ME Barcelona to become flagship hotel of the ME by Melia Portfolio

BARCELONA, Spain – Leading Spanish hotel and resort operator Sol Melia announced the opening of ME Barcelona, the fourth hotel of the “experience based” brand of personality hotels, ME by Melia.

BARCELONA, Spain – Leading Spanish hotel and resort operator Sol Melia announced the opening of ME Barcelona, the fourth hotel of the “experience based” brand of personality hotels, ME by Melia. Planned to open at the end of August 2008, the hotel is housed in a spectacular 29 floor high rise located in area 22@, the Innovation District of Barcelona, ME Barcelona will bring a bold hotel concept characterized by daring design, inventive cuisine and personalized service to this vibrant Spanish city.

Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, the co-vice president & CEO noted, “Following the success of ME Cabo, ME Cancun and ME Madrid, we are elated to open the fourth member of the ME by Melia family. ME Barcelona, like all ME by Melia hotels and resorts, will offer guests a unique experience which goes beyond accommodation. Key to this is the incorporation of an eclectic and exciting mix of international partners to ME Barcelona, including design from architect Dominique Perrault, nightlife entertainment from The Gerber Group, amenities from Aveda and cuisine from Spanish chefs Javier and Sergio Torres.”

Continuing on that same thought the co-vice president & CEO Sebastian Escarrer Jaume stated, “These partners will bring a refreshing and engaging experience to one of Spain’s most vibrant cities. True to the core values of the Sol Melia Group, ME Barcelona aims to be a locally relevant yet internationally connected project that will generate wealth and well being to the city.”

Designed by renowned French architect Dominique Perrault, the 30-story building will feature 259 rooms and suites, all with magnificent views of the mountains of Barcelona or the Mediterranean. The lobby area will be a modern, dramatic and inviting space with the sounds of lively world music, the sights of local art and a fresh scent developed exclusively for ME Barcelona. Guests will then be whisked off to their well-appointed accommodations where they can begin to relax and take in the experience of a new adventure. Standard amenities will include a 32-inch interactive plasma television, CD/DVD, surround sound speakers, WiFi Internet access, MP3 docking stations, 300-thread count linen, a down pillow top mattress and organic products by AVEDA to be enjoyed under oversized rainfall showerheads.

“The Level”, ME by Melia’s signature VIP floor, is an exclusive retreat. ME Barcelona’s Level floor will have 14 deluxe room accommodations and 23 suites. In addition to the standard amenities, Level guests will enjoy aromatherapy products, complimentary cocktails, petit dejeuner, a separate check-in area and private access to “The Living Room” an intimate lounge where anything goes. ME Barcelona’s Presidential Suite, also located on The Level, is 150 square meters and features the opportunity for an exclusive floor with an additional Junior Suite. The Presidential Suite covers the entire floor with restricted access offering the utmost in privacy and dramatic views of the mountains of Barcelona.

“As the brand’s flagship hotel, ME Barcelona will be one of the most distinctive hotel concepts this city has ever seen,” said Guy Hensley, senior vice president of operations, Premium Portfolio, Sol Melia Hotels and Resorts. “ME Barcelona represents the future of the brand. Dominique Perrault’s fresh and modern structure inspires an energy that fuses art, life and culture into unison, while at the same time offering a five-star luxury experience supported by exceptional accommodations, superb service, exciting nightlife and imaginative cuisine.”

ME Barcelona’s bar and dining venues will attract Europe’s most fashionable movers & shakers. A seductive combination of global cuisine, inventive cocktails and scintillating ambience will ensure this is a city hot-spot for guests and locals alike.

The Sky Restaurant & Lounge, ME Barcelona’s alluring lobby level venue, will serve fresh food and exciting cocktails appealing to everyone, whether for impromptu gatherings or a late-night rendezvous at the dramatic outdoor patio.

The 24th floor of ME Barcelona allows guests to enjoy the city’s most famous views – the sapphire sea and the heavenly mountains while dining at Dos Cielos, a restaurant with 360-degree views and an expansive outdoor terrace. Dos Cielos is the sultry creation of celebrated gastronomic Chefs Javier and Sergio Torres. Chefs Torres will bring their love for inventive cuisine and culinary surprises to Dos Cielos, blending the latest trends in fine dining with top-quality, fresh-market produce. Chefs Torres’ commitment to fresh ingredients has led to the creation of ME Barcelona’s very own rooftop, organic herb garden where rare and specialized ingredients are harvested daily.

Guests will find a haven within a haven on ME Barcelona’s 6th floor where the hotel’s pool and deck will be located, as well as the Chocolate Bar and Penthouse Pool Lounge, serving creative cocktails and tapas. Following the success of ME Madrid and ME Cancun, Rande and Scott Gerber’s Gerber Group will once again partner with ME by Melia to make its newest property an entertainment, as well as a travel destination. Destined to become known as Barcelona’s most coveted, intimate nightlife venues, the Chocolate Bar and Penthouse Pool Lounge will offer exclusive views of the city within a sensual atmosphere.

“Having partnered with ME by Melia since their inception, we wouldn’t miss the opportunity to create a new, seductive and utterly sensual experience at ME Barcelona,” said Rande Gerber. “The building is extraordinary, and I’m confident that the Chocolate Bar and Penthouse Pool Lounge will soon be the place to see and be seen in Barcelona.”

Guests can relax their minds and challenge their bodies through a variety of transformational exercises and spa treatments at YHI Spa, Sol Melia’s signature destination retreat. Named after the “Goddess of Light,” the spa is infused with the energy of YHI and dedicated to purifying the body, composing the mind and elevating the soul. It is a philosophy of life based on the five senses, thus providing the tools for guests to tap into their inner beings by entering a reflective state of mind.

ME Barcelona also offers more than 1,500 square feet of meeting, reception and conference space boasting high ceilings that can accommodate up to 300 guests. Guests will also be able to make use of the 24-7 Business Center, which features high-speed internet, computers, facsimile and scanners.

The hotel is located on the city’s main artery, Diagonal Avenue, at Pere IV between the Glories Plaza and the Forum area, in the 22@ district, Barcelona’s modern new technological district.

ME Barcelona is centrally located with easy access to all major attractions including the Sagrada Familia by Gaudi, Agbar Tower designed by Jean Nouvel, Barcelona International Convention Center – BICC, and Barcelona’s gorgeous beaches.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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