Mandarin Oriental to Open in Barcelona
NOVEMBER, 2006. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has today announced that it will manage a new, luxurious hotel currently under development in Barcelona. The project provides the Group with a unique opportunity to expand its luxury brand in Europe and in particular, into one of Europe's foremost travel destinations.
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona will be a stylish, 144-room hotel, ideally located on Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona's most prestigious address, at the very centre of the city's commercial and entertainment district. The property provides easy access to the city's finest shopping, dining and cultural venues and is a short walk from many major tourist attractions. From the hotel, guests will be able to stroll amongst the city's celebrated promenades and architecture and enjoy the attractions of the famous Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter. Barcelona's many museums, churches and parks are all close at hand and two buildings designed by the city's most famous architect, Gaudi, are just a stone's throw from the hotel.
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona will be housed in the re-development of an elegant mid-20th Century building, which will also incorporate luxury retail at street level. Opening in late 2007, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona has been designed as an intimate, luxurious hotel featuring a contemporary, yet elegant interior style, with exacting attention to detail, reflective of the Group's oriental heritage. The luxurious guestrooms will be amongst the largest in the city and will include 52 spacious and exquisitely designed suites. All guestrooms will offer Mandarin Oriental's renowned customer-centric technology, providing guests with highly sophisticated in-room entertainment systems.
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona will offer holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a tranquil, meditative setting. Incorporating the most comprehensive range of wellness, beauty and massage treatments in Barcelona, the spa will feature life-enhancing signature programmes created exclusively by Mandarin Oriental. As with all Mandarin Oriental spas, the space will include private treatment rooms as well as significant water and heat therapies. A rooftop pool will further add to the hotel's leisure facilities, and will provide a panoramic view over the city's famous architectural skyline.
The hotel will feature a variety of exceptional restaurants and bars offering an eclectic choice of contemporary cuisine and cocktails in elegant and chic surroundings. Taking advantage of the temperate Mediterranean climate, alfresco dining will be enjoyed at a spectacular 1,400 sq metre outdoor terrace.
The hotel is being developed by the Reig Capital Group, a private Andorran investment company with projects in the tourism sector. Internationally renowned interior design firm Yabu Pushelburg has been appointed on the project.
"We are delighted to be bringing Mandarin Oriental's renowned hospitality into Spain for the first time, and are excited at the prospect of creating such a luxurious hotel in Barcelona's lively and sophisticated centre. The pre-eminence of the site and the vibrancy of the surrounding neighbourhood bode well for success.' said Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group's Chief Executive, Edouard Ettedgui.
"It is a pleasure to be working with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group on creating Barcelona's most exclusive luxury hotel. We are particularly pleased as Mandarin Oriental's philosophy mirrors our desire to achieve an extraordinary level of quality and a precise attention to detail in the creation of Barcelona's most luxurious hotel," said Jos'e Caireta, Chief Executive Officer of Reig Capital Group.
Barcelona is Spain's second largest city and is the capital of the Catalu~na region, which has a strong cultural and historic identity. It is also the country's principal seaport, a major manufacturing centre, and an important banking and financial centre. Over the past 20 years, and particularly since it played host to the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona has become one of Spain's principal leisure destinations, easily accessible from all major international locations. With 4.2 kilometers of beaches, a cruise terminal that is quickly becoming the most important in the Mediterranean, and a wealth of cultural attractions, Barcelona is recognized as one of Europe's most innovative and dynamic cities.
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