Grand Hyatt Barcelona to Join RIU Plaza Line on April 1, 2027
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RIU will take over management of the 465-room Barcelona hotel on April 1, 2027. Hyatt bookings remain available beyond the handover date.
Barcelona’s 465-room Grand Hyatt is set to leave Hyatt’s portfolio on April 1, 2027, when RIU Hotels & Resorts takes over management and adds the property to its Riu Plaza urban line. The change puts a major hotel near Camp Nou under a new brand, while bookings on Hyatt’s website currently extend beyond the handover date.
The hotel’s name has changed before. It became Grand Hyatt Barcelona in April 2024, after operating with Hyatt since 2018 as Hotel Sofia, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. The property is still listed on Hyatt’s website, including for stays after April 1, 2027. That means guests considering a reservation around or beyond the transition should pay attention to how their booking is handled as the date approaches.
A large property with meeting space
RIU says it has acquired the historic Hotel Princesa Sofia from Blasson Property Investments and BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts. The hotel stands on Avenida Joan XXIII, one block from Avenida Diagonal, in the Les Corts–Pedralbes district. The site is beside Camp Nou and the CaixaBank headquarters, and faces the Jardines de las Infantas and several University of Barcelona campuses.
The property has 465 rooms across 19 floors. It also includes one of Barcelona’s largest event and meeting centres, according to RIU. That combination gives the change significance beyond the hotel’s room inventory: the operator will take on a substantial venue for both overnight stays and meetings. RIU says the property will become the 14th hotel in its Riu Plaza line, which already has hotels in cities including London, New York and Chicago.
RIU CEO Luis Riu described Barcelona as a strategic priority for the company since it launched the Riu Plaza line in 2010. He said the company had sought an opportunity to invest in the city for more than a decade and compared the project’s intended commitment with its Hotel Riu Plaza de Madrid, which he called the company’s best-known asset.
What the change means for Hyatt bookings
The practical question for guests is whether a reservation made through Hyatt will remain valid after the hotel changes operators and brands. The source article says paid reservations are generally honored when a hotel changes flags, except when the property closes for renovations. It also cautions that award reservations are less certain. Neither point guarantees how this specific hotel will handle each booking, so guests with stays after April 1 should watch for direct updates about their reservation.
Hyatt’s site continuing to accept bookings past the change date adds uncertainty for travelers planning to use points. The source article argues that Hyatt should stop offering award stays beyond the handover, but does not report that the company has made such a change. For now, availability on the site indicates that reservations can be made; it does not, by itself, explain how those stays will be accommodated once RIU begins management.
The article also points to a limited relocation option within Hyatt’s Barcelona portfolio. Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower is described as being outside the city and closer to the airport, rather than a like-for-like replacement in the same part of Barcelona. That distinction may matter to guests whose plans depend on staying near Les Corts, Camp Nou or the city’s central business and visitor areas.
RIU’s first Barcelona hotel
The acquisition gives RIU its first hotel in Barcelona, according to the company’s account of the transaction. Management is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2027. The change is therefore both a new city entry for RIU and the end of Grand Hyatt branding at a property that has carried Hyatt affiliation since 2018.
RIU says aCapital brokered the transaction for the buyer, while Eastdil and Colliers represented the seller. Its announcement identifies Blasson Property Investments and BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts as the hotel’s previous owners.
Guests with future bookings will need clear guidance on whether their reservation stays with Hyatt, transfers to RIU or requires another arrangement. The handover date is known, but the available details do not settle those booking questions. Until the companies provide more specific instructions, the key dates are simple: Hyatt’s current listing remains online, and RIU is due to take over management on April 1, 2027.
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