The Agbar Tower will no longer be a hotel

Merlin Properties has acquired Barcelona's Agbar Tower for 142 million euros to be used in offices, leaving behind the initial plan to turn this unique building into a luxury hotel.

The Barcelona City Council has explained that selling the Torre Agbar and, consequently, not building a hotel, is "strictly a decision of the developer" of the building. The municipal government has stated that "until now" has been "reviewing the license" and "analyzing that it conforms to current regulations," as "in any other project."

In fact, as reported HOSTELTUR tourism news in Hotel de la Torre Agbar and six other projects will continue in Barcelona, the council detailed in February that the project was not affected by the moratorium.

Nevertheless, from CiU they accuse the municipal government of having put obstacles to the hotel project. The councilor of the municipal group of CiU in Barcelona City Council Jordi Martí has lamented that "Barcelona sends the world a message that in the Catalan capital are not welcome investments of international capital" and that promote "a quality tourism sector."

The councilman has considered it "striking" that the municipal government "put all the obstacles in the world to prevent the installation of five-star hotels," while "granting a license without problems" to build a hostel in the Poblenou neighborhood.