotel's entrance. This is a busy, buzzing part of the city rather than a quiet residential enclave, which suits sightseers and first-time visitors who want major attractions and transport on the doorstep. Compared with the calmer Salamanca and Alonso Martinez addresses of Unico and URSO, VP Plaza Espana trades tranquillity for centrality and landmark views, making it a practical and scenic base for a general Madrid trip.

What do guests consistently say?

Guests are drawn to VP Plaza Espana Design for its rooftop, its views, its contemporary rooms and its central Plaza de Espana location. The Ginkgo sky bar and the seasonal glass-floored pool are recurring highlights, along with the art collection and the bright, spacious, modern rooms with landmark outlooks. Many reviewers appreciate the reliability of a purpose-built hotel, where room quality and size are consistent, and value the ease of walking to Gran Via, the Royal Palace and the wider centre. The balancing points reflect the hotel's style and popularity. The rooftop's success with the wider Madrid public can make it busy and lively, which is a draw for some but less restful for guests seeking quiet, and the pool is seasonal, so cooler-month visitors miss it. As a larger, design-led city hotel, it offers less period character and intimacy than the historic palaces or small boutiques nearby, and a few guests find the atmosphere more energetic than serene. Overall, travellers who want a stylish, contemporary base with a strong rooftop scene, good facilities and an unbeatable central location tend to rate it highly, while those seeking heritage, hush or a boutique feel may prefer the alternatives.

Honest cons: who should skip it?

VP Plaza Espana's trade-offs follow from its scale and modern, social character. First, this is a large, contemporary design hotel of 214 rooms, so it lacks the period charm and intimacy of the historic palaces and small boutiques in this comparison; guests seeking heritage or a residential feel may be disappointed. Second, the celebrated Ginkgo rooftop and sky bar attract a strong local crowd, which makes the top of the hotel lively and, at peak times, busy and noisy, less suited to those wanting calm. Third, the headline rooftop pool is seasonal and open only in the summer months, so it is unavailable to cooler-season visitors despite featuring prominently in the hotel's marketing. Fourth, neither restaurant holds a Michelin star, so dedicated gastronomes will look beyond the property. Finally, the Plaza de Espana setting, though superbly central and scenic, is one of the busier parts of the city, with the bustle that comes with a major square and Gran Via. These are questions of fit rather than failings: for a modern, facility-rich, view-focused stay the hotel performs well, but expectations around quiet, heritage and year-round pool access should be set accordingly.