A change of ownership usually marks a break. A full stop. A new beginning. However, the story of the former Hotel Gallery is more like a transition than a reinvention. The emblematic establishment in the Eixample now begins a new stage under the umbrella of Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, but it does so by preserving much of the identity that has made it one of Barcelona's reference hotels for more than three decades.
The Catalan chain acquired the Gallery in Barcelona and the Molina Lario in Malaga from the investment fund Meridia Capital, chaired by Javier Faus, at the end of 2025. With the operation, Catalonia incorporated two assets that had just completed a deep renovation and consolidated its position as the hotel chain with the largest presence in Barcelona, where it already has 30 establishments.
The transaction also means a new life for the Gallery, but, far from opting for a radical transformation, Catalonia has chosen to preserve much of what has made the Gallery one of the reference hotels in the Eixample. The customer service style, comfort, the personality of the service and, for some years now, also the gastronomic offer of Sintonia —with its renowned steak tartare as its emblem—, remain as some of the pillars of a hotel that has wanted to elevate the guest experience without losing the identity that has defined the Gallery for more than three decades.
A historic and sought-after establishment
Located on Rosselló street, between Rambla Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia, the hotel occupies one of the most sought-after areas of Barcelona. From some of its rooms, the Palau Robert can be seen. Its history dates back to 1991, when the Gómez Casals family promoted the project coinciding with the urban transformation that the city was experiencing on the eve of the 1992 Olympic Games.
For more than thirty years, the family maintained ownership of both the Gallery and the Molina Lario. But in 2023, both establishments were acquired by Meridia Capital —also responsible for other great hotel successes in the city, linked to establishments such as the Arts— for 85 million euros, in an operation in which the fund prevailed over other interested investors, including Pontegadea, Amancio Ortega's investment vehicle. This new stage under Meridia's management was marked by a profound renovation aimed at repositioning both hotels within the premium segment.
The transformation that the old Gallery now boasts, therefore, did not begin with the arrival of Catalonia. It was Meridia Capital that promoted a comprehensive renovation of the establishment after its acquisition in 2023 and two years later, with the transformation already completed, Catalonia took over.
The renovation, carried out by the Montplet studio, covered the hotel's 110 rooms, including five Deluxe rooms and five suites. With an average rate of around 220 euros per night and a usual stay of two nights, the project has focused on reinforcing an idea of timeless comfort. "We wanted to create timeless, contemporary spaces, but without falling into fleeting trends," says Lourdes Grau, the establishment's director, now renamed Catalonia Boulevard.
An intervention that also incorporates discreet nods to the local public, in a hotel whose client profile is divided between leisure and business. From pieces linked to designer Òscar Tusquets, inspired by Antoni Gaudí, to a selection of publications dedicated to Catalan architecture and urban planning of the city permeate the rooms. On the tables, books on the architecture of Cadaqués or the work of Josep Lluís Sert —urban planner and in charge of buildings such as the Fundació Joan Miró— coexist, while local references such as nuts from Barcelona's Casa Gispert appear in the minibar.
Harmony, continuity in the kitchen of the old Gallery
But if there is one space that symbolizes better than any other the will for continuity of this new stage, it is the Sintonía restaurant. The name of the restaurant, in fact, reflects Catalonia's philosophy after the acquisition of the hotel, based on keeping what already worked in tune and preserving what had consolidated its success. The chain has therefore opted to preserve a project that had already managed to consolidate its own clientele inside and outside the hotel.
"Gastronomy is an essential part of Catalonia hotels," explains Lourdes Grau, director of Catalonia Boulevard, and "Sintonia is a restaurant that has earned its recognition on its own merits." The decision has been to keep intact the essence of a proposal based on product and Mediterranean cuisine. The most representative dish continues to be the steak tartare prepared in front of the diner, served in a unique ox-head-shaped container that has become one of the most recognizable images of the restaurant. Since its opening in 2019, more than 25,000 servings of this dish have been served.
A philosophy that is shared by other gastronomic establishments of the group. "We don't do anything extraordinary; we try to bring our own nuance through the product, the service, and the reinterpretation of traditional recipes," summarizes Myriam Ortiz Bastos, director of Molina Lario in Malaga, a building also recently incorporated into Catalonia's portfolio.
The 30th hotel in Barcelona
The incorporation of the former Gallery has special relevance for Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, as it reinforces its presence in the Catalan capital. "As a family business, we attach great importance to our roots. Catalonia was born in Barcelona and continues to be our reference city," says Jorge Rodergas, commercial director of the chain.
The purchase of the Gallery and Molina Lario occurred just a few months after another strategic operation for the group. At the beginning of 2025, the company had also acquired the current Catalonia Barcelona Beach, located in front of Mar Bella beach, in Poblenou. With these additions, the group reached 30 hotels in Barcelona and consolidated itself as the chain with the largest presence in the city.
But its influence extends beyond the Catalan capital. The group closed 2025 with record revenues exceeding 630 million euros, supported by a network of 82 hotels, more than 12,000 rooms, and a workforce of over 9,000 people. Among its future plans, international expansion stands out, with special attention to Africa, where it is finalizing the opening of a five-star resort in Zanzibar by the end of the year, after consolidating its luxury hotel model in the Caribbean, where it already operates establishments in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.