El Hotel Zel de Tossa de Mar: un reflejo del estilo de vida mediterráneo por Rafael Nadal y Meliá

Nestled amidst the verdant green of the mountains, the azure blue of the sea, and the ochre tones of stone and wood, the idyllic landscape of the Costa Brava emerges. This picturesque setting is also the concept behind the new Zel hotel in Tossa de Mar (Girona), the second establishment of the brand created by Rafael Nadal and Meliá to encapsulate the essence of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

The establishment recently opened its doors to welcome its first guests of the summer season. The grand opening was celebrated with a inauguration party last Thursday, attended by the Mallorcan tennis player, his parents, and friends, including motorbike racer Marc Márquez, former basketball player Marc Gasol, and celebrities such as Paz Vega and Judith Mascó.

The Vision Behind the Zel Hotel

«Translating what a Mediterranean home is to the world is a dream, and I would say almost an obligation being from the Balearic Islands,» Nadal said at the event, referring to the shared origins he has with Gabriel Escarrer, CEO and founder of Meliá. «We are lovers of the Mediterranean and had a common idea of what these hotels should be,» he added.

The creator of the Spanish hotel chain, which operates in over 30 countries, agreed, «it’s a project that excites the whole Meliá family.» He also revealed that when he started evaluating with Nadal where the second hotel of this line would be, after launching the first one in Mallorca last June, they saw that the Cala Giverola complex «met all the requirements to be a textbook Zel, reflecting the Mediterranean lifestyle and a Mediterranean home.»

Javier Arus, one of the partners of the property-owning real estate manager Azora, with over 20 years of experience and a significant portfolio of assets in several countries, was the third person to cut the ribbon of the Zel Costa Brava last Thursday. «It’s a fantastic setting that surprises. And the hotel will enchant, it’s a gem that embodies the essence of Zel,» Arus noted at the premiere.

Zel Costa Brava: What it Offers and Where it’s Located

Nadal and Meliá’s second hotel is located on a large property on the slopes of the mountain surrounding Cala Giverola, 5 kilometers from Tossa de Mar, in Girona. This location is famous for its beach, where a well-known beer commercial is filmed every summer. The complex also has another bathing spot, Cala Pola, within a few minutes’ walk.

For years, the property served as a rest and recreation hostel for employees of the Swiss public savings and postal entity. It was later converted into a hotel that Meliá has renovated, elevated, and updated to embody the Zel concept of Mediterranean, sustainable, and «active» accommodation.

This «active» attribute relates to its connection with wellness and sports. Zel Costa Brava offers a spa and gym, a heated pool and large outdoor pools by the beach, a cycling center to support a popular sport in the area, yoga, football, and even nine tennis courts.

Unique features of the hotel include suites located in independent buildings at different levels on the hillside, connected by staircases and paths among the pines. A distinguishing element is a private funicular, exclusively for guests, that transports them from the main floor with reception, spa, and restaurant to the beach, where the tennis courts, pools, and recreation area are also located.

In addition to these facilities, Zel Costa Brava also includes a grocery store, a fashion and miscellaneous items shop, an upstairs local and a ‘foodtruck’ on the beach for specialty coffee, a beach bar, and several event halls.

Staying at Zel Costa Brava: Costs and Features

The Zel hotel in Tossa de Mar is a four-star superior establishment with 214 rooms, all boasting views of the lush garden or the sea, and starting at 36 square meters in size. There is also a house with two bedrooms and a duplex with three. Prices start at 240 euros, but in high season and for higher categories of suites, it ranges between 480 and 1000 euros per night. This includes breakfast, and the hotel also offers the option of half-board.

With a rustic chic design that prioritizes natural and sustainable materials, neutral tones, and relaxed atmospheres, Zel Costa Brava is pet-friendly. Initially, it will operate for an eight-month season, but the idea is to extend it to ten.

The Future of Zel Hotels

The Zel brand continues to grow. During the inauguration of the Costa Brava hotel, Meliá announced the signing of an agreement to open a hotel in Albania, while also confirming the ongoing schedule of openings: there will be a Zel hotel on the main Gran Via in Madrid, another in Sayulita, Mexico, and a fifth in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic).

Nadal also confirmed this expansion during the event. «This is the second inauguration, but Zel is in the process of expansion and we are very happy with its evolution and the very positive reception it is receiving,» he stated.