The ME Barcelona hotel changes hands, but not operator. Turkish group Kaya has paid over €100 million for the 164-room property, as reported by Hosteltur, and Meliá will keep managing it. That classic split between ownership and management works well for Spanish hospitality.
The ME Barcelona opened in November 2021, after a six-year renovation, with 12,649 square meters and 3,000 of outdoor space. The deal lands in a strong half-year: hotel investment in Spain topped €2.53 billion, and Hosteltur highlights Barcelona as the leading market for profitability, with more than €160 million moved in hotel assets alone.
My take: Turkish money is eyeing Barcelona as a safe bet, and Meliá is doing the hard part, keeping the operation without locking up cash. The owner holds the asset, the operator brings brand and distribution. Short term, few better pieces of news for a city hotel than keeping the team.
Was this article useful?
The daily brief
One sharp travel-industry brief a day. Free.
Editorial content by Notitur. It may contain errors. Verify anything important with the original source.
This article may mention third-party products, companies or services for informational purposes. Notitur does not endorse them and is not responsible for them or for what they offer. Editorial content curated by the Notitur team.
Notitur is an independent digest. It is not the official site of any brand mentioned. Content is editorial and produced with AI assistance and editorial review, and may contain errors. Verify anything important with the original source. This is not financial, legal or investment advice. Some links or blocks may be sponsored or affiliate. Trademarks belong to their owners. You can unsubscribe at any time with one click, and you can request access or deletion of your data at notitur.com/contact.
The daily brief
One sharp travel-industry brief a day. Free.