For our second interview for the fourth set of interviews with coliving owners in Spain, we have prepared a coworking and coliving space from Andalusia. And not just from anywhere, but from the center of beautiful Granada.
This 16th-century renovated house with the traditional Andalusian patio and views of Alhambra will show you the best of this historical southern-Spanish city.
Enjoy drinks and tapas, and explore Alahmbra’s magnificent greenery on your next workation while staying in Alh’Patio.
How it all started
“A new reality is being written as we speak. We’re never going to go back to how the world was before the pandemic, and frankly, I think it’s a time of innovation, expansion, and opportunity”
-Kirby Rosplock
1. When and why did you decide to open Alh’Patio?
– Long story! I was working in France for a hotel. Then covid arrived and I just realised that my life wasn’t in France anymore.
And when I saw everyone working remotely, I thought about it. Why not a hotel with a coworking!?
I went to see my uncle and propose to him to enter into this adventure, and a few weeks later we were in Spain looking for a place! And here we are!
2. Have you ever stayed in some other similar accommodation before you decided to open your own?
– I have worked in hotels, hostels, and campsites in the past, with jobs going from animating activities to receptionist or hotel director. So, I do have some experience.
I also have travelled quite a bit in several countries. All this has given me experience and an idea of what I like and don’t like when it comes to the hostelry.
3. Do you remember your beginnings and what was the most difficult for you when you started?
– I think that, because I’m a young woman, nobody at the beginning was paying attention and taking me seriously, for example, the bankers, the owners, etc. They were all looking at my uncle when they were speaking to us.
So, it was difficult to establish my position in front of all, especially men older than me. But I believe that now they know who they are talking to, and I have their respect.
4. Is there something that you wished you knew before you launched Alh’Patio?
– Because I’ve always worked in hotels and big brands, there was always someone who was in charge of the website. I didn’t know how search engines and websites work. That was like another language to learn for me!
5. Have you had the opportunity to visit some other coliving places since you opened Alh’Patio?
– When I travel, I try to go and visit and talk to the people who run coliving spaces. We never know if that would help one of my customers.
6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain/Granada for opening your coliving space there?
– I wanted to go to Spain. I asked my uncle where he wanted to go because I was free to move everywhere. And he told me, Granada. And we found this amazing house! So that was brilliant!
7. What is your relationship with other coliving/coworkings in Spain?
– I’m following several colivings on Instagram, and as I said, when I’m traveling, I’m doing my best to contact the owner and visit the place.
Management
“It’s all about being a part of something in the community, socializing with people who share interests, and coming together to help improve the world we live in.“
-Zach Braff
8. What type of management do you practice at Alh’Patio?
– We are a perfect team, my uncle and I.
I stay most of my time in the coworking doing computer work, administration, emails, marketing, etc.!
And my uncle is the one who will fix things, maintain the house and help the clients! He is also a lover of culture and history so he loves to tell our customers all about Granada’s rich history!
9. How much are you involved in the community and daily activities at Alh’Patio? Do you consider yourself an equal part of the community?
– I’m working every day in the coworking space with them. We sometimes have lunch or grab a beer in a bar after work.
I want to be part of the community and not the „owner “.
10. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your place? And what approach do you practice when organizing those events?
– Because it’s private apartments, the people are indeed more independent; this is not like other colivings where you do everything with the others.
But we organise a lunch from time to time, and if not, Granada has a lot of events so I invite them to grab a beer. But for sure I’m always free to organise an expedition!
Community
“True Hospitality is welcoming the stranger on her own terms.“
-Henri Nouwen
11. What is the profile of people most likely to stay at Alh’Patio?
– We have every kind of people; couples, singles, from 23 to 50 years old. We try to make it very welcoming for everyone.
12. What is the motivation behind people choosing Alh’Patio?
– Most people staying in Alh’Patio for more than a month are digital nomads, people doing workation. We also have digital nomads who stay here for one week and work just a minimum so that they can visit Granada. And we have also tourists coming to Alh’Patio for a few days.
13. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?
– So, as I said, the age is between 24 and 50 years old.
But people who stay here for one month are around 28-38 years old.
14. How long do people usually stay at your place?
– We have an increase in people who stay now for a month and more. People can stay from 2 nights to 1 month and more. The price will depend on how many days you stay.
15. Do your visitors tend to return to your place?
– Because we only opened in September, we can’t speak about returning clients yet. But yes, I am maintaining contact, and most of them told me they would come back!
16. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?
– Not really, but 90% are indeed from Europe.
17. Do you have some special offers?
– We have a long stay price, a weekly one as well. Just contact us, and I can see what I can do!
About the Coliving Movement
”The miracle is this: The more we share the more we have.”
-Leonard Nimoy
18. Do you think this type of accommodation is dedicated only to a specific group of people, such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?
– I think the remote work movement is increasing a lot. And in the future, people will want to continue being together and share experiences with others. This will mean they will want a different living experience, which a normal hostel, for example, cannot offer them.
19. One of the main selling points of similar places is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that also the situation in Alh’Patio?
– It’s a small space. We have only 9 places in the coworking, so, for sure you will talk to others during the day! That is the good thing – we have a family vibe.
Secure yourself the best coliving experience
- italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.
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