Why You’ll Love This Vintage Hotel In Begur By Quintana Partners
The founders of Spain-based interior design studio Quintana Partners walk us through their newest project called La Bionda, a hip boutique hotel nestled in the picturesque town of Begur
In 2015, Spanish interior designer duo Benito Escat and Pol Castells founded Quintana Partners Studio. Headquartered in Barcelona, the studio specialises in residential projects with sustainable design at the heart of all projects.
Benito and Pol have similar design tastes, allowing them to work in partnership seamlessly. “We complement each other very well because we both contribute differently, such as one may see it from a purely aesthetic point of view and the other from a functional point of view,” expresses Benito. The duo personalise every project to cater to the client’s needs, while adding their own personal twist. “Thankfully, our clients trust us 100 per cent so we can be more creative,” adds Pol.
Their most recent project, called La Bionda, is a small boutique hotel of eight rooms located in Begur, Spain. The owner of the property, Carla Lloveras, used to vacation in the area with her friends and family and aspired to share the experience with guests who spent holidays in the stunning town.
The design of the space has been inspired by the 2014 comedy-drama movie The Grand Budapest Hotel. “We wanted to create the comfortable ambience of a large hotel with the privacy of an eight-room building,” explains Benito. Most of the hotel furniture is vintage and mainly sourced from Spain or the South of France, with the exception of the upholstery and fabrics. To reduce waste, the furniture is bought from European antique fairs, shops and auctions.
“We are absolutely addicted to using old pieces from antique shops to create a warm and friendly atmosphere,” admits Benito. “Each room corresponds with the personality of the woman to whom we have dedicated. Draped headboards, personable lamps and gracefully tuned vintage items are common in the different rooms.”
Carla highlights that the design process begins with storytelling. “Each room in La Bionda is named after obscure, influential women from the early 20th century. The hotel pays tribute to unsung heroes like Charlotte Cooper, the first woman to win the Olympic Games, fashion designer Emilie Flöge, author Caterina Albert and the dancer Carmen Amaya.”
The project took 15 months to complete. “We added modern facilities to the building, including solar panels and aerothermal climatisation, as we wanted the hotel to have sustainable energy,” reveals Pol. “We really enjoy long commercial and hospitality projects, especially when customers respond positively to our hard work.”
Currently, Quintana Partners is expanding business throughout Europe and also opening their second base in London.
Click here to learn more about their projects.
Images courtesy of the Quintana Partners
From the Winter 2020 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Interiors, The Art Issue