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Murcia is about to get something the city has never had before: its first five-star hotel.

 

The Palacio de San Juan, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, will open its doors on Wednesday September 9 following an €18 million transformation by Barceló and Grupo Fuertes. The historic building has been extensively renovated to create a 70-room luxury hotel in the heart of the city.

 

It won't quite be at full capacity from day one. The hotel will initially open with 55 rooms, with the remaining 15 being added gradually during September.

 

"We wanted to avoid being at full capacity and have a flexible opening," explained Gaspar Sáez, general manager of southern Spain and the Algarve at Barceló.

 

The timing is particularly useful, with the opening coinciding with the Murcia Fair. Twenty rooms have already been booked for the opening date and the hotel expects to reach around 80% occupancy during its first weekend.

 

Luxury comes with a hefty price tag, with rooms starting at around €300 per night, while the main suite could cost between €1,000 and €1,500. Mr Sáez acknowledged that the hotel will initially be somewhat flexible with pricing as it establishes itself, explaining, "we need to get the customer used to it."

 

Food and drink will be another major part of the new hotel's offering. A ground-floor restaurant will open alongside the hotel, with two-Michelin-starred chef Juanlu Fernández acting as consultant and creating a menu built around local Murcian produce.

 

Then, on September 16, Royal Heaven will open its terrace, described as being "very focused on the people of Murcia", offering somewhere to spend an afternoon with views of the Cathedral.

 

A third venue, La Barra de Ocra, is also planned in the adjoining premises. The more traditional restaurant will focus on tapas and will have its own terrace, with an opening expected towards the end of October or beginning of November.

 

The project has also created 70 direct jobs, equivalent to one employee per room. Mr Sáez said the hotel was an important investment for both companies, adding that "Murcia is in vogue."

 

Turning the former three-star hotel into a five-star property was far from straightforward, with the building's structure proving particularly challenging to stabilise. Construction alone cost around €12 million, with another €6 million spent on equipment and furnishings.

 

Tomás Fuertes, president of Grupo Fuertes, described the opening as "a great satisfaction", adding that "it will help to raise the level of quality tourism, which the Region needs to be able to grow at a good pace during the next 10 years."

 

 

Image: Barceló Hotel Group