In the same way as they have done for the last couple of years, Barceló Hotel Group organised an event during ibtmworld aimed at hosted buyers, clients and collaborators. This event has become a classic for the sector professionals who attend the fair in Barcelona, one of the most important in Europe and the most important in the events industry in Spain.
The event fascinated everyone with the originality of the theme and the staging, but also because of the venue where it was organised. If you weren’t able to experience it in person, here we will tell you all about it and perhaps inspire you and provide ideas for your forthcoming events.
As in previous years, the hotel Barceló Sants was the host and exceeded all expectations yet again with a very special event. The theme was kept a secret until the last minute to surprise the more than 350 MICE professionals that attended.
The first surprise for the guests was that the event was held outdoors. On arrival, the guests found a village festival set up in the hotel car-park, but with an elegant vintage touch. These festivals are typical in the summer, and outdoor events are unusual at the end of autumn or in the winter, but thanks to the fact that Barcelona has a fairly mild climate, the mushroom-shaped patio heaters that were placed all around the area, the hot food served from food trucks and some blankets for those that still felt the cold, the guests were able to enjoy a very pleasant evening.
The ambience was created by a live jazz band and a picnic area was set up, along with market stalls selling clothes, jewellery and other items. The guests loved the idea of being able to order their food and then sit down and chat, some even took advantage of the opportunity to do some networking.
The food trucks were a sensation at the event, partly due to the catering team at the Barceló Sants hotel, who really pushed the boat out and provided a great variety of tapas and other dishes, carefully prepared using quality produce, with a beautiful yet informal presentation.
There is no doubt that the catering is one of the key elements at an event. For this reason an attractive format was decided upon with a great variety of choice. From classic pizzas and crêpes with chocolate spread to more elaborate creations like the “Popeye“ crêpe with raw spinach, parmesan, a balsamic reduction, pumpkin purée and seeds.
Of course, there were mini hamburgers, nachos and traditional tapas including croquettes and freshly carved ham, but also delights such as Nordic style blinis or the patisserie selection with a delicious rum baba. The cream of potato and bacon soup was also a great success as was to be expected at this time of year when hot soups and creams are particularly appreciated.
The artisan beers served at one of the bars were a highlight of the event, especially one called “La Ravalera“, created exclusively for the hotel Barceló Raval, which contributed to the budget for the event.
The hotel chain took advantage of the occasion to announce its new strategy, presenting the new brands of the Barceló Hotel Group created recently following the purchase of Occidental Hotels & Resorts.
The guests were also able to take a memento away with them, a Polaroid type photo that appeared from a printer after they had shared it on social media with the event hashtag #BarcelóBrandNew.
It was difficult to exceed the expectations already created by the galactic event held at the last edition of ibtmworld, but once more the Barceló Hotel Group manager to surprise and captivate the sector professionals.
We are excited to see what the surprise will be for next year, but in the meantime, we would love to hear about your experience if you were there, or for you to share any other ideas you may have for outdoor events.
No Comments