May 2024 | Catalonia Hotel & Resorts has signed a binding agreement with East Bay Management to acquire the property known as Holiday Inn Resort, Montego Bay Jamaica. East Bay acquired the property in 2008 from IHG and has successfully managed it as an IHG franchise for the past 16 years. The sale of the resort is subject to customary closing conditions and will continue to operate under the Holiday Inn brand until 30 June 2024.

The 512-room all-inclusive resort includes a spa, four restaurants/grills, four bars, two swimming pools, tennis, mini golf, nightly shows and entertainment, 500 metres of pristine white sand beach and a boardwalk. It is also home to the Rose Hall Club, a special 52-room section of the hotel reserved exclusively for adults.

Mr. Felix Navas, General Manager of Catalonia Hotel & Resorts, comments"We are excited to expand our presence in the Caribbean with the acquisition of this resort. As a Spanish hotel chain with more than 40 years of experience in tourism, this acquisition represents an important milestone for the company, intensifying our presence in the Caribbean and underlining our commitment to expanding into new and high potential markets".

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts plans to make a significant investment over the coming months to bring the property in line with the chain's usual standards, while maintaining a strong commitment to the environment, employees, local partners and other collaborators to contribute positively to tourism and the local economy.

Catalonia has been present in the Caribbean for the past 25 years and will now offer more than 4,000 rooms throughout the region, with five (5) all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and four (4) in the Dominican Republic.

About Catalonia Hotel & Resorts:

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is a family-owned hotel chain with more than 40 years of experience. Our hotels are renowned for their excellent value for money, strategic locations, extensive gastronomic offerings and personalised customer service.

January 2024 | Catalonia has acquired, on the paradisiacal northeast coast of Zanzibar, a plot of land of more than 7 hectares with a private beach that will house the Catalonia Grand Zanzibar All Suites & Spa, a 5-star resort with 272 suites.

This will be the second Catalonia Grand resort after the Costa Mujeres in Mexico, establishments that are positioned in the highest segments of the market and offer unique experiences and extraordinary levels of quality. The project aims to position the resort as a benchmark in the destination, with premium facilities and an extensive, innovative and carefully selected gastronomic offer.

Catalonia is committed to a new way of working, diversifying its strategy and aims to make this new resort a benchmark model, both in the area and in other markets. As Federico Holzmann, Catalonia's Global Expansion Director, comments "Without a doubt, our project in Zanzibar will be positioned as one of the best hotels in the destination, which reaffirms our strategy of developing premium products with a clear focus on geographical diversification and exploring growth opportunities in new markets".

A 5* Grand resort

The Catalonia Grand Zanzibar All Suites & Spa is located in the Pwami Mchangani area, a tropical paradise of white sandy beaches and coral reefs, just a few kilometres from the Kichwele Forest Reserve and many other natural sites.

It will consist of 272 rooms suites (2 water villas) and will have all kinds of facilities and amenities for its guests: large 800m2 swimming pool, spectacular Wellness and spa area of 1600m2, gym, extensive gastronomic offer, amphitheatre, Kid's Club, commercial area, etc. It is worth mentioning the Jetty area, a walkway that goes into the sea where guests can enjoy the restaurant, bar, lounge area and a swimming pool that fills up at high tide and allows them to enjoy swimming at low tide.

Understanding gastronomy as one of the basic pillars of Catalonia's offer and, undoubtedly, one of the chain's strong points, the project aims to raise its proposal and become the island's benchmark by providing its customers with the most diverse and extensive gastronomic offer in the area. The resort will have 6 restaurants, an international buffet, a food court with various food stalls and 8 bars. All the proposals will be unique and very diverse. These include an Asian restaurant with Teppanyaki, an African-Mediterranean fusion restaurant and the Bloved restaurant, one of the chain's best-known gastronomic spaces that is already a success in Madrid and the Caribbean.

A sustainable project

Work began last year and will be completed by the end of 2025. The chain is embarking on this project with a long-term vision of the establishment's sustainability and harmony with the environment. It aims to consume resources responsibly, minimise its carbon footprint, reduce waste and make its activity increasingly sustainable.

Specific actions aimed at meeting all these objectives include the creation of a photovoltaic plant to reduce electricity consumption and the construction of a desalination plant, a water treatment plant and a waste treatment plant that will filter and treat all the waste and grey water generated by the hotel. In addition, a native plant nursery will be created to ensure the preservation of the rich local flora.

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is committed, wherever it has its establishments, to creating strong links with local society. It participates in and promotes cultural, educational and social projects, trying to support the local community. In this sense, during the process of purchasing the land, together with its local partners, Catalonia collaborated in the construction and inauguration of a school with an access road and plans many more actions of collaboration, empowerment and development for the community.

