Talk about fresh eyes. When the former banker turned hotelier and investor José María Trénor looked at the hotel market in Barcelona in 2007, he saw a big gap in the lifestyle sector. What he didn’t see was any need to fill it with another haven of self-conscious cool or an ultra-slick boutique offer. His inspiration? The budget airline business.
“Travelling was no longer something for rich people only. A new segment of young travelers had taken over. They were looking for the cheapest options and buying their tickets online,” Trénor says. “Equally importantly, they were making those decisions with a lot of travel knowledge. They spent hours searching the net or reading magazines. The Barcelona hotel market really had nothing to offer them.”
Once that realization dawned, the backbone of the Praktik concept was born. There was no question that Trénor would have to tick all the boxes for those budget-conscious but savvy travelers to bite. Step one was channeling the need for each hotel to be unique into playful designs that capitalize on the “happy” that Trénor built into his list of brand descriptors (he also adds location, affordable, stylish and experience).
Guests checking into the aptly named Hotel Praktik Garden might get a view of lush greenery, but they’ll also encounter a cheeky rendition of the concept – a value-engineered “garden” of potted plants behind the desk. Hotel Praktik Bakery breaks new ground for travelers looking for an authentic, local hotel experience. Instead of entering via the usual staid reception area, guests open the door to Hotel Praktik Bakery and step into a fully functional artisanal bakery run by one of the city’s best-loved bakers, Anna Belsolá, who heads the city’s Baluard Bakery.
Marching to his own beat since Praktik’s inception in 2007 and the development of five hotels in Spain, Trénor is setting his sights on a bigger stage. “We should be in every important city in the world,” he says.
Editor’s note: This profile is part of HOTELS’ first People Issue, which highlights a dozen up-and-coming hoteliers.