Fairmont Barcelona Master Thread [has left Accor]
Oct 2, 2014, 10:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Air Canada, BA Executive Club, Accor / Fairmont Platinum, SPG Gold, Marriott
Posts: 113
Fairmont Barcelona Master Thread [has left Accor]
http://www.marketwired.com/press-rel...na-1953003.htm
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand in the FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) portfolio, today 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 revitalization 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 center offering over 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) of exhibition space and a 2,000 seat auditorium.
"Bringing in a globally recognized 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."
Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, Spain's second largest city and one of the largest directly on the Mediterranean Sea. As the 10th most-visited city in the world, Barcelona is host to several million tourists each year. It is also home to historical monuments including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a must visit destination for any traveler.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand in the FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) portfolio, today 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 revitalization 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 center offering over 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) of exhibition space and a 2,000 seat auditorium.
"Bringing in a globally recognized 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."
Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, Spain's second largest city and one of the largest directly on the Mediterranean Sea. As the 10th most-visited city in the world, Barcelona is host to several million tourists each year. It is also home to historical monuments including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a must visit destination for any traveler.
Oct 2, 2014, 5:51 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
Awesome - I have always wanted to go to BCN and there currently aren't many Fairmont hotels in Europe, so I'm happy to see Fairmont expandig its footprint.
Oct 3, 2014, 1:04 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: (SJC)
Posts: 2,198
Love it! Should be worth visiting after the 2015 refurb! Viva Fairmont!
On closer inspection the hotel's location is not conducive to Barcelona tourism. It is 10-12 metro stops from Gothic/ramblas and even more from ocean. You would be isolated in a city that is setup for walking and not near a beach either.
As it is currently marketed as an urban oasis perhaps it is nice as a getaway or for conferences at the neighbouring universidad, but it doesn't sound like a "destination" to me. Where almost every other Fairmont I frequent is in a city center or resort location. Only yvr airport is off in nowheres Richmond but has a reason for being there.
On closer inspection the hotel's location is not conducive to Barcelona tourism. It is 10-12 metro stops from Gothic/ramblas and even more from ocean. You would be isolated in a city that is setup for walking and not near a beach either.
As it is currently marketed as an urban oasis perhaps it is nice as a getaway or for conferences at the neighbouring universidad, but it doesn't sound like a "destination" to me. Where almost every other Fairmont I frequent is in a city center or resort location. Only yvr airport is off in nowheres Richmond but has a reason for being there.
Last edited by AMRivlin; Oct 3, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Feb 6, 2015, 8:07 pm
#5
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
Not sure if this is the place to put this hotel review!
TLDR: Wait until the refurbish is completed if the hard product is important to you, but the service is quite good already.
Detailed Review:
Arrival and Check-in
Not as many doormen as other Fairmonts, but service is friendly. Lobby is newly redecorated, grand, and filled with shops and restaurants.
We (my friend and I) had booked a twin room and were upgraded to a deluxe suite using the Platinum suite upgrade. On the reservations, we had noted we wanted twin beds and cotton sheets/feather pillows (as one of us is allergic to certain types of polyester). The platinum reservations line agent had confirmed that our two requests (two beds, all-natural linens) would be related to the hotel.
Check-in was unpolished, since the original desk agent could not seem to find our reservation. The manager came over to help us and immediately knew our reservation immediately once we said our name, without even having to check the computer. The one upside is that throughout the stay, all the hotel staff had superb English, which in Spain is a miracle in and of itself...
We were shown to our rooms by the desk agent who explained the room quite thoroughly. He explained that our linens were all-natural and that all the pillows had been selected as per our request. However, the bed was 1 king bed, not two twin beds -- I probably attribute this to the suite upgrade, as it has happened to me at other Fairmonts before. He was followed shortly by another attendant who brought in the platinum amenity. More on that later.
The Room & Amenities
In a word, "tired". The amenities are half-implemented -- some things have been brought up to Fairmont standard, but others have not. For instance, the amenities are Le Labo and the doilies/coasters are Fairmont, but the towels and bathrobes are still branded Rey Juan Carlos.
The room itself is quite in need of a refresh, with lamps and furniture reminiscent of the 90s/early 2000s. There is a pretty cool speaker, but it only fits the original iPod in its docking station.
