Spain topped our hotlist of the most popular destinations for luxury events and incentives in 2019 in our recent inSPIRE trends report, thanks to its plentiful sunshine, safety, ease of access and an ever-expanding portfolio of luxury hotels. From Barcelona to the Balearic Islands, new high-end properties are cropping up across the country, and we round up a selection of the best for #eventprofs to watch out for…

Madrid

The Spanish capital was the city of choice for Palladium Hotel Group’s new luxury brand Bless Collection Hotels to make its debut at the start of this year. Set on Calle de Velázquez, in the very heart of the fashionable Salamanca district, Bless Hotel Madrid has 111 stylishly appointed rooms, each of which features modern materials and a traditionally Madrilenian colour palette to evoke the warmth and sentiment of Madrid in the 1950s along with all of its contemporary charms.

Just this month, Pestana Plaza Mayor opened its doors in the heart of Madrid in a historical building that was the famous Casa de la Carniceria. Offering 89 rooms and suites, almost half of which face the Plaza Mayor square, the property features an elegant and contemporary design that pays tribute to its original architecture. There’s also a spa, rooftop swimming pool and two restaurants.

Pestana Plaza Mayor

Also joining Madrid’s rooftop club will be Marriott’s hip W brand, set to make its debut in the city this year. Located in Plaza de Canalejas square, W Madrid will offer 141 rooms, including 20 suites, a restaurant and roof terrace with a bar and swimming pool with views over the city.

The eagerly-anticipated Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is also expected to open later this year, housed in a series of heritage buildings comprising the Canalejas complex. It will offer 200 rooms, including 39 suites, four restaurants and bars including an expansive roof terrace, a cutting-edge Spa, stylish function spaces and luxury retail.

Barcelona

One of the ten hottest openings in 2019, as name-checked by the luxury event planners surveyed for our inSPIRE trends report, Nobu Hotel Barcelona is accepting bookings from 1 September this year.

Nobu Hotel Barcelona Main Lobby (PRNewsfoto/Nobu Hospitality)

Secluded from the busy streets of Barcelona, the hotel is located close to the charming neighbourhood Eixample. It will offer 259 sleek and spacious accommodations, an elegant spa and gym, thoughtfully tailored meeting and event spaces, the world-class Nobu Restaurant, and Kozara- a Japanese inspired tapas bar, along with panoramic views of the city and the sea.

US boutique brand Kimpton is also Barcelona bound this year. Located in the city’s Gothic Quarter, Kimpton Barcelona will feature 156 rooms, as well as an all-day dining restaurant and a rooftop swimming pool with unparalleled views of the city. The neighbourhood, full of trendy boutiques and restaurants, provides the perfect base to explore all the city has to offer.

Balearic Islands

Over in the Balearic Islands, Mallorca and Ibiza are both seeing a boom in luxury hotel openings. Finca Serena (main picture) opened this Spring in Mallorca offering 25 rooms and suites in a 100-acre estate featuring olive trees, cypresses, lavender, lemon trees and pines, a dedicated wellbeing space complete with an indoor pool, sauna, hammam and fitness centre. Its restaurant Jacaranda offers panoramic views over the countryside and serves dishes using fresh produce from the estate’s three vegetable gardens.

El Llorenç Hotel

Meanwhile, set to open in Palma’s Old Town, El Llorenç Hotel, Parc de la Marwill feature 33 rooms and suites, two swimming pools, a rooftop bar a restaurant and a spa.  The interiors have been created by leading Swedish designer, Magnus Ehrland, combining design elements from the island with Moorish motifs, dark wood latticework and Arabic/Mallorcan tiling.

Another property on our hotlist of most-anticipated openings for luxury event planners in 2019, is W Ibiza. The 162-room property will be located in the buzzing beachside neighbourhood of Santa Eulalia del Río, close to Ibiza’s beaches, nightclubs and rural inland attractions.

W Ibiza

It will be joined by the second property in the Bless Hotels portfolio, set to open on an exclusive beachfront location in Cala Nova, part of the municipality of Santa Eulària des Riu in June. Bless Hotel Ibiza will offer 151 rooms and suites each with elegant décor inspired by Coco Chanel, a sky lounge, a pool bar, two infinity pools, a spacious convention centre and high-end gastronomic experience at 10 Michelin star winner Chef Martín Berasategui’s signature restaurant, Etxeko.