A multi-agency operation involving the Guardia Civil, the Regional Police, the Local Police, and officials from the Valencian Regional Government was carried out at the three-star Hotel Sole Bello in La Mata, Torrevieja, on Tuesday morning, 2nd June. The joint visit was launched to address growing residents’ concerns regarding a total lack of control at the property. According to neighbours, the hotel is now partially occupied illegally and has allegedly become a base of operations for a group committing crimes across the district, including purse snatchings, robberies, and drug trafficking.
Federico Alarcón, the city councillor for Public Safety, confirmed that inspectors from the Generalitat’s Tourism Department attended the scene to verify if the 50-room hotel’s current star rating accurately reflects its actual operation. Built in 2000, the property features a swimming pool, dining room, and sauna, with its last change of ownership under a valid licence dating back to 2018.
For nearly a year, daily life inside the building has been far from typical for a hotel. While the main entrance doors on Calle del Mar remain wide open, the reception is completely unstaffed, and neither the dining room nor housekeeping services are operating. Old signs advising guests of the rules are interspersed with handwritten notes highlighting deficiencies in services, including hot water and gas. The common areas remain dark, though they are maintained at an acceptable level of cleanliness.
During the inspection, the Guardia Civil discovered that at least three common areas of the building—the pool area, a sauna, and a small stage in the dining room—were actively being used as accommodation in addition to the standard bedrooms. Officers also discovered a hallway filled with accumulated electrical appliances, including several televisions, the exact origin of which could not be determined on site.
The Regional Police, who hold jurisdiction over immigration matters, identified and detained two people during the raid who were unable to prove their legal residency status in Spain.
Municipal sources indicate that the legally complex situation stems from a property sale by the original owner to a buyer who subsequently failed to comply with the payment agreement. A court recently resolved the dispute in favour of the original owner amidst charges of alleged fraud. However, whilst the matter was being fought out in court, the buyer decided that the hotel would cease normal operations and began renting out the rooms as permanent residences. Some of the individuals currently residing in the “ghost hotel” hold rental agreements, whilst others do not.
Local residents had hoped for a much more forceful police response, anticipating that the premises would be sealed off and the occupants evicted. However, municipal sources noted that from an administrative standpoint, the situation is not that straightforward. It is highly likely that the regional government will soon officially revoke the Sole Bello’s three-star hotel licence.
Once that occurs, and following judicial approval, the former owner could attempt to sell the property to an investment group and begin managing the evictions. This process would be immediate for those sheltering there without a contract, but considerably more complicated for occupants who hold a rental agreement, even though it irregularly validates the rental of a hotel room rather than a standard residential property.
Federico Alarcón stated that the Local Police and the Guardia Civil have been monitoring the facilities for months following complaints from La Mata residents. He added that Tuesday morning’s intervention was the direct result of this ongoing work, which gained momentum after multiple media outlets exposed the deteriorating condition of the building, which sits just a few metres from the sea.
