(Palma) June 29, 2023 – ZEL, the new hotel brand between Meliá Hotels International and tennis player Rafael Nadal, has announced the grand opening of its first location ZEL Mallorca. The hotel celebrated with a fiesta attended by a host of famous faces to kick off the collaboration between Rafael Nadal and Meliá Hotels International. Both Nadal and Gabriel Escarrer, Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, were in attendance to welcome more than three hundred guests and enjoyed a memorable Mediterranean evening inspired by the values and attributes of the ZEL brand, character, lifestyle and culture.
A Night in Mediterranean Heaven
Nestled along a half-mile stretch of Palmanova Beach with white sand and crystalline waters, the beauty of Spain’s Balearic Islands serves as the backdrop for ZEL Mallorca further enhancing the hotel’s charm and Mediterranean essence.
The hotel’s grand opening fiesta embodied all the classical Mediterranean elements with lively music from DJ Paco Colombás and Jordi Ruz, a picturesque seafront atmosphere and tastings of the hotel’s new culinary experience, in partnership with popular Spanish brand Beso Beach. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Beso Beach Mallorca brings its decade of experience in Mediterranean and Basque Country cuisine to guests with a beach club-style restaurant and a menu featuring signature seafood dishes including Carabinero prawns, lobster tails, mussels and more.
The Best Kept Secret
Fiesta attendees got to see and experience first-hand the much-anticipated features that make the ZEL hotel stand out from other Meliá Hotel brands. These features include the patio, the open-air living style, the integration with nature and the variety of spaces created to embrace the ‘fiesta and siesta’ concepts that are essential to the Mediterranean lifestyle.
The hotel design celebrates the enjoyment of open spaces and conceptualizes rooms with colors, textures, and shapes that allude to nature. The design elements generate a sensation of peace, well-being and relaxation for guests.
The interiors of ZEL Mallorca demonstrate a harmonious blend of influences, including references to key features of the Mediterranean culture from Italy and Greece, Mallorcan-inspired patterns and finishes with earthy and ocean tones that create an energizing atmosphere. The renovation and interior design project was created by ASAH studio, which is run by architects Álvaro and Adriana Sans.
The patio, an essential element of Mediterranean architecture, is the heart of ZEL Mallorca and serves as the epicenter and core of the hotel’s energy. The patio functions as a lobby as it interconnects the different areas of the property creating a sense of freedom through open-air living. Upon entering, the first thing you will notice is the absence of a traditional reception area as ZEL is inspired by a Mediterranean home. Instead, the patio offers a store where you can buy exclusive products from both national and international brands, a specialty café serving the brand Syra Coffee and a Mediterranean lounge.
The ZEL hotels are inspired by the ‘phygital’ philosophy that combines physical elements with technological innovation that work together to enhance the experience and comfort of guests. Therefore, instead of a traditional reception, guests will find a digital kiosk on the patio where they can get their room card by using their phone to scan the QR code that was received when they previously registered online. If guests have not already done this, they can register using their phone upon arrival while enjoying a welcome drink. Similarly, when it is time to check out, guests receive a notification to check their expenses, validate expenses, and pay online or they can check out on the patio with a member of the hotel staff if they prefer.
The main pool next to the Mediterranean Sea served as the best possible backdrop for the long-awaited launch of Beso Beach where guests can sit at tables with their feet in the sand. The Beso Beach was designed by architects and founders Angie L. Grijalbo and Rafa Viar.
Throughout the evening, guests were able to visit a selection of the 165 rooms, 21 of which are Suites or Junior Suites. Guest rooms offer sought-after stunning sea views and incredible character.
Two Very Mallorcan Hosts
Aside from their Mallorcan roots, Nadal and Escarrer have a lot in common. Both men love to sail, spend time at the beach, indulge in good food and embrace the simplicity of Mediterranean life. It was these commonalities that inspired them to collaborate and develop the ZEL brand with the hopes to extend their passion and love of their culture to guests across the globe. For both Nadal and Escarrer, ZEL Mallorca represents the start of what they hope will be a long success story.
Together at the grand opening fiesta, Nadal and Escarrer hosted a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony where they expressed their gratitude for the dedication and hard work of their teams in bringing their dream project to life. Speaking to attendees directly, Escarrer encouraged guests to enjoy the spirit of ZEL and shared the brand’s plans to open the second ZEL property in Mexico coming in 2025.
“This hotel is an exceptional jewel born from the combination of our experience in hotel management and the inspiring leadership of a worldwide icon like Rafael Nadal, and the first example of the alliance of two groups of family origins and solid shared values,” said Escarrer. “For us, today marks the start of a new expansion and growth phase for the ZEL brand and I am glad to mark the celebration with the announcement of our first ZEL hotel in Mexico: ZEL Sayulita, which will open in 2025”.
“The opening of ZEL Mallorca is a dream come true for me,” said Nadal. After seeing the results, I am surer than ever before that ZEL will be a great entrepreneurial project and a fantastic ambassador of the Spanish and Mediterranean values and essence.”
Rates start at $288 per night. For more information, www.holazel.com.
