• November 29, 2023

9 hotels event planners need to know about in Barcelona

9 hotels event planners need to know about in Barcelona

9 hotels event planners need to know about in Barcelona 1024 683 micebook.

With meeting and events professionals across the globe gathering in Barcelona this week for the annual IBTM World show, it’s the perfect time to shine the spotlight on the cosmopolitan Catalan capital and check out what’s on offer for #eventprofs, from established favourites to recent and upcoming openings…

New on the block

The INNSiDE by Meliá brand recently made its debut in Barcelona with the renovation of the Apolo Hotel. Located near Las Ramblas, the port, and the Fira, the hotel features 314 rooms that have been completely renovated with contemporary, urban design.

The reception area was transformed into an Open Living Lounge, a hallmark of all the brand’s hotels, while to 1,200m² of flexible and stimulating spaces for meetings and events, as well as a new coworking space named The Kitchen, makes it an ideal property for MICE business.

Dining options include the new Bite Box area, an informal bar and “grab and go” service with ready-to-eat dishes open 24 hours a day, and the renovated La Terraza Restaurant offering open-air dining in summer on the interior terrace.

Still a relative newbie, The Hoxton Barcelona (main image) opened its doors in the creative neighbourhood of El Poblenou last April. Located in walking distance to the beach, the hotel features 240 rooms and a striking rooftop with a pool, cabanas and views over Sagrada Familia.

Dining options include Tope, a rooftop bar and taqueria; and Four Corners, a ground-floor pizza restaurant that stretches across a light and airy restaurant, sun terrace, slice shop and bodega — a one-stop shop for the best Spanish snacks, wines and craft beers.

The Apartment, The Hoxton’s meeting and events space, is comprised of three rooms, centred around a communal pantry kitchen. New and unique for The Hoxton’s Barcelona property, La Cave is a multifunctional basement space and extension of The Apartment.

Also new in 2022, Via Sants Hotel Barcelona, Tapestry Collection By Hilton is situated in the Eixample neighborhood and is conveniently located near Sants Train Station and Fira Barcelona – Plaza Espanya. The hotel provides two meeting rooms, a fitness centre and restaurant.

Old faves

W Barcelona was ranked the top meeting hotel, according Cvent’s list of the Top Meeting Hotels in Europe this year, based on sourcing activity through the Cvent Supplier Network, one of the world’s largest venue-sourcing platforms.

Designed by world-renowned architect Ricardo Bofill, the iconic hotel is located on the beachfront along the famous Barceloneta Boardwalk and offers 473 rooms and 19 event spaces capable of hosting up to 1,250 people.

As part of its ongoing commitment to be more sustainable and reduce its environmental impact, W Barcelona recently revealed a partnership to measure the carbon footprint of meetings and events held at the hotel. Other initiatives include supporting social and community projects such as beach clean ups, working with local schools and providing leftover food to charities where possible.

Hotel Arts Barcelona also remains a MICE favourite – it was sixth place in the Cvent list of Top Meeting Hotels in Europe. The 483-room luxury property overlooking the Mediterranean is one of the city’s most iconic hotels and boasts five restaurants including the two Michelin-starred Enoteca Paco Pérez, as well a spa, ideal for some R&R after a busy day of meetings.

The hotel features 14 chic meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests. Additionally, groups can reserve the hotel’s restaurants, terraces and gardens for ambient gatherings, or its Arts 41 venue, which enjoys panoramic ocean views from the 41st floor. Last summer, the hotel also launched its new multi-space outdoor venue, Marina Coastal Club, which brings together four distinctive alfresco venues under one overarching identity.

The luxury Mandarin Oriental Barcelona is located on Passeig de Gràcia, the most exclusive shopping boulevard in the heart of the city and home to historical modernist sights and Gaudi’s architectural gems.

The hotel boasts a state-of-the-art spa, an indoor and an outdoor pool, a two Michelin star rated restaurant, a unique concept bar, a spectacular rooftop with breath taking views of the city and a beautifully manicured garden.

The two meeting spaces – Montjuïc and Tibidado – accommodate up to 40 guests each and can be divided to create four smaller rooms, each seating up to 18 guests. Two landscaped outdoor spaces, the Mimosa Garden and Terrat, can be hired for al fresco events.

On the horizon

An exciting new luxury property is set to arrive on Barcelona’s beachfront in the second half of 2024. Ennismore and ActivumSG Capital Management have signed a long-term management agreement that will bring Ennismore’s lifestyle brand SLS to Europe for the first time.

SLS Barcelona will provide roof-top dining and bars as part of a distinctive food and beverage offer. The hotel will feature three swimming pools, a 743 square-meter ballroom and around 10 breakout rooms, a spa and beauty salon, and a wellbeing and fitness centre. Each of the 471 rooms and suites will have a balcony. The hotel is expected to open in September and start taking groups from October 2024.

Adjacent to the future SLS Barcelona, is the city’s major venue for outdoor music festivals and events, while the university’s engineering faculty, the CCIB convention centre and the Museu Blau natural science museum are all a short walking distance away.

Gran Meliá, the luxury brand by Meliá Hotels International, has added the former Rey Juan Carlos I Hotel, along with the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, to its Barcelona portfolio. The iconic property is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment and will reopen its doors in January 2024 as Torre Melina, a Gran Meliá Hotel.

The property will offer 391 rooms and suites, along with 18 indoor and outdoor event spaces, pools and wellness experiences, and new dining options including ERRE, a steakhouse managed by Íñigo Urrechu.

And finally, the 189-room Hotel Indigo Barcelona Gran Via Plaza España will be the second Hotel Indigo to open in Barcelona in April 2024. Guests will be close to the Museum of Catalan Art (MNAC) and a short bus ride into the centre with its plethora of art galleries, parks and beaches.

Join Our Community

Join our community and receive the latest trending industry news in our weekly Departure Lounge and exclusive invites to events