The W Hotel (Vela) will invest €80 million in renovations
The Port of Barcelona extends its contract until 2041
BarcelonaOne of the undisputed stars of the Barcelona coast is about to get a facelift. The W Barcelona hotel will undergo a major renovation, after carrying out minor renovations since its opening in 2009. The establishment, owned by the Qatari sovereign wealth fund and managed by the American chain Marriott, will completely renovate its facilities, without expanding the number of rooms.
Much has happened since the W hotel, popularly known as the Vela hotel, opened its doors. Its surroundings have gradually been revitalized and have become more connected to a city that has always felt too distant. The opening of a viewing platform at the foot of the hotel made it possible to discover the façade facing the sea, which until a few years ago was hidden, and the recent development of a promenade to the old breakwater has encouraged many Barcelona residents, not to mention tourists, to stroll there. Without a doubt, the launch of the nautical bus that connects to La Rambla has made things even easier, taking advantage of the trip to make a splash in the establishments that have also been opening. Marked by controversy, the site where the Russian Hermitage Museum was to be located remains to be resolved.
With this new reality in the background, accelerated by the hosting of the America's Cup sailing tournament, the renovation of the establishment will be accompanied by an extension of the lease between the hotel group and Nova Bocana, the concessionaire for this area of the port. It was scheduled to end in 2026 and will now be extended for ten years, with the option to add another five, until 2041. As the hotel is located on land belonging to the Port of Barcelona, its board of directors approved the extension of the contract this Wednesday.
Pending receipt of the municipal permit for the works, it is estimated that work will begin after the summer. The renovation, which will not alter the distinctive image designed by architect Ricardo Bofill, will entail an investment of €80 million, split between Nova Bocana and Marriott. The budget will allocate €40 million to civil works and installations, and at least another €40 million to interior design. "Not only does it extend the concession and renew Marriott's trust, but it also represents a significant investment by the operator and the concessionaire," emphasizes José Alberto Carbonell, president of the Port of Barcelona.
The work will be divided into two phases to minimize the impact on the clientele, mostly from the United States. The first phase will renovate the eighth to twenty-fifth floors and will be carried out between October 2025 and April 2026. The second phase will address the common areas and the first seven floors, with the plan to begin in October 2026 and run until April 2027. BEST
The renovation of the W Hotel wasn't the only international investment given the green light this Wednesday. The Port of Barcelona's board of directors also authorized the entry of the Swiss multinational MSC into the BEST container terminal after months of negotiations. "It will give us greater connectivity," Carbonell argues.
The world's leading shipping group, with a 20% share of the container transport market, will share ownership of this large terminal with Hong Kong's Hutchison Ports. They will do so equally, and to avoid deadlocks, control mechanisms have been approved. Management will remain in the hands of Hutchison. Having received approval from the port, it is still pending approval from the competition authorities.
Lidl will have 165,000 m² in the ZAL
Separately, Lidl will expand its presence at the Port of Barcelona on the plot formerly occupied by TotalEnergies in the ZAL, measuring almost 100,000 square meters. The board of directors has granted a concession for the construction of a logistics warehouse to Cilsa, a company owned by the Port and the real estate company Merlin. With an investment of more than €42 million, the facility will be 55,000 square meters and fifteen meters high, larger than the usual size for logistics warehouses.
The facility will be operated by Lidl, with whom Cilsa has signed a pre-contract for a term of fifteen years, renewable. The German supermarket chain will strengthen its commitment to the Catalan capital, where it already has two warehouses. When the new one comes into operation, with construction expected to begin in a few months, the distribution group will manage a total of 165,000 square meters in the ZAL. "All these projects are a testament to our client loyalty. We've projected stability and reliability, and all of this translates into trust," Carbonell summarizes.
