Cozy and Compact: Our Airbnb in Madrid
The Airbnb with Kitchen Inspo
The Short Version
A beautifully renovated Madrid apartment with dark wood cabinetry, muted jewel tones, and a kitchen so gorgeous I'd saved it as inspiration for my own renovation. The interiors were even better in person.
Location: Madrid, Spain
Sleeps: Up to 4
Layout: Two bedrooms with one queen bed, one double bed, two ensuite bathrooms, open-plan kitchen and living area, and dining space.
Perfect for: Two friends, couples traveling together, or small families
Highlights: Beautifully designed kitchen, elevator, keypad entry, and a central location near Retiro Park.
In November 2025, I started thinking about where I wanted to go for my birthday. My mom and I considered several destinations before settling on Madrid. There was a nonstop flight from Charlotte, we'd heard wonderful things about the city's Christmas lights, and a long weekend seemed like the perfect amount of time to get away.
I'd been to Madrid the previous year, but this time I wanted to stay in a different neighborhood. Fortunately, I already had an Airbnb saved on my wishlist. It wasn't one of my usual historic apartments with original flooring and architectural details. This one was decidedly modern, with dark wood cabinetry, muted jewel tones, and a kitchen I'd been considering using as inspiration for my own renovation. I'd spent plenty of time admiring the photographs, but I wanted to know whether I would love the design as much in person.
So naturally, I booked a trip to Madrid and made sure we'd be staying in the apartment with the kitchen I wanted.
Fifteen More Minutes
Our flight arrived in Madrid early in the morning, which presented a familiar problem. We'd have hours to kill before the usual afternoon check-in time.
One of my favorite travel tricks is to book an Airbnb starting the night before my arrival when I have an early flight. It costs a little more, but being able to go straight from the airport to an apartment, put down your luggage, and take a shower or nap is worth it to me. I hate arriving somewhere exhausted and having to figure out where to store my suitcase while I wait for check-in. I'd booked this apartment for the previous night, so once we finally cleared passport control, we took an Uber directly there.
The building was older, with a long entrance hallway that seemed to keep on going as we made our way toward the back. Thankfully, there was an elevator and electronic keypad instead of one of the ancient European keys we have such bad luck with.
I was also sick during the beginning of this trip, so by the time we got settled, I was ready for a nap. My mom was equally happy to rest for a bit.
We both set alarms for the same time, determined not to sleep away our first day in Madrid. When my alarm went off, I texted my mom.
"15 more minutes?"
"Yes, please."
Fifteen minutes later, I tried again, offering to get up if she really wanted me to. She didn't respond, which I took as my cue to finally drag myself out of bed. Eventually, we both got dressed and made it out of the apartment. We stopped at a little bakery nearby for pastries before heading toward Retiro Park, one of my favorite places in Madrid.
The Kitchen That Made Me Book It
By the time we'd spent a full day exploring Madrid, I had a much better appreciation for the apartment I'd booked.
The interiors were absolutely gorgeous. Instead of the light, traditional finishes I'd chosen in many of my other European Airbnbs, this apartment had deep colors, darker wood tones, and furnishings that felt much more contemporary. The main living area had a comfortable sofa, an armchair, television, and a beautiful mix of orange, teal, and muted mauve. Beyond the seating area was the dining space, and directly ahead was the kitchen I'd been so excited to see.
It had dark wood cabinetry, an island with seating, and the sort of carefully considered design that had made me save the listing in the first place. I was planning to do something similar in my own kitchen, and seeing it in person certainly didn't change my mind.
The dining area was particularly interesting. Its walls were finished in this beautiful mauve color, with sculptural, dimensional panels that gave the space so much texture. At some point, we discovered that part of the decorative wall wasn't actually a wall. If you pushed on one of the panels, it opened to reveal a washer and dryer hidden behind the cabinetry, which I loved.
Our Little Home in Recoletos
The apartment was in the Recoletos area of Salamanca, a neighborhood I'd barely explored during my previous Madrid trip.
I loved getting to experience a different side of the city. We were surrounded by beautiful buildings, shops, cafés, and restaurants, with Retiro Park a short walk away. Gran Vía was also close enough to reach on foot, and we could walk to the historic center when we wanted to explore farther. We ended up spending a lot of time outside, particularly in the evenings when Madrid's Christmas lights were on. The weather was much milder than we'd anticipated, so our heavy winter layers spent most of the trip in our suitcases.
On our first afternoon, we returned to the apartment to change before heading out for a photography session I'd booked through Airbnb. Afterward, we had tapas, wandered through some Christmas markets, and stayed out enjoying the lights. By the time we returned each evening, I was always happy to be back at the apartment.
Inside the Apartment
The apartment had two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, making it an excellent setup for my mom and me.
The smaller bedroom was located just off the entrance hallway. It had built-in cabinetry surrounding the bed and its own ensuite bathroom, which was finished in dark wood paneling. The bathroom was small but beautifully designed, with a little framed portrait hanging on the wall.
My mom did mention that the lighting wasn't particularly practical for doing her makeup. It looked great, but sometimes the lighting that makes a bathroom beautiful in photographs isn't the same lighting you want when you're trying to put on mascara.
My bedroom was on the opposite side of the living area. It was larger, with plenty of built-in storage and an exceptionally comfortable bed. The ensuite bathroom had a separate shower and toilet area, along with a long vanity and a stool where I could sit to get ready.
Both bedrooms had shades that made them nice and dark at night, and because the apartment faced the interior courtyard, we never had any trouble with street noise.
The kitchen was well equipped, although we didn't do much cooking. We did make use of the Nespresso machine in the mornings, and having the hidden laundry was convenient during the trip.
Five Guys in Madrid
On our last evening, we had every intention of going out for another nice dinner. We'd been fortunate with restaurants during the first couple nights, managing to find places to eat without much trouble. But apparently our luck had run out.
We walked all over Madrid trying to find somewhere for dinner and couldn't seem to find anything that worked. After what felt like an unreasonable amount of walking for two people who just wanted to eat, we finally gave up. So we went back to our beautiful Madrid Airbnb and ordered Five Guys.
Yes, Five Guys. In Madrid. And you know what? It was exactly what we needed.
We ate at the apartment and spent the evening talking about the trip, comparing our favorite things we'd eaten and seen, and going through our photographs. That's always one of my favorite things to do at the end of a trip. By then we've spent days going from one place to another, and it's nice to sit down and remember everything we managed to fit in.
It was a relaxing way to spend our last evening together before flying home the next day.
Who I'd Recommend It For
I'd recommend this apartment for couples, friends, or a family of four. Having two bedrooms with their own bathrooms was wonderful, and the open living area gave us room to relax without feeling like we were sharing one small hotel room.
The biggest consideration is the natural light. If you love bright apartments with large windows and views over the city, this probably isn't the one I'd choose. And while the smaller bathroom was beautifully designed, the lighting wasn't ideal for getting ready. Neither of those things would keep me from recommending it though.
The location was excellent, the beds were comfortable, the apartment was spotless, and the design was even better than I'd hoped. I particularly appreciated how easy it was to get in and out with the keypad and elevator.
And as for the kitchen? I originally booked this apartment because I wanted to see whether I liked it enough to use as inspiration for my own house. I think that tells you just about everything you need to know about how much I loved it.
Looking for an Airbnb in Madrid? Browse my Airbnb Wishlist and favorites here.