Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand in the FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) portfolio, has announced it will manage the 432-room Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I in Barcelona, Spain. Fairmont will assume management of the property and will officially rebrand the hotel Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I, Barcelona this autumn. The partner for this agreement is Barcelona Projects and JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group was retained to run the operator selection process.
As part of the agreement, the property will undergo an extensive renovation starting in 2015. The hotel will remain open throughout the revitalisation period.
“This is an exciting asset for our portfolio in a key European gateway city,” said Jennifer Fox, president, FRHI International and Fairmont Brand. “Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in Europe and a key hub for the cruise market, as well for MICE travel, a segment in which Fairmont has established itself as an industry leader. We’re thrilled to be adding this celebrated hotel to our portfolio and look forward to continued growth of the Fairmont brand in Europe and globally.”
The impressive Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I, designed by renowned architect Carlos Ferrater, was the winner of the National Prize for Architecture in 1993. It was inaugurated by the King and Queen shortly before the Barcelona Olympic Games of 1992 and offers a wide breadth of amenities including the Polo Restaurant, Club Lounge and a lobby bar. It provides large banquet and meeting space of 2,500 square meters (26,900 square feet) and includes a renowned fitness and spa with both indoor and outdoor pools, plus 13 treatment rooms. The hotel also provides direct access to the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, a world-class congress centre offering over 4,000 square metres (43,000 square feet) of exhibition space and a 2,000 seat auditorium.
“Bringing in a globally recognised operator like Fairmont to manage the Rey Juan Carlos I ensures that the property will not only be successful, but that it will lead the luxury hotel market in the region,” said Luis Arsuaga, executive vice president Spain & Portugal, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. “Fairmont was the clear choice to operate the property with its unrivalled hotel collection and long history in managing iconic assets. The highly competitive bid process, which was undertaken by JLL, also demonstrated that international investors and global operators are interested in investing in Spain.”
With a central location downtown, the hotel is situated on Barcelona’s main avenue, Avenida Diagonal, and offers splendid panoramic views over the city and the sea. Situated near Barcelona’s famous shopping districts, Plaça Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia, it is also next to Camp Nou, the stadium of the famous “Barca” Football Club and adjacent to the Royal Polo Club of Barcelona.
“Fairmont hotels are gateways to their destinations and are known for being distinctive, elegant and a true reflection of their locale; the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I is the embodiment of this,” commented Martin Kandrac, executive vice president, real estate & development, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “The addition of such a high profile asset, in a key gateway city, is an important part of our growth strategy in Europe and the hotel joins other iconic hotels in key markets such as The Savoy in London, Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg and Fairmont Monte Carlo.”
