Yzabelle Bostyn
CONSTRUCTION has begun on the Costa del Sol’s latest 5-star hotel located in an old cinema.
Hotel chain, Meliá, is set to open a new luxury venue in the area with funds from former Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique’s investment group, Kerad EB.
The hotel will be in an old cinema between Malaga’s Calle Victoria and Calle Mundo Nuevo.
It comes just two months after plans were approved by the local council.
The design is led by architect Carlos Domingo Corpas of Álvaro Sans Arquitectura Hotelera and building work will take around 20 months.
Some 20 million euros is being invested in the project which will have eight suites, 15 junior suites and 105 double rooms, bringing the total occupancy to 290 clients.
It will also have meeting rooms, a bar, restaurant, gym and rooftop pool.
The building will reach 35 metres tall with seven floors including an attic and underground space.
The project began five years ago, when it was sold to Gerard Pique’s investment group but has been delayed due to archaeological excavations.
The excavations brought to light a huge Islamic necropolis from mediaeval times known as Yabal Faruh which stretches along the Gibralfaro hill.
The hotel is expected to have 64 parking spaces, with only 17 in one mezzanine due to historic remains found there including a pantheon and funeral mosque.
Due to the special circumstances, the city council has exempted the hotel from Old Town planning regulations which require them to have another 47 parking spaces on site.
Permission for the project was granted in August, including the partial dismantling of the south wall in order to allow the foundations of the hotel to be laid.
Apart from this, the Junta has specified that the remains must be kept in their original state and building work will be overseen by an archaeologist.
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