The carpet is completely threadbare in places (see pictures) and the stainless steel finishings are ... not so stainless anymore. I know things will appear "used" over time, but they probably need to address this soon, before it gets worse. One complaint I had was the shower -- it is designed as a triangular room, and the rainfall showerhead drops directly onto the drain below. Once the doors to the shower are closed and the water is turned on, the resulting sound is deafening as the water splashes off the drain covering and echoes in all directions, but the sounds remain trapped within the prism of a shower. One other minor gripe is the relative proportions of the things in the room -- some things made me feel like I was a giant living in the room -- the night tables, the peep hole, and closet are all designed for someone considerably shorter (ie one foot or more) than me (and I am 5'10), whereas other furniture such as the chairs, sofas, and tables were suited for my height.
The platinum amenity was assorted Spanish pastries and desserts, but tasted quite stale/hard.
Location
I'm still never sure about the urban planning in Barcelona. It's located at the end of line 3 of the metro (Zona Universitaria), near the University, Hospital, the Royal Palace, and a big department store called El Corte Ingles. This department store carries a lot of upscale brands (e.g., Hermes); there is another branch that is in the centre of Barcelona, but why the upscale brands are placed here at this smaller one is beyond my comprehension. As others have mentioned, it is somewhat out of the way for tourism purposes as it is quite far from the old/central area of Barcelona.
Common Areas
The spa is still the one used by the old Rey Juan Carlos hotel, and has not been converted to a Willow Stream Spa (yet). There was no word on this.
I've also been told by my travel companion that finding an indoor pool in Barcelona is pretty difficult, and this Fairmont has one, so that may be a consideration point.
There are 16 floors, although the 16th floor is reserved exclusively for the gigantic suites (royal suites), and require a separate lift for access. The other fifteen floors are open to below at the lobby/atrium.
There is no gold floor (as of yet?). Hotel employees did not seem knowledgeable of the possibility of this. Apparently they have been open/rebranded as a Fairmont since November 2014, according to staff.
Sorry for the crappy phone pics, my camera was forgotten on my table at home...
TLDR: Wait until the refurbish is completed if the hard product is important to you, but the service is quite good already.
Detailed Review:
Arrival and Check-in
Not as many doormen as other Fairmonts, but service is friendly. Lobby is newly redecorated, grand, and filled with shops and restaurants.
We (my friend and I) had booked a twin room and were upgraded to a deluxe suite using the Platinum suite upgrade. On the reservations, we had noted we wanted twin beds and cotton sheets/feather pillows (as one of us is allergic to certain types of polyester). The platinum reservations line agent had confirmed that our two requests (two beds, all-natural linens) would be related to the hotel.
Check-in was unpolished, since the original desk agent could not seem to find our reservation. The manager came over to help us and immediately knew our reservation immediately once we said our name, without even having to check the computer. The one upside is that throughout the stay, all the hotel staff had superb English, which in Spain is a miracle in and of itself...
We were shown to our rooms by the desk agent who explained the room quite thoroughly. He explained that our linens were all-natural and that all the pillows had been selected as per our request. However, the bed was 1 king bed, not two twin beds -- I probably attribute this to the suite upgrade, as it has happened to me at other Fairmonts before. He was followed shortly by another attendant who brought in the platinum amenity. More on that later.
The Room & Amenities
In a word, "tired". The amenities are half-implemented -- some things have been brought up to Fairmont standard, but others have not. For instance, the amenities are Le Labo and the doilies/coasters are Fairmont, but the towels and bathrobes are still branded Rey Juan Carlos.
The room itself is quite in need of a refresh, with lamps and furniture reminiscent of the 90s/early 2000s. There is a pretty cool speaker, but it only fits the original iPod in its docking station.
