“Yep. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Lisa shook his hand. “This is Stella, my girlfriend.”
“Hello, and welcome to Sitges.” Rad looked down at the puppies and chuckled. “Hello, guys. I see you’ve brought the whole family along.”
“I figured as the building is closed, it wouldn’t matter that much.” Lisa smiled. “Is it okay if they come in with us? If not, Stella can grab a coffee somewhere with them.”
“No, that’s not a problem. It was always a dog friendly hostel to begin with anyway.” Rad unlocked the door and switched on the lights. “We’ve turned the electricity back on this week as it’s too dark for viewings with the windows boarded up. I was actually planning on reopening after the pandemic, but it just dragged on and eventually I decided to sell as I was losing too much money on it.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Lisa said.
“It’s okay. I have two other hostels in Barcelona so it’s easier for me to centralise my business and look at other options there. Sitges was never ideal for the backpackers’ market; it’s a little more upscale here and that’s not my expertise.”
They took in the reception area that was basic but spacious. It led to a communal dining area from which doors opened up to a back terrace with a spectacular ocean view.
“This is nice,” Lisa said, continuously snapping pictures on her phone. “I like the unobstructed view. Have you ever tried to get planning permission for ocean facing balconies?”
“Yes, they were already in place when I bought the building, but with it being a hostel I figured one communal outdoor space would be sufficient so we could keep the prices down.” Rad pointed up to the second and third floors as they walked further out into the garden. “There are six large sleeping dorms, three on each floor, and there are also six shared bathrooms so the plumbing can easily be extended should you want to create separate rooms.” He turned to the pool. “It looks a bit sorry for itself now that it’s empty and filled with leaves, but it’s only five years old and still in good condition.”
“It’s a lovely outdoor space,” Stella said, hoping her enthusiasm would rub off on Lisa. Sure, she genuinely liked it, but most of all, she wanted Lisa to convince Diego to take it on.
“Yes, it’s great. Lots of opportunity to put in a swanky bar and a barbecue area. I’m thinking high-end but charming with romantic touches and lots of flowers. With plenty of entertainment options, this will be perfectly tailored to the LGBTQ market. After all, people come here for fun and to mingle, not for a solitary spa break. Lots of communal areas would be good, maybe a big hot tub…” Lisa walked to the edge of the cliff and stared down over the hedge. “Replace the hedge with a glass wall and it will be even more spectacular,” she continued. “It’s incredible how secluded it feels back here considering it’s only a five-minute stroll from the bars.”
“I get the feeling you’re into this,” Stella said with a grin.
“I am. And from the look on your face, I think you are too.” Lisa turned to Rad. “Could we have a look upstairs? I’d like to see the view from up there.”
73
“Here’s to El Escondite being a huge success.” Marcy raised her glass and clinked it with Lisa’s.
“Let’s hope so.” Lisa let out a long sigh. She was exhausted and hadn’t been able to sleep in the past few nights. They had rushed to get everything ready for the Calvo Group’s pre-opening dinner, but now the relief of seeing how everything had come together was giving her a buzz. “I’d better not drink too much; they’ll be here soon.”
The interior designer had just left and the hostess, a bartender and three waiters were getting dressed in the staff room to serve Diego and his team.
“We still have some time to enjoy the calm before the storm. And it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed working on this project with you.”
“Same here. If you’re interested, there will probably be another one to come.” Lisa lowered her voice to a whisper. “But this is off the record; nothing’s been set in stone yet.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, Mr Calvo is talking about revamping a hostel in Sitges. They’re just waiting to finalise everything with the bank. In fact, I have a feeling there may be an announcement tonight.”
“Cool. I’d love to work with you again. Building the same blocks of flats was getting a little boring so this has been a breath of fresh air. I do have a project booked in right after this one though, so I’ll have to see if I can make it work, should it come to that.” Marcy rolled up the sleeves of her blue shirt and opened the top two buttons, fanning her face with her hand. “God, I hate formal wear.”
“Is that what you call formal wear?” Lisa laughed, glancing at Marcy’s faded jeans and shirt. She was dressed smart casual herself in white linen trousers and a navy boatneck top as it seemed fitting for a poolside dinner, and she’d been to the hairdresser for a cut and blow dry and splurged on new heels.
“It’s as formal as it goes for me,” Marcy said with a grin. “Is Zoe stressed out of her mind in there?” She pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “I bet she is.”
“Not at all, actually. She’s calm and composed and she promised everything is under control.” Lisa smiled. “They’re playing classical music in the kitchen. That’s quite unusual, don’t you think?”
“It’s weird if you ask me.” Marcy turned when Zoe walked out with a small tray.
“Did I hear my name?”
“We were just saying that it’s unusual to have classical music in a kitchen,” Lisa said.
“Yes, it is, but I find it very useful. It keeps my team calm, and it helps us get into a certain flow while we’re working; it’s almost like dancing through the courses.”
