It is three years since the Hotel Formentor closed for redevelopment, having been acquired by venture capital firm Emin Capital from the Mallorcan hotel group Barceló. The original plan was for the hotel to reopen in 2023. June 2024 is now the scheduled reopening date.
Dogged by controversy in respect of planning permission and environmental regulations, work on the exterior is now well on the way to completion. The main focus is now on the interior. Some pilot bedrooms have already been created.
The exterior appearance is faithful to the original. Still to be done is the carpentry and white plastering of the facades. Another major aspect of the work is the restoration of the gardens.
The Balearic tourism minister, Jaume Bauzá, is due to visit the site next week. It is possible that this visit will see the release of some interior images. The work carried out so far is secret.
The controversies haven't gone away completely. The greatest concerned what ended up being the total demolition of the original hotel. The owners and architects insisted that this was necessary. Structural faults were discovered at a building that first opened in 1929. The demolition went ahead without having the necessary licence. The environmentalists GOB are still challenging this in the courts.
When it reopens, the hotel will be managed by the Canadian Four Seasons group. A super luxury establishment is promised with slightly fewer bedrooms than the original and with the addition of facilities such as a spa.
For employees retained on furlough terms, it will have been an awfully long wait. But they can anticipate increased salaries, while the workforce is expected to treble.