Hotel Brummell: The Reward of Taking Risks
A few months ago, METAL celebrated its tenth anniversary at Hotel Brummell. This boutique hotel captivated us from the start, making it the perfect venue for such a special event. Today, Christian, its owner, welcomes us in the courtyard with a big smile to share what brought him here. This hotel, where he has poured his life, represents the culmination of a journey in search of an ambitious creative project where he could invest all his ideas. This is the Brummell mark imprinted on every wall of the hotel: distinction, design, personality, and care.
Why Hotel Brummell?
The hotel’s name is always a special choice as it tells us a bit more about its character. Why Hotel Brummell? It was suggested by Crick King from Federal Café, one of the interior designers we worked with. When he proposed it, I thought it sounded very interesting. He explained that the name referred to a historical figure from the 18th-19th century, Lord Brummell, who could be considered the first dandy, a very detail-oriented man with a keen interest in fashion. It’s said that he took five hours to dress and cleaned his shoes with champagne. We immediately liked the name and identified with that attention to detail and the fashion link without being overly trendy.
Is the Hotel What You Dreamed Of?
It’s been just over a year since your grand opening. Can you say you have the hotel you dreamed of or had in mind? Indeed, April marked a year since the opening. Yes, I could say that I have the hotel I wanted almost from day one. Perhaps I would have liked more rooms, as we only have twenty, but this way, we can take better care of our guests and offer good service. Looking back, I might change a few things, but they are minor, decorative details, nothing major. Running the hotel is an impressive experience, a daily challenge that keeps us refining the Brummell concept and brand.
From Economics Graduate to Hotel Owner
Explain to us, how does an economics graduate from a small town in Austria end up owning a hotel in Barcelona? How did you arrive in the city? I’ve been in Barcelona for thirteen and a half years, but in a way, I’ve always been connected to the city through my best friend, Verónica Blume. She moved here with her family when we were nine, we kept in touch, and my family and I often visited them. At 19, we decided to spend a few days in Barcelona. Walking through Plaza Catalunya, the Gothic Quarter, its narrow streets, I fell completely in love with the city. That’s when I realized I wanted to live in Barcelona and learn Spanish. So, in 2003, I arrived in Barcelona, took a three-week Spanish course, and went job hunting. I got a job in a café on Via Laietana, and I couldn’t have been happier. That period in my life in Barcelona was very lively; I was everywhere: all the concerts, festivals, openings… I knew from the start that I wanted to do a project, I hadn’t studied economics to work in a bank.
Diving Into Your Own Projects
When did you start diving into your own projects? I spent six months at that café until I felt I could manage better with the language. I also knew I wanted to do something creative and visual. It was important for me to create a solid project that would sustain me, so I started with the idea of postcards with my photographs of Barcelona, Urbarna, inspired by Martin Parr’s photography—spontaneous photos with a touch of humor. I started small, but since it didn’t make enough money, I decided to scale up. This meant larger displays and bigger venues. With a lot of hard work, I managed to push it forward until I was selling in eighty stores. The project continues today with my photos because it was something I didn’t want to leave.
From Postcards to a Hotel
How did you go from postcards to a hotel? There was a key moment in my life: one day, leaving the office, I saw a sign for a small attic for sale in the Born. I was 29 and wanted my own place, the start of adult life. I saw the flat, and it was a real mess, but the potential was tremendous: seventh floor with incredible views. I began envisioning a summer shack on the terrace and an outdoor shower, and I started fantasizing about the project.
The Challenge of Renovations
Renovations don’t scare you, do they? No, I actually enjoy them a lot. Buying that flat was the start of everything because I learned to take risks with these kinds of projects. I knew I could lose everything, and even the architects advised against it, saying the structure was a disaster. In the end, I bought it anyway, and the Italian architect Barbara Apolloni handled the renovation. We went crazy, but it was worth it; in the end, it turned out to be such a fun project that Kirsten Dirksen, a filmmaker who makes videos of small apartments worldwide, contacted me to showcase my apartment. Her video was a hit: it now has about 23 million views on YouTube.
Was That the Beginning of Everything?
It was indeed my big leap because I learned how to renovate an apartment. Then I started renting the flat on weekends when I was away through Airbnb, which wasn’t very popular yet, and because of the YouTube video, many people became interested in the flat. Eventually, I decided to move to a bigger place and rent it out fully. It went very well, and gradually, friends of mine from Madrid who had flats in Barcelona offered me to manage their rentals until I found myself managing fifteen apartments. So, I had to organize everything properly, with a cleaning team, a booking team, and check-in staff; in a way, it was like running a hotel but in different locations around the city.
The Step to Brummell
In 2013, a friend called me, saying she was in Poble Sec looking at a building in an interesting location, next to Montjuïc, very sunny, in bad condition but perfect for me. I didn’t hesitate, took my bike, and went to see it. I saw it and knew I had to invest in it. I immediately started working on a business plan.
Good Thing You Studied Economics
Yes, and what I realized at first was that I couldn’t be the investor. It was a lot of money. But I quickly changed my mind. When I started looking for investors, I saw that the project was very interesting and that no one hesitated to invest. I began to rethink: it was my project, I had to take the risk. Also, as I said at the beginning, I didn’t want to end up working for someone else. So, I called my parents, explained the situation, and we invested everything in this hotel.
The Renovation Process
How was the renovation process? It was madness. In the end, I had bought a plot with a beautiful facade, and everything else was a complete disaster. We had to rebuild it completely. Imma Rábano was the architect in charge of the renovation. She is very good at structures, and that’s precisely what I needed, someone who knew very well how to build a building.
Attention to Detail
The hotel clearly shows that attention to detail we talked about earlier. Exactly. When we started working on the interior design with Crick King, we made many custom furniture drawings, and six months before opening, we went to Sri Lanka to buy much of the furniture. We were looking for a tropical modernism atmosphere, like the buildings of architect Geoffrey Bawa that influenced us so much: the use of the courtyard, concrete, and the search for a timeless, unpretentious design, without losing sight of the Mediterranean touch we wanted. The truth is that the interior design team, especially Crick, who is very minimalist, helped me combat this Pinterest fever I have, because I like everything and am very chaotic. He achieved this “less is more” base that has contributed so much to the hotel.