The carpet is completely threadbare in places (see pictures) and the stainless steel finishings are ... not so stainless anymore. I know things will appear "used" over time, but they probably need to address this soon, before it gets worse. One complaint I had was the shower -- it is designed as a triangular room, and the rainfall showerhead drops directly onto the drain below. Once the doors to the shower are closed and the water is turned on, the resulting sound is deafening as the water splashes off the drain covering and echoes in all directions, but the sounds remain trapped within the prism of a shower. One other minor gripe is the relative proportions of the things in the room -- some things made me feel like I was a giant living in the room -- the night tables, the peep hole, and closet are all designed for someone considerably shorter (ie one foot or more) than me (and I am 5'10), whereas other furniture such as the chairs, sofas, and tables were suited for my height.
The platinum amenity was assorted Spanish pastries and desserts, but tasted quite stale/hard.
Location
I'm still never sure about the urban planning in Barcelona. It's located at the end of line 3 of the metro (Zona Universitaria), near the University, Hospital, the Royal Palace, and a big department store called El Corte Ingles. This department store carries a lot of upscale brands (e.g., Hermes); there is another branch that is in the centre of Barcelona, but why the upscale brands are placed here at this smaller one is beyond my comprehension. As others have mentioned, it is somewhat out of the way for tourism purposes as it is quite far from the old/central area of Barcelona.
Common Areas
The spa is still the one used by the old Rey Juan Carlos hotel, and has not been converted to a Willow Stream Spa (yet). There was no word on this.
I've also been told by my travel companion that finding an indoor pool in Barcelona is pretty difficult, and this Fairmont has one, so that may be a consideration point.
There are 16 floors, although the 16th floor is reserved exclusively for the gigantic suites (royal suites), and require a separate lift for access. The other fifteen floors are open to below at the lobby/atrium.
There is no gold floor (as of yet?). Hotel employees did not seem knowledgeable of the possibility of this. Apparently they have been open/rebranded as a Fairmont since November 2014, according to staff.
Sorry for the crappy phone pics, my camera was forgotten on my table at home...
Jan 18, 2016, 1:46 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
I recently had the opportunity to stay at this hotel and thought I'd share some thoughts:
common areas:
I didn't see much of the lobby due to the current renovations which are supposed to be complete by the end of March. All rooms and suites will be renovated within the next two years.
room:
I stayed in a Premium Suite which is the standar upgrade when using a uite upgrade cert. The suite was about 60sqm and had an excellent layout:
- bedroom with desk, two chairs and access to the full bathroom which had a large bathtub, separate rain shower, sink, toilet and bidet
- living room with two sofas, one armchair, dining table for four and access to a half bathroom (which I found was a nice feature)
- both the living room and the bedroom have their own entrance which was convenient; some of these suites apparently do not have a proper door separating the living room from the bedroom, so make sure to ask if that's important to you
The furniture, especially in the living room, is very dated with many stains on the carpet, hidious carpets on the wall and worn-out sofas. The bathrooms, however, were newer and in excellent condition.
service:
Service was excellent throughout the stay and all my interactions with the bell staff, front desk, restaurant and bar staff were up to Fairmont standards.^
Upon arrival the duty manager welcomed us and took us to the room which I thought was a nice touch.
restaurants:
- breakfast at the Polo restaurant was good, but nothing to write home about. Buffet included a continental spread with cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheeses and a rather limited selection of fruit along with eggs benedict, scrambled egg, bacon, sausages, potatoes etc. At 28Euros/person I would have hoped for a wider election of items incl. some Spanish dishes, maybe an omelette station etc.
- lunch / dinner at Polo was good, but again nothing special (the menu featured some salads, pastas, sandwiches and a few "standard" steak / fish main courses such as steak with fries or rice)
- atmosphere at the bar was pleasant with some nice live piano music, decent selection of snacks/food and drinks (which were priced surprisingly reasonably), service was excellent (the bar keeper even stayed longer just for us)
I guess dining options are somewhat limited due to the renovations and the fact we were there in off-season, but IMO there's room for improvement (quality is good, but options are somewhat uninspiring and limited).
conclusion:
Overall I had a very pleasant stay; I was particularly impressed with the service at this hotel. The hard product obviously isn't quite up to Fairmont standards (yet), but I very much look forward to returning once the renovation is complete.
common areas:
I didn't see much of the lobby due to the current renovations which are supposed to be complete by the end of March. All rooms and suites will be renovated within the next two years.
