30 years ago, Carlos Barrau began managing apartments in Salou. Three decades later, that first venture has evolved into Ona Hotels and Apartments, which has continued to expand its portfolio and geographic footprint and now has 51 properties. Today, his son, Nacho Barrau, is at the helm as CEO, and the group continues to grow: it closed last year with a turnover of €200 million, 34% more than the previous year, and expects to reach €250 million this year.
What began in Salou gradually expanded, first along Spain’s Mediterranean coast and later to the Canary Islands. The first major leap came in 2005. After taking on several small properties, the group acquired Cala Pi, a beachfront resort in Mallorca with more than 100 units. “To this day, it remains one of the group’s most special properties”.
A decade later, another turning point came with Nacho Barrau joining the family business. His arrival opened the door to new business models designed to accelerate growth. Until then, Ona had primarily managed its own properties. The new strategy also involved managing properties owned by third parties, through management or lease agreements, allowing the group to grow faster without having to acquire each property outright.
That same year, in 2015, the company acquired a portfolio of seven hotels —six in the Canary Islands and one in Estepona— marking another significant increase in the group’s size. In 2019, it took another major step forward with the acquisition of a complex comprising four resorts and nearly 1,000 apartments in Tenerife. Since then, the group has continued to grow, reaching 51 properties today and employing 140 people at its headquarters in Barcelona. In addition, its hotels and apartments employ thousands of people, with direct and indirect employment reaching up to 3,000 during the high season.
In recent years, the group has added an average of four to six properties a year, although Barrau does not set a specific growth target that the company must meet: “If we don’t find an opportunity that fits one year, then we don’t find one.” The company nevertheless keeps a close eye on the market and is currently assessing several potential deals. Most are located along the Spanish coast, but the group is now looking further afield, with a presence in Andorra and Morocco.
The chain entered Morocco exactly one year ago, where it now has two hotels and a resort. Looking ahead, it plans to continue growing in the country, while remaining focused on the Mediterranean coast where it was born, particularly Catalonia, as well as expanding into Cádiz. According to Barrau, technology will also shape the future, particularly artificial intelligence and its potential to transform the way people plan their trips.
In this new scenario, he believes that properties with a distinctive offering could benefit, as “people will increasingly segment their searches,” making it easier for unique hotels to be discovered based on what they offer. Regardless of technology, and wherever it operates, the group aims to create a consistent, recognizable experience that encourages guests to return —and to continue expanding a business that has steadily added new destinations without losing its family-run character.
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