HOTEL BRUMELL
CHISTIAN SCHALLERT
When I finished my economics study in Austria I came to Barcelona to learn some spanish. 17 years later I am still here. After running my own souvenir brand in Barcelona (turning my own photographs into postcards… and later T-shirts, swimmers,… ) for several years the time was ripe when I turned 30 to buy my own little apartment. It was literally little (24 m2) but it was the reason why I later startet Brummell. Why? The apartment was a big challenge to make it liveable and exciting… so I stumbled into the world of architecture and interior design by accident… but I realised how much I loved turning a place which had nothing into a place of desire. The apartment achieved fame due to a viral video on youtube (over 32 million clicks: Lego Apartment) and after that my short term rental business was born. Over 7 years I was running a tourist apartment business and learned to love receiving travellers from all over the world, doing check ins, organizing cleaning… it was almost like running a small hotel (at least that´s what I thought) In 2013 a friend called me and said she found an abandoned building right on the footsteps of Montjuic… old school architecture, sunny, very special and with huge potential… I took the chance. Fought for it as if there is no tomorrow. Created a convincing business plan and found financiation with private investors and the bank. After 16 months of refurbishment and 5 years running the hotel I could pay back the investors but I am still a slave to the bank. An incredible journey which I hope wont get stopped with this crazy epidemic.
WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS:
Big question. In general I am a very happy person. I grew up in beautiful Austria in my parents Café pastry ice cream place. A very happy perfect moment is eating a hand stirred Stracciatella Azzuro ice cream. Very happy I am always on hikes high up in the mountains and even more perfect if I am accompanied by my life partner Kiko.
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND?
I have been going through my wildest anxiety moments in my life since the Covid crises started. I am right in the middle of my life and empreneural very active. This isn’t the right time for someone so risk taking than I am. I have been very disappointed with the bad support and inadecuate government programs. But I am thankful for the time I could spend with my parents during the lockdown phase. Very unique and special. Now I am back on track. Working reception shifts at my partners country hotel in Puigcerda and multitask all sorts of things.
WHICH SUPER POWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE?
I d be thrilled to be able to go back in time. Is that a super power? Or no wait: I would like to be able to freeze time for as long as I want.
WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO LIVE?
I like very much where I live. Up in my Little house on Montjuic with views over Barcelona.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE COOKING BOOK?
The real bible for me is: PLACHUTTA – Die gute Küche If you ever go to Vienna you need to eat at Plachutta. Delicious austrian confort food!
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Living in the moment. I am beyong gratefull that I have a natural instinct to practice the NOW every day. I am not really a melancholic good old times person. When I am with a person then I am there 100%. I never take any telephone calls when I am conversating with someone. I am way too busy being attentive.
WHERE & WHOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE WITH?
I am sure some readers don´t understand because she has quite some haters but I would love to have a glass of wine on my terrace with Gwyneth Paltrow. I most like her entrepreneural way of thinking and am impressed what she did with her brand Goop. Apart from that: I am sure she s got some fun gossip stories too.
WHICH ONE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE OF ART?
The Bigger Splash from David Hockney. It is such a great piece of Pop Art. Love the simplicity, the architecture, 50ties Palm Spring, the color palette (my Barcelona home fasade I let paint in this exact same pastel pink color). I am still wondering who dived in that pool?!
WHAT OR WHO IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?
My boyfriend I am together for more then 10 years. I cannot imagine a better way to spend time when we are together. We are both very busy and dont see each other every day. Maybe this is the right formula. It Works.
WHAT IS THE LATEST RECORD THAT YOU HAVE LISTENED TO?
I am constantly listening to music. At Brummell we have created our own spotify channel together with the music agency MOVEMENT. The latest I have been listening to: Kendrick Lamar.
INSIDE TIP FROM BARCELONA?
Hike up Montjuic. Start Teatre Grec. Go up the stairs of the Jardines Laribal. Then enter (saturdays only) Jardins de Joan Maragall (Palauet Albéniz). Then top it to check out the newest expo at Fundacio Miró (the building itself is already worth a visit)
