The classy, exceptionally popular coastal city of Sitges has long been a popular Spanish tourist destination, with many domestic second-home owners choosing this area. It is loved for its laid back and open-minded atmosphere, Sitges is also home to a large LGBTQ+ community, boasting the world’s first gay beach opened in Sitges in 1930!

I had the pleasure of staying in Hotel ME by Melia Sitges. Situated on the beach in a quiet location 2km from the town centre (which makes for a beautiful stroll with a sea breeze once the temperature starts to cool for dinner time) The rooms are large and bright and all have private balconies most with sea views. The hotel boast 3 restaurants, and I must say for a large hotel I was very impressed with the standard of food. The ME brand is very much a concept for which the food plays into expect favourite dishes included a seafood paella from the main restaurant which was traditional and perfect, and a chicken truffle and green pepper sandwich from the beach bar as well as a variety of dietary appeasing options- ideal for many of our existing clients and the varied modern day diets.

Whilst not skimping on luxury the atmosphere and décor of the hotel is bohemian and trendy, and would not look out of place in Ibiza. The rooftop bar was privately rented for the week by a famous car manufacturer as it was an excellent choice for a Corporate event, we would definately recommend this hotel for any company considering a product launch. Especially in light of COVID-19 health and safety requirements: External networking space here proved ideal.

Moving on to the town its itself. Sitges is a small maze of dainty streets awash with Mediterranean charm. Some streets are white and decorated with blue tiles and mosaic and at times I felt as though I were on a Greek island. It is July and the Spanish summer is in full swing so you WON’T need a jacket. However being so close to the sea front the breeze in constant and the town was clearly carefully crafted to take the edge off high temperatures. If you love tapas and are partial to a cocktail or two then there’s another bonus to your stay in Sitges! There a so many quaint bars a restaurants to choose from and many exceptional ‘Pintxos’ spots. For fresh tapas I would highly recommend “13 Llunes” the cerviche is to die for. From the outside it may not look much but once you walk through the small abode a curt yard awaits, perfectly lit which a romantic feel. Everything about this place is local and authentic so have your Catalan language book handy. I was also surprised to see an abundance of multi-cultural restaurants, from middle eastern to Asian. Something you would expect to experience only in big cities, another great benefit to corporate event, bound to include many differing taste buds and preferences. My favourite restaurant in the city would have to be “Mama’s picanteria” where I experienced the best mezze platter of my life (to date).

Aside from eating and drinking there is undoubtedly an abundance of things to do in Sitges, I’m not much of a shopper but found it hard to resist the many boutiques. The Catalan décor seems to be flavour of the month right now, so if wicker furniture, indoor plants, and woven art work are your thing you will be in your element! Sitting beneath rolling hill Sitges is a great base to do trail running or hiking. There are so many options with lots of natural protected sites nearby. I enjoyed a rustic costal route which allowed me to discover beautiful coves and empty beaches. I also considered paddle board yoga after watching the activity from the hotel balcony, but decided I may spend more time splashing around than meditating on my paddle board. (It did look fun though!)

Think traditional cooking workshops, IPAD challenges, water sports, Cava & other wine experiences, shows & performances and also the famous Carnival depending on the time of year you would be attending.

There is just so much that this location has to offer for your next business trip and especially if you have a busy schedule, take comfort in the ability to hop on the train to Barcelona very easily cheaplyand quickly! If you are traveling to Barcelona on business consider Sitges where its possible to complete your meetings in the morning and relax with your team or privately in the afternoon.

We look forward to putting together our next corporate retreat here.