Hotel Something Special Spain

HVS EMEA Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 29 July 2011

SALE OF FOUR MALMAISONS - In order to reduce its debt burden, UK-based MWB Group has sold four of its Malmaison-branded hotels in England under sale and leaseback deals. The 97-room Malmaison London was acquired by a Westinvest fund issued by Frankfurt-based Deka Immobilien Investment for £31.5 million. The 189-room Malmaison Birmingham, the 167-room Malmaison Manchester and the 122-room Malmaison Newcastle were purchased by funds managed by UK company Legal & General Property for £55.3 million. MWB Group is reportedly leasing all four hotels back for £6.1 million per year.

BLACKSTONE COULD BE MAKING A MINT - According to the Sunday Times, US-based investment and advisory firm Blackstone is close to acquiring the Mint Hotel portfolio in a deal rumoured to be worth around £575 million. Owned by the Orr family, which is expected to retain an interest in the group, Mint Hotel was founded in 1995 as City Inns and rebranded in 2010. Blackstone has reportedly seen off a bid by rival investment company TPG in the race to acquire the eight-strong portfolio (seven hotels in the UK and one in Amsterdam).

THE STORY OF PORTUGAL’S FIRST INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL - When InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) was planning its first hotel in Portugal it decided that the country deserved something special…no less than a palace would do! Off to Portugal went IHG in search of a spectacular site. Scouring the length and breadth of the country, it finally arrived at the city of Oporto, on the northwest coast, where it came across a 200-year old palace, originally constructed as a monastery. This is it, thought IHG. After an extensive US$43 million renovation, the building, which is owned by Solitaire Hotels, has been restored to glory by Russian architect Alex Kravetz, and recently opened in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage city centre as the 105-room InterContinental Porto-Palacio das Carosas.

MELIÁ REACHES HALF A DOZEN IN BULGARIA - Meliá Hotels International has announced its sixth hotel for Bulgaria. The 128-room, six-storey Marina Palace in the resort of Nessebar, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, is to become part of the group’s portfolio in summer 2012. Meliá will operate the 128-room hotel, which opened in 2004, under a management agreement as the Sol Marina Palace.

A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC GOES A LONG WAY IN RUSSIA - Plans have been announced for a 600-acre theme park and hotel complex 50 km outside of Moscow, Russia. The consortium behind Magic World Russia comprises three California-based companies: the Goddard Group, ProFun Management Group and Moschanko Investment Group. Investment in the project is expected to reach US$2.5 billion. The development will include two hotels: a five-star property and a midscale waterpark resort. The site is to be leased from the Russian government and, subject to approval by the government and investment being secured, construction on the park is to start in summer 2012, with an estimated opening date of 2016.

Historic landmark of Puerto Vallarta real estate area: Hotel Rosita

These days, the Puerto Vallarta real estate area is a thriving market in metropolitan area of over 600,000.  Sixty years ago, very few imagined that Puerto Vallarta would some day experience a boom of international tourism, and expand into the thriving real estate market we know today.  The history of one of the city’s key landmarks – Hotel Rosita – marks a special point in the history of Puerto Vallarta.  At the time it was built, accommodations in the area were limited to a few rooms in some homes that were offered to travelers; but the vision of one man named Salvador Gonzalez Gutierrez began the formal hotel industry in Puerto Vallarta with the founding of Hotel Rosita in 1948.

Initially only 12 rooms were built, which included one or two beds, a chair and a small dresser with mirror and bathroom. In those days there was no electricity in the village, so at check in each guest was provided with a lamp to light the room. For the water supply each room had a 50 gallon drum, from which the guest drew water directly, without any pipes.

Given the context of the port, the project looked like a recipe for disaster: Hotel Rosita was built just north of town, in the middle of a bunch of empty land, where Parque Hidalgo is currently located, but in those days was the cemetery.  Virtually everyone, including Don Salvador’s close friends, wrote him off as a madman and predicted a resounding failure. However, Don Salvador did not loose sight of his vision, and followed through with his project.

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As the only place more or less suitable residence, Hotel Rosita been very successful since its inception, due to the increased number of visitors to the destination as soon as they were to build another 12 rooms. Gradually, the hotel has also become a driving force of development in the region of Puerto Vallarta real estate. By 1970 the hotel and had 100 rooms, and now offers 113 comfortable rooms that are cherished for the pieces of stylized palm trees that decorate its peaceful garden, which is located next to a typical, picturesque restaurant, enjoyed not only by the hotel’s guests, but also by many who have chosen  Puerto Vallarta real estate as their home – locals and foreigners alike.

The hotel management is still a family tradition, something that makes it a source of pride for Vallarta, with more than sixty years of history and service, constantly involved with the growth of the city.

What began in 1948 as a modest 12-room building is now part of the historical center of the city of Puerto Vallarta, and is one of its brands the most representative land and significant. Its founder, Don Salvador Gonzalez Gutierrez was always cheerful and just a man, characterized by always achieving what he set out to do. He was born in Los Reyes, beautiful city of San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco. He was born March 4, 1909, married Mrs. Dona Carmen Gonzalez Torres, had a family of four children and 11 grandchildren, and died December 4, 1996 at the age of 87.

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