The governing body of the Torrevieja City Council has approved the issuance of a major works licence for the renovation of the iconic Hotel Masa Internacional, originally known as Hotel Berlín, which is situated north of the Torrevieja shoreline on the Torre del Moro cliff.
According to the project submitted to the governing board in April, the property’s owner, Torrevieja Hoteles SA, intends to invest €866,334 (VAT included) to maintain its current hotel use, improve its services, renovate facilities, enhance accessibility, improve energy efficiency, upgrade finishes and equipment, and raise the establishment’s tourist category from three to four stars. Since the entire land is situated inside a coastal protection easement, obtaining the appropriate municipal licence required a positive report from the territorial service.
Without an increase in surface area or volume
Since there is no predicted increase in volume, height, or building area, the coastal impact is considered. Additionally, out of the present total of nearly 4,100 square metres, the renovation involves a reduction of 253.11 square metres through the removal of surrounding features.
The original structure, which was constructed in the early years of the town’s tourism growth, cannot be seen from the outside due to the building’s perch on the sheer cliff face. The facility, which has been a hotel for about six months, is spread across eight levels, four of which are above ground and four of which are below.
The owners characterise the refurbishment as a modernisation and adaption of an existing hotel, with a limited reorganisation of the space itself and an emphasis on the façade and structure, which are immediately exposed to the severe weather by the sea. In order to improve “the building’s functionality and adapt its services to current standards,” the architectural team that designed the concept emphasises that it is an update rather than an enlargement of a well-established building with a valid operating licence. They insist that their goal is to enable them to move from a three-star hotel to a four-star establishment. This would be the second four-star hotel in Torrevieja.
Cut down on spots and enhance the offer
There are now 50 rooms and 99 beds available at the motel. It has leased offices, a banquet hall, a restaurant, a bar and a function room. It is in “fair condition” and is generally regarded as an antiquated structure in terms of functionality, equipment, energy efficiency, and accessibility.
47 lodging units—30 double rooms, one adapted room, 11 triple rooms with the option of an additional bed, and five junior suites—will be produced as a result of the refurbishment. It gains a higher grade even if it loses some accommodation space.
The linked storage room on the south face, the projecting staff lift next to the kitchen, the exterior metal steps, the wooden kiosk in the pool area and the porticoed entrance that doubles as a parking area on the main facade will all be demolished. Additionally, a new continuous cladding with a light sand finish will be applied to the exterior, and glass railings will replace the balustrades.
The route
Over the course of its 50 years of operation, this establishment has been recognised by several generations of Torrevieja inhabitants as a place for weddings, banquets, and celebrations for local organisations, meetings, political party events, and many social activities. It is also closely associated with the growth of residential tourism, acting as a bridge between the local real estate market and European markets by offering short-term lodging to buyers from the Masa Internacional sales network while they visit Spain to view the site of their prospective second home.
The project include changing the filtration systems, replacing the pool lining, and revising the shape of the pool basin. Additionally, aluminium and other emissive materials will be used to replace all of the building’s external windows and doors. An aerothermal system will supply domestic hot water and heating, and the terraces and roofs will be waterproofed. Another major goal of this project is accessibility, which will be achieved by building restrooms that are suitable for individuals with limited mobility, creating new accessible pathways, modifying outdoor areas, rebuilding stair sections and railings, and providing designated parking spots.
The hotel has only had a municipal licence since 2003, although being registered as a property from the mid-1970s, according to the municipal approval. The activity on non-developable property does not have a Declaration of Community Interest (DIC), according to the technician who wrote the report giving the licence. This non-developable status is also not stated in the licence. Although its zoning classification did not change, the structure was built before Torrevieja’s first urban planning legislation, the Coastal Law, and the current General Plan.
Expenses and restrictions
The influence on the seashore is highlighted in the project report. Both the land and the current structure are situated inside the public maritime-terrestrial domain’s protected easement. As a result, without increasing volume, height, or surface area, the intervention is described as repair, improvement, consolidation, and modernisation. According to the report, any new development must completely adhere to the Coastal Law in the case of complete or partial demolition. It also shows that, under the Coastal Authority’s instructions, the proposal was sent to them as a confession of responsibility. In order to comply with coastal rules, the project intends to install vertical composite slats with a wood-look finish and lower the current outer brick wall to a maximum height of one metre.
Hotel amenities
Three hotels are currently being built in Torrevieja: two three-star or better hotels in La Veleta and on Avenida de Los Europeos, and a four-star hotel with a planned investment of about ten million euros that will be situated across from the new recreation center on Paseo de La Libertad. Renovations are still ongoing at the Eden Roc in Las Calas, which is near to the Hotel Masa. The three-star family hotel project, which is being funded by a French corporation, has run into administrative issues with the Coastal Authority and the City Council. There are also plans to renovate the Lloyds Club in La Mata.
With about 1,000 rooms and 2,000 beds, Torrevieja’s hotel industry has grown extremely slowly over the past 20 years in comparison to the country’s largest supply of lodging for tourists. Three-star hotels have the majority of the available beds.
