SUNNY DAYS
The Meliá Costa del Sol hotel leads the
rejuvenation of Torremolinos.
They say that Brigitte Bardot used to walk barefoot down Calle San Miguel, and her first topless photos were taken on the beaches of Torremolinos; and that Frank Sinatra always got himself noticed (and not precisely for his singing) in the hotels of this town.
Torremolinos was part of all glamorous summer plans of the jet set, European royals, artists, intellectuals, musicians… Those were years when enjoying holidays in the summer was the privilege of aristocrats and eccentric adventurers.
Along with Málaga and Marbella, Torremolinos has always represented the quintessential Costa del Sol lifestyle. During the 50s, but especially in the 60s and 70s, it was an epicentre of Spain’s opening up to tourism. Foreign currencies came in, bringing modernity. Proof of this time of plenty can not only be seen in the abundant film footage of the beaches of Torremolinos and the town as a backdrop, but also in the hotels such as the Meliá Costa del Sol, opened in 1976 right on the town’s Bajondillo beach.
This multicultural municipality that played a leading role in Spain’s opening up to tourism, and one of the pillars of the Costa del Sol brand, aims to shine again – more brightly than ever – thanks to a project that will innovate and update the destination; a project under taken by flagship hotels such as the Meliá Costa del Sol together with public administrations.
Its aim is to become an icon of modernity and excellence again so that the Torremolinos brand shines as brightly as when it was visited by the most famous international stars of the worlds of cinema, music, politics and art in general. Local public and private institutions of Torremolinos have thus set themselves this goal that is spearheaded by the Meliá group – an expert in reconverting destinations.
“Our hotel has always been a pioneer in the modernisation of hotels in Torremolinos,” remarks its Director Carlos Franco, who is absolutely committed and enthusiastic about restoring the town’s former splendour.
“Throughout its lifetime, we have been renovating the hotel’s facilities. The most important part began in 2010 with the inauguration of a Convention Centre. This was followed by a car park, a sea-water spa, a new solarium, the refurbishment of the swimming pool and the introduction of The Level concept,” explains Franco.
And so on and so forth, as this year the schedule is to complete the renewal of the hotel’s 540 rooms and, in 2018, end this cycle “with a new façade and the construction of two spectacular rooftops, one on each of the hotel’s buildings,” comments the hotel’s Director.
REINVENTING A DESTINATION
Torremolinos is a destination with many years of history behind it. Embracing all that wealth, and updating it, needs teamwork. The enthusiasm of the town’s hoteliers and that of the Town Council go hand in hand.
Improving the way the beaches and access roads are managed, completing the pedestrianisation of the
urban centre, teaching languages to the youngsters from the municipality and training them in the hospitality industry, and rounding off the touristic offer of two other big Costa del Sol hubs – Málaga and Marbella – are tasks that still lie ahead but are already underway.
Meliá Hotels International is contributing “very significantly with its experience in similar projects, and essentially with the project started some years ago in Calviá, Mallorca, now perfectly conveyed to Torremolinos,” explains Carlos Franco: “Being part of a hotel company that has innovation as its most important value” is essential as, thanks to that, they have “cutting-edge technologies for the hotel’s commercialisation and management”.
However, if a single thing will transform the hotel’s look it is its new façade and “the rooftop project” inspired by similar projects in Miami and New York, to go on to “position the Costa del Sol hotel as one of the most avant-garde.”