Armed with bibs, jugs and bowls of romesco, some Barcelonans have begun to take over the terrace of the luxurious hotel Me Barcelona, in the Eixample, to immerse yourself in a ‘pantyhose‘ full-blown urban. Tourists are scarce on these dates, in the middle of the low tourism season in the city, returning the prominence to hotel activities focused on the local public. ‘Calçots’, musical vermouths, brunches, cinema, music and other activities, open to both prospective guests and the local population, encourage the winter and claim hyperactivity in some establishments.
The agenda of Barcelona hotels already adds years of imagination to accommodate many more uses than accommodation. The terraces are its main engine, turned into a phenomenon as soon as the good weather arrives to enjoy drinks, gastronomy and music in the fresh air, but now initiatives that are equally tempting and more stand out picturesque with great success among the Barcelonans.
The Guild of Hotels gives wings to many of them from mesqhotels.cat, encouraging this interaction. The employers’ association emphasizes that “activity can be enjoyed throughout the year” in many establishments: from spas to gastronomy, going through more unique assemblies that a few years ago would have been unthinkable in five-star hotels. Trying at the same time to “bring the visitor closer to local culture” through art, cooking, history and other hooks, sources from the employers’ association point out.
The case of Me Barcelona is a bet of the Belbo Collection group, which has three restaurants in this hotel opened last year, and which has wanted to carry on the tradition of ‘pantyhose‘ to the terrace of 800 square meters of Belbo Terrenal. Thus, in an interior block on Carrer de Casp next to Paseo de Gràcia, they have just launched this proposal that will last several weekends (1:00 p.m.). Its chefs grill the steaming tubers on the spot, while customers dressed in bibs start the feast with vermouth jugs, dried beans, country bread and olives. The tiles are served without limit, they count, as the first pass, before the meat and artichokes arrive, which if the weather is not good they will be served indoors. Wine, aioli, Catalan cream with carquiñolis and a glass of cava round off the experience (of rural essence), implanted gracefully in this five-star hotel, at 41 euros.
From the grill to the fresh air to the music with candles
It is not the only ‘calçot’ party that one can find in a hotel right in the center. After last year’s success, Renaissance Barcelona Hotel, in Pau Claris and also a 5-star hotel, will once again roast the tasty onions in the restaurant on its terrace, Goja Rooftop, from January 28 to March 26, every Saturday and Sunday at one o’clock. Here, too, they can be gobbled down, before giving way to a barbecue of sausages and beef ribs, with ‘mongetes’ and potatoes, dessert and drinks for 42 euros. It is worth noting, they explain, that they also have ‘calçotada’ vegetarian (vegetables instead of meats), to adapt to all diets.
Without leaving the heart of Barcelona, at the hotel The One Barcelona they also recover a unique gastronomic proposal with which they had devastated other winters: the Swiss fondue, to indulge in melted cheese and combat with heat (and calories) the icy winter that has broken in this week. Your Mood Swiss fondue experience, they say, will continue until March 19, every day from 1:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. You can opt for one of its four menus (the novelty is the champagne fondue, which is combined with Gruyère, Vacherin Fribourgeois and tête de moine cheeses), but you can also choose from your menu (adapted for this period) from several fondues, depending on the proportion of one or the other fragrant cheeses, as well as other Helvetic dishes. To top it all off, also to raise the temperature, chocolate fondues and other Swiss desserts are prepared, which the director of the hotel knows so well, of that nationality, in an environment that recreates the mountain atmosphere of Friborg with checkered tablecloths on its terrace panorama.
A short distance away, in the Hotel El Palace Barcelonaone of the ‘great luxury’ hotels most devoted to citizen activities throughout the year, this winter they have once again recreated a ‘chalet‘ mountain in the style of the Alps, where you succumb to powerful dishes from the area, such as raclette, until February 26. But they have also raised the curtain on their Winter cinemawith alpine garden paraphernalia and four mini-chalets equipped with blankets and cushions for glamorous movie sessions (from ‘Notting Hill’ to ‘ET’) as a couple or with a child, in a pack that includes popcorn, wine and snacks.
Finally, in the Sala Gran Vía they program impressive candlelight concerts in the light of hundreds of candles. Musicians and groups of different musical styles offer tributes to famous artists.
up petanque
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A hotel that in a few months has already become a meeting point in Diagonal con Glòries, The Hoxton, It devastates Saturdays with its Brunchmut, consisting of adding “the best of the local and uniting it with the most ‘trendy’ at an international level”, they point out. In this way, they have combined the infallible native vermouth, with pickles, calamari sandwiches and croquettes, along with a display of brunch essentials, such as eggs (Benedict or assorted omelettes), sweets and cocktails, topped off with ratafia. To close the plan (from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 38 euros), they have added petanque and a DJ playing national and international indie-rock hits.
The list goes on and on with the Sunday ‘superbrunchs’ that are set up Majestic Spa & Hotel Barcelona, Intercontinental Barcelona (this is the first and third Sunday of the month, and with live music) or that of Martín Berasategui in Monument Hotel (first and third Sunday of the month); guided tours regularly offered by the Cotton House to discover its cotton industry past, the many terraces that are kept open and heated in winter, or the promotional proposals that hotels prepare for Valentine’s Day.
