Ennismore and ActivumSG Capital Management have announced the signing of a long-term management agreement bringing the SLS brand to Europe for the first time.

This milestone development for the lifestyle brand is located next to the beach and fronts the marina of a revitalised district of the city.

A prime setting

The 490-key SLS Barcelona is expected to open in the second half of 2024. The property will be located on the northeast side of Barcelona’s former industrial 22@ district, which has benefitted from a major regeneration programme.

Covering 31,326 sq m, this is the last seafront plot available for hotel development in metropolitan Barcelona. The main structural work of the property is scheduled to be completed within the coming months.

Commenting on the plans, Chadi Farhat, SLS brand chief operating officer, Ennismore, said: “Opening in Barcelona is a massive statement of our ambitions to grow the SLS brand in Europe.”

“SLS Barcelona is in a great location that offers so much to guests. We’re excited at creating the ultimate luxury destination that guests will be torn to leave if they choose to explore the other delights of this great city.”

Saul Goldstein, founder and chief executive officer of ActivumSG, added: “SLS Barcelona will be a distinctive glamorous lifestyle destination, supported by the powerful reach of the Ennismore and Accor’s distribution network.”

“We couldn’t be happier to have SLS as our operating partner since it’s completely aligned with our vision to fill the gap in the lifestyle hotel market in this major European travel destination. It’s a fantastic result for our hotel strategy of creating great hotels in the best locations as the industry recovers from the pandemic.”

SLS brand’s playful hospitality approach

SLS Barcelona will reflect the SLS brand’s modern, lifestyle concept and playful approach through amenities including rooftop dining and bar concepts, three swimming pools, a spa and beauty salon, a well-being and fitness centre, as well as a 772-sq-m ballroom for events.

Each of the property’s 490 guest rooms will also come with a balcony, making the most of this site’s seafront setting.

By staying here, guests will have easy access to Barcelona’s historic centre while also being based within an area that’s become a hub for innovation, technology and start-ups with an abundance of shops, restaurants and bars.

The forthcoming hotel is being developed adjacent to the city’s major venue for outdoor music festivals and events, with the university’s engineering faculty, CCIB convention centre and Museu Blau natural science museum then just a short walk away.

On completion, the hotel will offer the SLS brand’s signature experience encompassing culinary artistry, theatrical interiors, subversive design touches and unexpected indulgence. Each property in the collection brings about collaborations with leading developers, architects, designers and chefs.

The SLS brand now brings together properties in Beverly Hills, Miami, Bahamas, Cancun and Dubai with two additional properties set to open in Puerto Madero, Argentina, by May of 2022 and in Scottsdale by 2023. Lifestyle is recognised to be one of the fastest growing segments in hospitality.

SLS Barcelona is an investment by ActivumSG’s fifth real estate fund as part of a pan-European hotel strategy.

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