EDITION Expands Footprint to Barcelona

Marriott continues to grow its new EDITION hotel brand with the planned opening of a property in Barcelona.

The Barcelona EDITION will offer an intimate and sophisticated boutique environment that’s also a resort-style destination unto itself.

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And like all EDITION hotels, it will feature the individualized and unique hotel experience that creator Ian Schrager is known for.

“This delicate balancing act encompasses not only exceptional design and true innovation but also personal, friendly, luxury service as well as outstanding, one-of-a-kind food, beverage and entertainment offerings all under one roof,” the company said in a statement.

Schrager and Marriott, through the EDITION brand, are aiming to provide guests with a heightened experience, marked by authenticity and originality.

“I am proud to further the global expansion of the brand with this incredibly exciting project in Barcelona," Schrager said. “The city represents a great, cultural epicenter of Europe, making it an ideal location for the region’s newest EDITION.”

The Barcelona EDITION will be located in El Born, the Barcelona’s creative hub in the center of the famed Ciutat Vella district. Translating as ‘Old City’, the hotel is situated in the most historic district of the city. It is located between the cerulean waters of the Mediterranean Sea and l’Eixample neighborhood – Barcelona’s renowned boutique shopping epicenter.

The location is also adjacent to the iconic Santa Caterina Market and within 15 minutes of the beach and the Barcelona Cruise Port.

As for the property itself, it has undergone a complete metamorphosis led by Carlos Ferrater Studio. What was once an outdated, underused building has been transformed into a contemporary, glass-fronted monument, acting as an urban mirror to reflect the city’s gothic architecture.

Under Schrager’s creative direction, alongside famed Spanish interior designer Lazaro Rosa-Violan the hotel brings together the integrity and character of a historic environment with a simple, sophisticated design sensibility.

The property features 100 rooms and suites, three restaurants, two bars, and a roof terrace with plunge pool.

Barcelona EDITION is hoping to become a new kind of gathering place for the city, attracting travelers who are more connected and hungry for community and social interaction.

“They seek to surround themselves with likeminded individuals with common interests, views, aesthetics, tastes and desires,” the company said in a statement.

The hotel’s public spaces will be activated day and night, starting with the lobby which has been taken by Schrager and evolved into the center of The Barcelona EDITION’s social activity, dedicated as much to work as it is to play.

Upon entering through the main doors, guests are greeted by a double-height lobby space dominated by a striking, sapphire blue Eric Schmitt chandelier and a selection of furniture designed by Catalan masters, Salvador Dalí and Antoni Gaudí.

To the right of the impressive entrance, a black marble and walnut wood reception desk reminiscent of an abstract sculpture piece dominates the reception and concierge area. To the left, an eclectic and sophisticated lobby lounge area invites guests to enjoy a more laid-back ambiance set against the backdrop of the dynamic bar-restaurant.

Composed of two generous spaces, the lobby lounge boasts a rich selection of furniture pieces with greatly varying styles. The first of the two spaces aims to give the impression of a more traditional living room ambiance with four Christian Liaigre chairs and a games table in the center, as well as a pair of iconic Yves Klein blue armchairs designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld.

The second space has been conceived as a more intimate lounge area with low ceilings and large sheepskin armchairs. An illuminated blue art piece by Carlos Coronas is framed by the space to the rear and combines elegantly with dark wood wall finishes and off-white fabrics.

There’s also a lobby bar serving locally produced vermouth, craft beer, and sherry. Two of the hotel’s dining concepts meanwhile have been created by partner chef and founder of the global movement ‘Cooking in Motion’, Sebastián Mazzola, formerly creative director of the Adria Group.

Seating 87 guests, Bar Veraz offers a menu of affordable dishes focused on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

In the mornings, the space offers guests a light and airy a la carte breakfast experience. For lunch and dinner, the menu features a cutting-edge interpretation of Mediterranean specialties complemented by a regionally focused wine list including more than 30 wines from local vineyards.

A fresh incarnation of The London EDITION’s award-winning Punch Room will occupy the mezzanine floor, adapted seamlessly to suit the Barcelona zeitgeist.

Accessed by a spiral staircase of steel, marble, and wood, the space overlooks the main lobby and dining area and offers an extensive menu of long drinks, punches and sangrias served from vintage silver bowls.

On the hotel’s basement floor guests will find Cabaret, a space designed to offer a new type of dining concept. Conceived with late-night revelry in mind, Cabaret is a restaurant for the darker hours with a sultry lounge area, cocktail bar and superior food experience based around a tasting menu concept.

As guests come to the end of their main courses at Cabaret, the long, velvet curtains at the room's far end will be drawn back to reveal a stage dramatically framed by a large archway and ready to expose the night’s entertainment, whether it be DJs or internationally renowned performers.

Yet another noteworthy space in the new hotel is The Roof, located on the 10th floor. The restaurant bar offers a panoramic view of the city. The Roof’s kitchen will feature small plates of light, flavorful Latin-American dishes with an Asian influence, designed to be shared and enjoyed amongst friends and families.

Each of the property’s 100 guest rooms includes the conveniences travelers and pleasure seekers have come to expect as well as various indulgent amenities. Offerings include state-of-the-art beds with EDITION’s Signature imported luxury Anichini linens and unique, custom designed furniture made of carefully selected fabrics such as embossed Spanish leather headboards.

Bedroom walls are clad in walnut paneling, evocative of the shutters that dominate the old town’s narrow street facades and floors feature a fresh whitened oak herringbone parquet. Bathrooms are finished in white Sivec marble, detailed with contrasting brass hardware, for a modern bathing experience with custom-scented Le Labo amenities as standard.

Barcelona EDITION also includes two penthouses, each a home-from-home concept with their own private terraces equipped with laid-back lounge areas and dining furniture for private al-fresco meals and relaxation under the Catalan sun.

Not only famed for its creative spirit and energy, the city of Barcelona is the first in the world to gain UNESCO Biosphere accreditation as a sustainable tourist destination.