room:
I stayed in a Premium Suite which is the standar upgrade when using a uite upgrade cert. The suite was about 60sqm and had an excellent layout:
- bedroom with desk, two chairs and access to the full bathroom which had a large bathtub, separate rain shower, sink, toilet and bidet
- living room with two sofas, one armchair, dining table for four and access to a half bathroom (which I found was a nice feature)
- both the living room and the bedroom have their own entrance which was convenient; some of these suites apparently do not have a proper door separating the living room from the bedroom, so make sure to ask if that's important to you
The furniture, especially in the living room, is very dated with many stains on the carpet, hidious carpets on the wall and worn-out sofas. The bathrooms, however, were newer and in excellent condition.
service:
Service was excellent throughout the stay and all my interactions with the bell staff, front desk, restaurant and bar staff were up to Fairmont standards.^
Upon arrival the duty manager welcomed us and took us to the room which I thought was a nice touch.
restaurants:
- breakfast at the Polo restaurant was good, but nothing to write home about. Buffet included a continental spread with cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheeses and a rather limited selection of fruit along with eggs benedict, scrambled egg, bacon, sausages, potatoes etc. At 28Euros/person I would have hoped for a wider election of items incl. some Spanish dishes, maybe an omelette station etc.
- lunch / dinner at Polo was good, but again nothing special (the menu featured some salads, pastas, sandwiches and a few "standard" steak / fish main courses such as steak with fries or rice)
- atmosphere at the bar was pleasant with some nice live piano music, decent selection of snacks/food and drinks (which were priced surprisingly reasonably), service was excellent (the bar keeper even stayed longer just for us)
I guess dining options are somewhat limited due to the renovations and the fact we were there in off-season, but IMO there's room for improvement (quality is good, but options are somewhat uninspiring and limited).
conclusion:
Overall I had a very pleasant stay; I was particularly impressed with the service at this hotel. The hard product obviously isn't quite up to Fairmont standards (yet), but I very much look forward to returning once the renovation is complete.
Jan 18, 2016, 4:56 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
Jan 18, 2016, 8:37 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 12,068
Stayed 3 nights over the weekend.
Agree with other observations. Very low season in January and lounge was empty.
Room was a suite upgrade(1422) from a very reasonable AMEX rate in CDN dollars. Think the average was 140.00 all in with breakfast. Local tax extra.
Room fan was terrible. 3 nights there,3 times in to repair.
Night one the bearings sounded like they were done. Night two sounded like a snare drum and the last night a helicopter out of Miss Saigon fame
Front desk knew there were issues and renos will take care
Staff are very strong and competent. Cabs were 11Euros to Las Ramblas or shuttle complimentary (seats 6-8) Not busy so no problem.
I would stay again but more to watch a soccer game. Btw, Barcelona won 6-0 on Sunday night, currently a very good club.
Agree with other observations. Very low season in January and lounge was empty.
Room was a suite upgrade(1422) from a very reasonable AMEX rate in CDN dollars. Think the average was 140.00 all in with breakfast. Local tax extra.
Room fan was terrible. 3 nights there,3 times in to repair.
Night one the bearings sounded like they were done. Night two sounded like a snare drum and the last night a helicopter out of Miss Saigon fame
Front desk knew there were issues and renos will take care
Staff are very strong and competent. Cabs were 11Euros to Las Ramblas or shuttle complimentary (seats 6-8) Not busy so no problem.
I would stay again but more to watch a soccer game. Btw, Barcelona won 6-0 on Sunday night, currently a very good club.
Jul 22, 2016, 9:24 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Air Canada, BA Executive Club, Accor / Fairmont Platinum, SPG Gold, Marriott
Posts: 113
Fairmont Barcelona renovations
55% of the rooms will be renovated by December and the remainder will be completed by July 2017.
http://www.fairmont.com/barcelona/pr...ns/renovation/
http://www.fairmont.com/barcelona/pr...ns/renovation/
Oct 31, 2016, 11:57 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
I'm not sure about the unrenovated rooms and whether those will even exist next summer.
Nov 1, 2016, 9:58 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 595
Redeeming fairmont annual certificates so standard room. Although might book junior suite with ovation certificates. I believe all renovations should be completed by summer 2017. I thought the projection was for 20-5 🤔