In the most recent edition of Dan Nevsky’s bartender column, he bemoaned the number of bar trade shows flooding the calendar. He said it makes attendance difficult for bartenders while brands struggle both logistically and financially to support them. His solution was to invite consumers. Invite them to learn about drinks, brands and cocktail bars but, unlike bartenders, let them pay to do so. However, Barcelona Hotel Bar Week is ahead of the curve.

The event made its debut in September and provided an opportunity for both bartenders and consumers to experience the best drinks in the best hotels across a city where independent bars take the limelight. Sips and Paradiso are household names compared to those of the Mandarin Oriental or the Intercontinental, yet the hotels’ participation shows a willingness to change that perception.

“There are so many great hotels with amazing bars in Barcelona, but they don’t get anywhere near as much attention as they should and we want to bridge the gap,” says Bianca Grisolia, BHBW organiser. “The response to the first edition of Barcelona Hotel Bar Week has been overwhelming.”

Consumer engagement

In total, 25 hotel bars took part, and as part of the week-long event, each bar created both a signature cocktail and a low-abv serve, available for €12. Part of the consumer engagement involved a passport, which gets stamped at each bar visited – a World Cup sticker book for cocktail lovers.

Grisolia adds: “We set out to shine a spotlight on the incredible hotel bar scene in Barcelona, and the enthusiasm from both the bars and the public has exceeded all expectations. The city has truly embraced this initiative.”

It’s no secret that hotel bars are investing big budgets into their bar programmes, which further strengthens the potential of BHBW. Brand interest was evident with the likes of Ketel One, Matusalem, Bushmills and Barsol Pisco all sponsoring the opening party held at the Cotton House Hotel. Other events taking place throughout the week included a takeover at the same hotel by Salvatore Calabrese and his team from The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel in London.

“I think it’s a clever idea because even some of the best hotel bars in the world are undervalued in some cities,” says Calabrese. “Barcelona has lots of the big hotel chains, but nobody knows the bars, which is a shame. I’d love to see this kind of initiative roll out to other cities around the world.”

While participation focused on hotel bars, it wasn’t exclusive and local bars such as Dr Stravinsky and Paradiso took part in the educational programme across the week. Seminars and roundtables were hosted covering a range of topics, including career paths in hospitality and the culture of leadership – in total there were 60 events during the seven days.

Not only did BHBW provide a voice for top hotel bars, it built a relationship between them and the local bar scene.

And, while Nevsky’s point about a congested calendar of bar shows carries weight, BHBW provided a crossover between the bar trade and consumers while simultaneously tapping into a hungry hotel bar scene.

The product therefore, makes a lot of sense and, as Calabrese suggests, it’s easy to imagine the same concept popping up in cities around the world, particularly those where independent bars outshine hotels.