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The Gran Hotel La Florida

The best panoramic views of Barcelona, Spain, are from Gran Hotel La Florida, located atop Mount Tibidabo. This luxury designer hotel has top class facilities and is located 300 meters above Barcelona. This hotel is truly a "view with a room". Gran Hotel La Florida is located atop Mount Tibidabo and has impressive panoramic views of the city of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. The luxury urban resort is situated 300 meters above Barcelona yet is only 7 km. from the city.

Over the years Ernest Hemingway, James Stewart, George Sanders, Rock Hudson, Princess Fabiola and the Prince of Belgium all stayed in the prestigious hotel, as did other more sinister characters such as Himmler and his enormous entourage.

In 2001 the Hotel La Florida  was refurbished with 3 goals:

1) Recuperate the antique decorative and structural elements of the old hotel;

2) Respect the natural environment in which the hotel is found; 

3) Improve the visual impact of the Hotel on mountain on which it sits.

British artists Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu have three works of art at Gran Hotel La Florida representing the three elements:

Earth: “ Brittany Granite Division”

Positioned at the hotels entrance this is a large natural granite sculpture split in two with a highly polished interior which gives the stone a mirror effect.

Light: “ Homage to Gaudi” Fibre Optics

This is a 27 meter high fiber optic work consisting of three interlaced cones which occupies the interior courtyard of the building.

Water: “ Archimedes Fountain”

This is a 17-metre high stainless steel Archimedes spiral water fountain found in the courtyard of the new wing of the hotel.

Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu also decorated the Penthouse Loft, not as an artistic statement but as a place to feel comfortable. The hotel has a total of 74 rooms and suites. Many rooms offer breathtaking panoramic views over the city of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. Some rooms have a private Jacuzzi and massive terrace gardens.

La Florida has a number of spacious terraces all with spectacular views. Within the lovely private gardens there is a 37m indoor–outdoor stainless steel swimming pool which offers amazing views of the city below. 

Gran Hotel La Florida has 2 conference rooms with a capacity for between 10 to 50 people. Situated within the hotel is Club Luna, a private nightclub where you can enjoy a cocktail or one of Europe’s best selections of fine cigars. Club Luna is also the best place in the city to enjoy live Jazz music.

 Other hotel services include: gift shops, limousine and guide services, valet service, parking, handicapped access rooms and mountain bike rental.

The address of Gran Hotel La Florida is: Crta Vallvidrera al Tibidabo, Barcelona, Spain

The average Room Tariff is US$250 - US$350

Other facilities are:

Snow Hotel

 Snow hotel will be opened on 26.1.2008 in Kemi², Finland with accommodation and charm. What make the Snow Castle stand apart from most other Ice and Snow properties is the proximity of it to the airport and the ease of access. If you can get to Kemi, you can get to the Snow Castle. "The Snow Hotel with its arctic surroundings is a unique place. It is an excellent way to experience the coldness of an arctic night. Temperature in the hotel rooms is approximately – 5 º C, but guests will have a good night sleep in a warm Ajungilak sleeping bag. There are 30 double rooms, 2 group rooms for five people and a suite."

 On the Northern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia the SnowCastle of Kemi is a magnificent example of the great talent and skills of local architects and their builders. Inside the towering walls of the SnowCastle  both children and adults can find unforgettable experiences. The Artwork of ice and snow with lights and sound effects is a delight for the age and soul in this wintry scenery.

 The first SnowCastle was a gift from  UNICEF in 1996 and the town of Kemi to all the children in the world. Everybody in Finland  knows what snow is, but the majority of children in the world have never seen or experienced snow. Still, snow is something that stimulates imagination of every children: what does snow looks like, feels like, taste like?

 SnowRestaurant will be opened on 26th January 2008. SnowRestaurant tables are made of ice and the seats are covered with reindeer skin. SnowRestaurant serves hot and cold drinks, lunch, snacks and naturally á la carte. From 27th January until 6th April the SnowRestaurant is open during the opening hours of the SnowCastle. Note: Lunch and dinner reservations must be made at least two days in advance. Don't just turn up hungry!

Guests of the SnowHotel have been able to enjoy of the new CastleLounge since December 2003. The lounge has been decorated using lappish materials. Clients may play games, watch tv or chat with friends and get to know new people before going to sleep. The lockers for clients luggage are also situated there as well as a cozy bar-cafeteria serving clients with warm drinks just before going to sleep.

The  Snow Castle is very much focussed on children and they play host to two colourful snowball characters. Arttu, the Genie of the Castle, is all childrens´ favourie since the first SnowCastle. Arttu comes from a valley far, far away, where snow never melts. He lives there with his wife Terttu and their two little snowballbabies Pilvi and Pyry. The Snowballfamily lives most of the year in their homevalley, but when SnowCastle opens its doors Arttu and Terttu come to Kemi.

Useful information to the guests of SnowCastle

- SnowCastle is situated within walking distance from local hotels and the railway station.

- Distance from the airport by car 10 minutes

- SnowCastle is a large area, SnowHotel, SnowRestaurant and SnowChapel are located inside the walls of the Castle.

- SnowCastle is open daily from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

- Toilets are located in the warm Reception House

The hotel address is: > >Oy LumiLinna Kemi, SnowCastle Ltd., Torikatu 2, Finland.

The Average Room Tariff is US$250 - US$350. And the numbers of rooms are 33.

The distance between the nearest airport >Kemi and the hotel is 10 minutes by car.

Other Facilities are:

NOTES:

1) Tibidabo is a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512 meters it is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola. Rising sharply to the north-west, it affords spectacular views over the city and the surrounding coastline.

There is an amusement park, a telecommunications tower (Torre de Collserola), and a Catholic church, the Temple de Sagrat Cor, at the top, all of which are visible from most of the city. Designed by Enric Sagnier, the church took 60 years to construct and is topped by a sculpture of the Sacred Heart by Josep Miret Llopart. The Amusement park is the oldest in Barcelona  and retains most of the original rides, some of which date to the turn of the 20th century.

Tibidabo can be reached by a funicular railway, by bus, and by car. The railway, built in 1901, was the first of its kind in Spain.

Origin of name

The name derives from the Latin Vulgate Bible verses:

· "…et dixit illi haec tibi omnia dabo si cadens adoraveris me" — "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9);

· "…et ait ei tibi dabo potestatem hanc universam et gloriam illorum quia mihi tradita sunt et cui volo do illa" — "All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it" (Luke 4:6).

This was said to Jesus by the devil as they looked down from an exceeding high mountain upon all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The name of the hill seems to be a reference to the view.

2) Kemi > >(Northern Sami: Giepma) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near of the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour.

Location on Finnish map

Kemi is located in the province of Lapland. The municipality has a population of 23,424 and covers an area of 91.96 km² of which 1.25 km² is water. The population density is 256.2 inhabitants per km².

The main economic activity in Kemi is centred on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio). A polytechnic university is also situated in Kemi.

Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year with a different architecture). The snowcastle is usually located at the inner harbour of Kemi.