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, a chain in expansion:

Catalonia has several projects under construction that will see the light of day in the coming years, including a 4-star hotel in Plaza España that will become the chain's eighth establishment in Madrid and a 4-star hotel in the centre of Málaga. It is a chain that has historically focused on the purchase of assets and more than 90% of its establishments are owned, however, as Federico Holzmann comments "we not only contemplate the purchase of hotels, but we are also open to leasing and management contracts, which we understand can be an interesting alternative for many owners who are looking for more flexibility in the fittings, both in the conditions of the management contract and the initial investment, the ease of an agile, direct and personalised treatment given our multinational character, but at the same time family oriented, etc. But above all: that they are oriented towards profitability, given that we have one of the best management ratios in the sector in terms of Ebitda/Revenues. This, in short, is the most important ratio and sums up the good work and excellence of our group".

About Catalonia Hotels & Resorts:

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is a family-run hotel chain with 40 years of experience. Our establishments stand out for their excellent value for money, premium locations, innovative gastronomic offer and close, personal and customer-focused service. The chain also maintains its commitment to sustainability in its facilities in order to contribute to the conservation of the environment.

November 2023 | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts has emerged as one of the big winners at the World Culinary Awards and World Luxury Awards ceremony, scooping multiple accolades, including the coveted "Best Restaurant in Mexico" for Memòries and "Best Restaurant in the Dominican Republic" for Filigrana Santo Domingo. Located respectively at the all-inclusive resort Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico and at the Catalonia Santo Domingo hotel in the Dominican Republic.

Both competitions reward gastronomic excellence in the luxury dining industry, offering international recognition from clients, guests, travellers and industry experts.

Chef John de Sola leads the innovative cuisine of Memòries, which manages to surprise with its haute cuisine techniques, the quality of its products and the creation of an authentic gastronomic experience through its elaborations. Meanwhile, chefs Esteban Ramírez and Victor Salvatierra lead the kitchen of Filigrana, a restaurant with high quality products and an unforgettable blend of flavours; combining Mediterranean grilled cuisine with a fusion of local flavours from the Dominican Republic.

Memòries and Filigrana are part of the chain's Eboca restaurants group. A group that already encompasses an extensive portfolio of sophisticated restaurants with daring choices, where the cuisine, the product, the quality of the service and the customer experience prevail above all else.

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is a family-run hotel chain with 40 years of experience, dedicated to providing exceptional experiences in its establishments.
The chain has 74 hotels and resorts in 20 destinations around the world. It is the leader in Barcelona with 26 establishments and more than 3,000 rooms, has a strong presence in Spain and four hotels in Europe. The holiday part is made up of 9 resorts in the Caribbean (4 in the Dominican Republic and 5 in Mexico) and hotels in the Canary and Balearic Islands.

The aim of Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is to provide guests with the best experience in its hotels, all of which are located in exceptional locations. It offers a high level of service and excellent value for money, also in terms of gastronomy, with innovative proposals. In addition, the chain maintains its commitment to sustainability in its facilities in order to contribute to the conservation of the environment.

October 2023 | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, a firm with 40 years of experience in the hotel industry, acquires two outstanding establishments in the Malaga town of Ronda, The Catalonia Reina Victoria and the Catalonia Ronda. Both establishments were incorporated in 2012 and 2017, respectively, to the chain's rental offer.

In 2012, the chain took over the management of the Catalonia Reina Victoria, an emblematic hotel in the town of Malaga with magnificent views over the Tajo de Ronda. Prior to the opening, Catalonia undertook a comprehensive refurbishment of the building, maintaining the building's classic Victorian façades dating back to the early 19th century. After its reopening, the hotel became an icon of the city and a reference establishment for the most important events in Ronda. The hotel, an elegant 4-star establishment with 95 rooms, is composed of convention rooms, swimming pool, spa, gym and an excellent gastronomic offer.

In a clear commitment to the strength of Ronda as a destination, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts expanded its presence in the city by signing a new rental contract. This building, located in the historic centre and with a modernist-style façade protected by its unique beauty, is located opposite the iconic Plaza de Toros. The meticulous transformation resulted in 2017 in the Catalonia Ronda, a modern 4-star hotel with 80 rooms, swimming pool, spa, gym and a great gastronomic offer, which has enriched the city's hotel offer.

Today, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts has successfully completed the acquisition of these two treasures in Ronda that it previously managed on a leasehold basis, thus reinforcing Catalonia's position as a company committed to prudent and sustainable development in the hotel industry.

