The renowned Intercontinental hotel in Barcelona opens a 2,000 m² garden and urban orchard, after an investment of 20 million euros and a year after its opening.
The hotel is consolidating its position as the most popular place to stay for members of important soccer clubs, executives at business events and big music stars performing at the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys or at the Palau Sant Jordi.
To celebrate its first anniversary, it recorded an average occupancy rate of 74%. Its strong niche is congresses and corporate events.
It is located at the confluence of Rius i Taulet and Lleida streets, in Montjuïc (former Hotel Fira Palace, later converted into Crowne Plaza).
By October 2021 it was reborn as Intercontinental Barcelona and its reopening included the remodeling of the complex.
Therefore, the construction of a garden and an urban orchard in the inner courtyard of the building was brought forward.
New urban garden and orchard
The new garden was built on top of the roof of the hotel’s convention rooms and has a triple purpose.
Vegetable cover
The green roof installed over the four meeting rooms will bring energy savings of 30%. Thanks to it, less cooling of the rooms will be required during the summer and less heating in winter. The garden creates a thermal layer that will help save on electricity bills.
2. Aesthetics
The garden has served a second purpose and that is to improve the aesthetics and presentation of the hotel. In this sense, a grayish inner courtyard was replaced by a showy garden. These views can be appreciated by guests and neighbors.
3. Biodiversity
The project contributes to improving urban biodiversity, as it is in line with the city’s municipal plan to fill the rooftops of buildings with green.
The garden is equipped with drip irrigation and a very particular night lighting. In addition, it is composed exclusively of Mediterranean plants. Insect hotels were also installed to promote diversity.
The urban garden
Part of the project is occupied by an urban garden in which lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, eggplants, aromatic plants, among other vegetables, have already begun to be grown this past summer.
These vegetables even supply the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant, Quirat, under the direction of chef Víctor Torres. Aromatic plants are also used in the establishment’s cocktail bar (Gebre).
The hotel has the most spacious rooms in Barcelona. In fact, the smallest is 42 square meters.
The renovated 170 sqm presidential suite has been occupied more than 20 times over the past five months.
On the other hand, 85% of the Intercontinental Barcelona’s guests are foreign visitors, mainly American, British, French or Middle Eastern nationals.
