Hotel Focus
Meeting the Grand Hyatt event executioner
PAUL COLSTON CHECKS OUT THE GRAND HYATT BLEISURE OFFER IN BARCELONA
F or a flying visit to a destination or venue , you can ’ t complain about a 15-minute transfer from the airport . That ’ s how long it took me recent to transfer recently to the Grand Hyatt Barcelona in La Alta , next door to Barcelona FC ’ s Nou Camp stadium , from the airport .
The Grand Hyatt Barcelona ’ s meetings facilities are certainly on the ball with 22 meeting rooms and 3,700sm of event space . A plenary room can accommodate up to 870 guests and , for car launches , there are 250 parking lots available , in addition to a dedicated entrance for delegates .
The hotel line up includes 465 guest rooms and 49 suites and delegates can tiki-taki their way to the Maymanta Peruvian restaurant on the 19th Floor or to the Sky Bar with views to die for .
The Sofia Bar & Tapas keeps the game simple and is a great place to stop and soak in the atmosphere at a slower pace , while those needing to shape up to make the team can burn away accumulated calories at the Oasis Spa which is spread out over 1,100sqm .
When I got the call to visit the manager ’ s office , Hyatt ’ s VP of revenue and sales , Paul Dalgleish was waiting to share the brand ’ s latest MICE performance figures :
In Europe , Africa and the Middle East , MICE enquiries in 2023 increased 18 % versus 2022 , in Europe alone , such enquiries increased 20 % to more than 108,000 .
In the UK specifically , MICE enquiries increased 25 % year-on-year to over 19,500 enquiries in 2023 .
In Spain , MICE enquiries increase 48 % year-on-year to over 11,500 enquiries in 2023 .
Usual lead times , he noted , were 12-18 months , but depending on the size of the groups , lead times could be
Above : Paul Dalgleish
as short as three months .
“ The world and hospitality industry has changed post-Covid . Business is back , and there is greater focus by companies on the creative ways in which they can deliver innovative and quality events ,” Dalgleish noted .
And there is no substitute for space and Hyatt in 2023 added 12 hotels and 2,750 rooms to its portfolio in Europe Africa and the Middle ( EAME ).
In EAME Hyatt has a pipeline with 75 hotels and more than 16,000 rooms slated to open in the coming years .
The manager ’ s pep talk also included an update on the World of Hyatt loyalty scheme which is evolving to add additional value to its 40 million members – a figure that has quadrupled over the last five years .
La Alta and PortVell With meetings training over , this player was keen to sample the local area to see what is on offer after conference hours . If you wish to stay close to the Grand Hyatt Barcelona and you ’ ve done the tour of the football stadium , then a stroll around the surrounding La Alta area , is a treat for architecture buffs . This exclusive area is well away from the hustle and bustle and offers hidden gems like Monasterio de Pedralbes , Guell Palace , while the Sagrada Familia is not far .
Further afield , I recommend for any small group a Catamaran trip along the coastline of Barcelona . Our group had the added interest of a wine-tasting masterclass of wines that had matured under the sea – presented expertly by ElixSea .
Dalgleish final bit of MICE instruction included : “ Leisure elements are becoming more desirable for corporates which are looking to provide inspiring environments ; keep their audience motivated ; and incorporate wellbeing activities into a business event – aspects that many MICE-ready hotels are developing in order to benefit from this trend .” n
ISSUE 131 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 57