Growth plans

The chain's outstanding results in 2022 have strengthened its position to continue to pursue its expansion plans. The chain is committed to continue growing through various strategies to enrich its portfolio of hotels.

Catalonia is a chain that is very focused on the purchase of assets and more than 90% of its offer is made up of owned establishments. In recent years it has also strengthened its leasing and management contracts. This has been possible thanks to its strong operational capacity, the centralisation of the brand, its integration capacity, the implementation of the chain's rigorous quality standards, as well as the integration into its commercial network. Federico Holzmann, Director of Global Assets of the chain states that "we have a solid track record and we are one of the chains with the highest profitability in the Spanish market. Our management model has demonstrated considerable cost reductions and has allowed us to export the success of the brand to new establishments and destinations.

In terms of market, Catalonia continues to focus on tourist and urban destinations in Spain, where it already enjoys a strong presence. In addition, it is exploring opportunities in European destinations of interest for both urban and holiday tourism, as well as in other continents to further diversify its offer.

About Catalonia Hotels & Resorts:

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts is a family-run hotel chain with 40 years of experience, dedicated to providing exceptional experiences in its establishments. Our aim is for guests to enjoy the best experience in its hotels, all located in exceptional locations. We offer a high level of service and excellent value for money, also in terms of gastronomy, with innovative proposals. In addition, the chain maintains its commitment to sustainability in its facilities in order to contribute to the conservation of the environment.

June 2023 : The Catalonia Mirador des Port hotel reopens after the refurbishment of its facilities and the extension of the hotel. In addition to improving and extending the facilities, the renovations have incorporated a sustainable approach that has earned the hotel recognition at the RE THINK HOTEL awards for its outstanding contribution to the change of paradigm in the hotel sector by providing sustainable solutions.

Located in the Menorcan capital of Mahón, in the paradisiacal Balearic Islands, just a 10-minute walk from the centre, the Catalonia Mirador des Port enjoys spectacular views over the bay of Mahón. The hotel, after its refurbishment, adds one star to its category and now has 4 stars, 119 rooms, Eboca gastronomic restaurant, garden with swimming pool, spa, gymnasium, underground car park with charging for electric vehicles.

Opening of an enlarged and totally renovated hotel

The ambitious refurbishment has optimised the sustainability of the building, renovating the existing rooms and refurbishing the facilities, bar, restaurant and reception.

In addition, a new building has been constructed which has incorporated 54 new rooms. Four of them adapted for people with reduced mobility, three suites (one of them with a private pool), a complete spa, underground parking with charging for electric vehicles and a multipurpose meeting room. The hotel also has a Food Truck with cocktails, refreshments and snacks by the pool and a new children's play area. The hotel's new restaurant has upgraded the gastronomic offer with a spectacular menu of traditional Menorcan dishes, using local suppliers and fresh km0 products.

Nearly 12 million euros have been invested and the staff has been doubled to provide a quality service in keeping with its new category.

Haute cuisine with the best views

With impressive views over the port of Porto and a gastronomic proposal based on Mediterranean and Menorcan cuisine, the new Mirador des Port restaurant is presented. A space that has an indoor restaurant area and a terrace to enjoy the warm nights on the island. It offers a complete menu with local products as protagonists in dishes as inspiring as aubergines Menorcan style, sobrassada croquettes, vermella beef sirloin or local lobster. Oriental fusion also has its place, with dishes such as sobrasada mochi or beach squid in tempura with kimchi mayonnaise. The restaurant is open seven days a week and offers a wide selection of wines, some of them local, as well as cavas and champagnes.

A sustainable project

The project aimed to make the hotel more respectful of its environment, in line with the chain's commitment to sustainability. Based on the vision that tourist activity can generate jobs and wealth in its surroundings and have the minimum possible impact on the environment.

Among the upgrades that have been carried out to reduce the carbon footprint is the replacement of a traditional boiler system with an aerothermal system with heat pumps for domestic hot water and heating, as well as LED lighting. To reduce the thermal impact and improve efficiency, windows with maximum thermal insulation and solar filter have been installed. VRV air conditioning with heat recovery and a "BMS" management system. The hotel has an 18.6kW photovoltaic power plant. In addition, four semi-fast electric vehicle chargers and bicycle parking are incorporated, promoting sustainable mobility.

