Barcelona’s Sonar Festival with Me By Melia is a summer paradise
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(Credit: Press)
ME Barcelona is the perfect hotel for a Catalonian getaway
In 2019, Barcelona welcomed almost 9.5 million tourists to the city before the pandemic plunged the hospitality sector into uncertainty. The capital of Catalonia has come back fighting in 2022, and better than ever, thanks in part to the newly opened ME Barcelona.
Over the last few decades, Barcelona has established itself as the perfect European city break and sharply rose in popularity. For comparison, in 1990 there were only 1.73 million tourists to the metropolis, which is only a portion of the number who flock there today. While cheap flights from budget airlines are a reason for the growth of Barcelona as a destination, the city is also blessed with a rich cultural fabric that separates it from the rest.
Me Barcelona is situated in the middle of the city’s bustling golden mile and in spitting distance from Plaça Catalunya. Despite being in the middle of thriving Barcelona, the hotel retains a charming quaintness, which provides respite from the busy streets surrounding it.
It’s home to an exquisite rooftop pool and bar, which is an immaculate tonic to the hectic noise of the neighbouring area. Although located in the city centre, it provides a necessary escape. Furthermore, there is also a stunning urban garden which is an idyllic place to have your morning coffee or an afternoon cocktail.
The area in which ME Barcelona resides is in the city’s theatre district, with the Tivoli on the doorstep of the hotel. Once you walk out of the hotel doors, you feel the spirit of Barcelona, and the infectious energy fills your lungs.
The hotel only opened its doors in November 2021 but is already establishing itself as one of the city’s finest establishments. Me Barcelona has five-star status because of its fine-dining option and its flagship restaurant, Terrenal.
Terrenal is an authentic dining experience rather than a typical restaurant, and their focus on local produce is a crucial part of the DNA. The plates just kept coming for what felt like a whole afternoon, with the highlight being freshly sourced veal, which melted in the mouth and served up the most-delectable white fish I’ve ever seen.
After enjoying the restaurant’s exquisite cuisine, it was time to resort back to the spacious and sleek room. It had a picturesque view of the hotel’s garden, everything from a temperature control device to a Nespresso machine and a 49″ television. However, with Barcelona on my doorstep, that unsurprisingly remained switched off for the entirety of my stay.
Other notable aspects include a modern bar, a fine place to kill an hour before making your journey into the night, and exploring Barcelona. Or if wellness is your kind of thing, then ME Barcelona has you covered with its state-of-the-art gym and spa facilities.
On the first evening of my stay, I checked out a futuristic exhibition with Italian artist David Quayola, which was in collaboration with Sonar Festival. The mindboggling artwork that combines art and music is fuelled by an incomprehensible algorithm that feeds off the room’s energy.
Me’s decision to bring this to their hotel shows they are serious about becoming a venue which offers cultural value to the city and is serious about being more than just somewhere for you to rest your head, but a destination too.
The location of the hotel means you can walk anywhere you please in the city centre, and on foot truly is the most fulfilling way to soak up Barcelona. It’s within walking distance of the spectacular Moco Museum, which was an eye-opening visit. It currently includes work by legendary figures in the modern art world such as Damien Hurst, Banksy, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and NFTs by Beeple.
While in the city’s Raval district, I frequented the Michelin Guide-listed restaurant, Succulent. Picking a highlight from the faultless menu is a strenuous task, but if pushed, I’d have to select the spellbinding steak tartare served with bone marrow.
If you want a hotel which blends art, culture and architecture with an emphasis on the future, then Me Barcelona is the only place for you. Not only is it in an unrivalled location which will make you fall in love with one of Europe’s most seductive cities, but there are also ample activities to explore within the vicinity of the hotel too, which will nourish the mind and soul.
For more information about ME Barcelona, visit here.
