Melia Hotels International has announced plans to take over the management of the former Rey Juan Carlos hotel in Barcelona.
The property and the adjacent Palacio de Congresos de Cataluna have been closed since 2020 due to bankruptcy proceedings against the then owner.
But Melia has signed an agreement with the new owner to reopen the hotel as Miranda de Pedralbes, a Gran Melia Hotel “in the coming months on completion of the renovation and enhancement of guest rooms and public areas, and the addition of new leisure and dining facilities”.
First opened 25 years ago by the King and Queen of Spain for the 1992 Olympics, the Rey Juan Carlos became a Fairmont hotel in 2014, and Business Traveller last reviewed the property in 2017.
The hotel is located in the 25,000 sqm 19th-century Torre Melina gardens on Avinguda Diagonal, and the new name pays tribute to the residential Pedralbes area in which the property is situated.
Melia said that “the new Gran Melia hotel will enhance the unity of the hotel spaces and the magnificent Romantic Gardens, the old Torre Melina, which will be integrated with the hotel to bring greater light and life to its common areas”.
New features will include a rooftop bar and urban pool club, while “a signature restaurant of the highest international prestige is planned for the most discerning guests and local residents who will enjoy exclusive dining experiences”.
There will also be a signature spa “operated by a top international partner”.
Commenting on the news CEO of Meliá, Gabriel Escarrer, said:
“We are very satisfied with the agreement reached with [investor] Tyrus Capital, with whom we have had a close relationship and strong ties for many years.
“We would also like to thank Barcelona City Council for their support in recovering a key tourism asset for the city which, under our expert management and with the prestige that comes with the Gran Meliá brand, will continue to contribute to the creation of social and economic value for the destination”.