To reduce water consumption, the garden has a large landscaped area with native plants and low-consumption lawns with automatic drip irrigation fed by a rainwater tank that reuses excess water from the spa after treatment. The "grey" water from showers and sinks is treated, filtered and reused in the toilet cisterns. The hotel will continue to raise awareness among guests, employees and collaborators on the importance of reducing water consumption. In addition, a system has been implemented to reduce waste, especially disposable plastics, reduce food waste and promote the consumption of local products, all with the help of staff and collaborators, who have been trained and made aware of the issue.

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, a chain committed to the environment

The project forms part of Catalonia Hotels & Resorts' action plan, framed within a sustainable vision of its business model. The chain's latest opening in the Caribbean, the Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres, was awarded LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its leadership in energy efficiency and sustainable design. This sustainable approach to reducing impact, consumption and carbon footprint is not only being applied in refurbishments and new constructions, but is also being implemented in the rest of the chain's hotels through actions such as the elimination of single-use plastic, responsible, sustainable and local consumption, investment in renewable energies, recycling of materials, and care for local fauna and flora.

January 2023 - Catalonia Hotels & Resorts starts the year with a new hotel in Madrid, the Catalonia El Retiro hotel. This transaction has involved a total investment of 11 million euros.

With this new hotel, the chain expands its portfolio in the capital, where it now has 7 hotels, all of them 4-star and located in privileged locations, most of them in the historic centre of the city.

In a clear commitment to strengthen its hotel presence in the capital, Catalonia will add more than 250 new rooms this year. The opening of two hotels and the expansion of one of its establishments will bring the chain's offer in the city to 8 establishments with nearly 900 rooms.

CATALONIA EL RETIRO

The Catalonia El Retiro hotel is a four-star, functional and modern hotel with 62 bright rooms and all the amenities plus free wifi in all the facilities, bar, buffet breakfast and car park.

It is located on Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona with access to two of the most important motorways in Madrid (A-3 and M-30). It is very well located near Atocha station and close to the Méndez Alvaro bus station as well as having excellent communication with the city centre.

GROWTH PLANS FOR 2023

The excellent results achieved by the chain in the year 2022 allow it to face the planned expansion plans with ease and to continue growing under different expansion models in order to expand its hotel portfolio.

Catalonia has been a chain very focused on the purchase of assets and in recent years has also strengthened its leasing and management contracts. Federico Holzmann, Director of Expansion at Catalonia Hotels & Resorts states that "we want to grow by taking advantage of business opportunities in consolidated strategic destinations, both in urban and holiday destinations. One of our strengths is our operational capacity, having some of the best management ratios in the market and presenting a solid track record in our 40-year history. We are one of the most profitable chains in the Spanish market".

At the market level, Catalonia continues to focus on Spanish tourist and urban destinations, where it already has a strong presence, as well as European destinations with tourist interest in both urban and holiday destinations and specific destinations outside Europe that allow it to further diversify its offer.

The most immediate projects that will see the light of day this year and next year are the extension of the Catalonia Mirador de Port hotel (Menorca), the Catalonia Atocha extension (Madrid) and the openings of the Catalonia Plaza España on the Gran Vía in Málaga and a new hotel in the centre of Málaga.

September 2022 - Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres All Suites & Spa, has received the Leed certification (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), the most demanding in the world for environmentally sustainable buildings. This recognition has been awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, an organisation internationally recognised for its commitment to transforming the construction of buildings that enable an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

This magnificent resort located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico and inaugurated in 2020, was built following eco-efficiency standards and meeting the sustainability requirements set by the Leed certification, an accreditation it has just achieved, which distinguishes itself by using sustainable strategies in all construction processes of the building, from the suitability of the plot where it is located, to the efficiency of water and energy use, the selection of materials and providing an indoor environmental quality. It is the first resort in Mexico to be distinguished with this certification.

Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres is a 5-star all-inclusive resort located on a wide white sandy beach, just in front of Isla Mujeres and only 20 minutes north of Cancun. It offers 496 rooms, all of which are suites, some with private pools and sleeping up to 6 people. The heart of the resort is the Quinta Avenida, inspired by the well-known Playa del Carmen avenue of the same name, and it is here where the restaurants and dining outlets are located, which guests enjoy during their stay and which total more than 10 gastronomic spaces that seek to offer culinary experiences to the most demanding palates. Its designer facilities include a magnificent spa with sea views, a gym, two swimming pools, a theatre for shows, a discotheque, a mini-club, a teen club... An exceptional resort for a superior experience.

A chain committed to the environment

Catalonia Hotels & Resorts obtains with this certification a further recognition of its commitment to respect for the environment. Some of the actions being carried out in the chain's hotels are the elimination of single-use plastic, responsible consumption, investment in renewable energies, recycling of materials, purchases of sustainable and responsible products and care for local flora and fauna, among others.