Carlos Almagro · Memoirs of a General Manager
Original photographic archive of the 2007 opening
The opening of Hotel Asset Torrejón took place on 29 November 2007 in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid. The evening combined a new hotel launch, a performance on the building façade and an institutional reception. Original photographs, video footage and personal recollections preserve the event.
An opening transformed into a spectacle
Aerial performers carried out acrobatics against the illuminated hotel façade as guests celebrated the opening. Historical footage from my archive records the spectacle and the reception of attendees.
Remembering Ivonne Reyes and Pedro Rollán
Among the people I remember at the celebration are Ivonne Reyes, whom I recall as the event’s ceremonial patron, and Pedro Rollán Ojeda, then mayor of Torrejón de Ardoz. Photocall images form part of my professional archive. Their identification and Reyes’s role are presented as my firsthand recollections, not as independently corroborated findings.
Managing a hotel opening: the work behind the scenes
As general manager of Asset Hoteles during this project, the evening represented far more than a ceremony. An opening involves commercial planning, team organisation, establishing the property’s identity, supplier coordination and responsibility towards the first guests. Hospitality trade coverage in March 2007 had already noted my professional involvement with Asset Hoteles and its development projects. The spectacle was the visible outcome of collective preparation.
An on-camera interview preserved over time
One of the most valuable records in my archive is a video of the inauguration featuring my own on-camera contribution, alongside the aerial show and guest reception. We recovered the original material, including its audio track, and prepared horizontal and vertical adaptations without presenting the images as reconstructions.
The relationship between a hotel and its city
A hotel opening can also be an event for the destination hosting it. The participation of guests, partners and institutional representatives symbolises the relationship between business, community and city. The occasion reflected my belief that hotel management means not only running rooms, but also building connections and creating opportunities for people to meet.
From the opening to other projects: technology and culture
The Asset Torrejón archive also documents initiatives distinct from the opening night: Nintendo Wii entertainment, a bullfighting-themed menu associated with the San Isidro festival, and the 2008 Asset Bullfighting Awards, which I recall promoting alongside Juan Palma. My career also intersected with hotel technology modernisation and RedHotech and FITURTECH activities documented by the Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero.
The legacy of Hotel Asset Torrejón’s opening
Almost two decades later, what remains is not just the image of acrobats on the façade, but the satisfaction of completing a project and the memory of the teams and individuals involved. This is a chapter I wish to preserve in Memoirs of a General Manager — Achievements and Passions: a testimony to hotel openings, leadership and hospitality in Madrid.
Watch the historical inauguration video · Archival documentation dossier
