This year 2026 we celebrate 200 years in the world of hospitality
In 2026, our Malagarriga family celebrates 200 years of hotel tradition, as certified by a diploma issued in 1826 by the Guild of Innkeepers and Taverners of Barcelona, admitting our ancestor Mr. Francisco Malagarriga y Munné as a full member, grandson of Master Mr. Cristóbal Malagarriga y Porta. The title of Master indicated a qualified position within the profession. Since then, generation after generation, hospitality and a vocation for service have been a way of life for our family.
Two hundred years later, we continue to practice the same craft: to welcome, to care and to serve.
We share in this blog a small part of our history. For a more detailed version, we invite you to read it on our website.
The family and the Hotel Continental: vocation, resilience and city
At the end of the 19th century, the Gran Continental was already an emblematic place in Plaza de Catalunya, a meeting point for Barcelona’s society and for those visiting the city.
In 1931, the first-category Hotel Continental was inaugurated, promoted by Francisco Malagarriga Fabra. The hotel offered all the comforts of the time and unique spaces such as the Arab salon. In 1932, the innovative Bar Automatic was also inaugurated, ahead of its time, with a self-service system using specially minted coins and a modern aesthetic designed by the architect Manuel Cases.
The hotel experienced times of splendour as well as complex moments. During the Spanish Civil War, it was confiscated and turned into a place of peace. In those years, the writer George Orwell stayed there with his wife. Later on, the establishment once again became a meeting point for personalities from the cultural and sports worlds, and it hosted gatherings of Futbol Club Barcelona.
In 1983, after the passing of José María Malagarriga Miralbell, Pilar Vallet took over the management with two children aged 13 and 12: José María and Pili. Her strength, creativity and capacity for hard work were decisive in sustaining and renovating the facilities. In 1992, on the occasion of the Olympic Games, the establishment regained its category as a three-star hotel.
Our history has been a story of perseverance and vocation.
The dream of Hotel Continental Palacete
In 1997, a newspaper advertisement changed the course of our history: “Palacete for sale.” It referred to the House of Paulina Fabra, built in 1863 and later moved stone by stone to Rambla de Catalunya with the development of the Eixample.
The building, in Versailles style, was in very poor condition. Where many saw a problem, Pilar saw a possible dream. The palacete was acquired in 1999 and, after three years of intense restoration, opened its doors as a hotel in March 2002.
Thus was born Hotel Continental Palacete, a small architectural jewel restored for the city. Together with Hotel Continental Barcelona, it is now part of a family legacy that combines history, character and a distinctive hallmark, such as the free 24-hour buffet available every day of the year.
Thank you for walking by our side
None of this would have been possible without the trust of those who have stayed with us.
Thank you to every person who has chosen our rooms, who has shared conversations at reception, who has celebrated a journey, a reunion or a special moment under our roofs. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your story.
And thank you, in a very special way, to all the people who have worked and continue to work in our hotels. Their professionalism, commitment and humanity have been and continue to be the true heart of the project. They are the ones who have made it possible to persevere in difficult times and to grow in times of opportunity.
A future full of good moments
Celebrating 200 years is not only about looking back. It is, above all, about reaffirming our will to continue creating memories.
We want the future to be a testimony of many good moments shared. We want our halls to continue filling with life, conversations and music. The well-known Intimate Sessions at the Continental Palacete, with concerts in a close and diverse format, are an example of this desire to open our spaces to culture and emotion.
We are still here, two centuries later, with the same essence: authentic hospitality, commitment to Barcelona and a passion for welcoming.
Thank you for being part of these 200 years. The best tribute to our history is to continue writing it together with you.
