Quite a week for high-profile hotel openings in Mallorca. On Wednesday Richard Branson's Son Bunyola opened its doors, and on Friday it is the turn of Rafa Nadal's first Zel hotel.
A joint venture with Meliá Hotels International, Zel Mallorca in Palmanova will become a benchmark for "the essence of the Mediterranean". This was the description given at Thursday's meeting of shareholders by Gabriel Escarrer, for whom this has also been quite a week. It was announced at the meeting that his father, Gabriel Escarrer Juliá, the founder of Meliá, was stepping down as group president. Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, the CEO, is the new president.
Zel is a project based on a strong personal chemistry between Nadal and Escarrer (the son). It has attracted a great deal of interest and demand, Escarrer informing shareholders that the original intention had been to create twenty hotels worldwide over five years. "We are going to far exceed this figure."
Other Mediterranean coast destinations, capital cities such as Madrid, London and New York, and Mexico and the Dominican Republic have been earmarked for first-phase development of the brand. "It is an exciting project. Everything has been agreed with Rafael Nadal. It is a product that satisfies our wishes."
The Palmanova hotel, a four-star superior, has 180 rooms. Among its features is the gym - Active MED by Rafa Nadal, with "exclusive activities recommended by Rafa Nadal himself".