The hotel firm Sonder will strengthen its presence in Barcelona with the opening in the second half of this year of the Hotel Passeig de Gràcia, a five-star establishment that the Hotusa group managed until its closure in December 2020.
The American startup has leased the establishment for the next 15 years to the real estate group Alting, owner of the property, a unique piece of the city's heritage, whose facade is listed in Barcelona's catalog of protected buildings. The operation was advised by JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.
Located at number 29 Passeig de Gràcia, the hotel has an area of 4,200 square meters and will house 65 rooms and a large courtyard in the interior of the Eixample block in Barcelona. Within the Boutique & Lifestyle Flagship category, it will also have two dining areas, one located on the terrace ---with views of Passeig de Gràcia--- and another on the first floor with access to the garden patio.
The Sonder chain, based in San Francisco and operating in more than 35 cities and 10 countries, made its first foray into the Barcelona hotel market just a year ago with the management of three establishments: Le Palacete and La Casa del Sol, in the Gràcia neighborhood, and Vasanta Hotel Boutique, in the Eixample, specifically on Calle Casp, near Passeig de Gràcia. Also, in the summer of 2021, it inaugurated the five-star luxury hotel DO Plaça Real and Casa Luz, located in Universitat.
Barcelona is a key market for Sonder Holdings, a new-generation company, listed on Nasdaq, that works on the guest experience in its stays through technology and design, according to Leda Zanlungo, general manager of Sonder for the Iberia region. Zanlungo values the Catalan capital as a center of attraction for business and leisure travelers, both national and international, to whom the chain wants to offer privileged locations.
With the incorporation of the Hotel Passeig de Gràcia and a new asset on Gran Vía in Madrid, near Plaza España, which will open at the end of 2024 and will have 118 rooms and a terrace with city views, Sonder will manage a total of eight hotels in Spain.