Imagery: renderings of Meliá Dürres.
Meliá Hotels International has announced new projects which should make it the leading international hotel group in Albania, with seven hotels and 1,600 rooms.
The company believes in the tourism potential of the country and is fully committed to leading the development of its hotel industry.
Country potential
Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, explained: “After seeing first-hand the enormous potential of the country and the commitment of its public and private sectors to international tourism, I am convinced that together we will build a new success story in the Mediterranean, and I am extremely grateful for the trust our partners have placed in our company to make this dream come true.”
The Spanish company is looking to consolidate its presence in the most important destinations in Albania. The new agreements also open the door to future growth opportunities which would make the country one of its strongholds in the Balkans and consolidate its position in the Mediterranean.
New treble
Meliá’s latest agreement includes a Sol by Meliá hotel in Golem, a coastal city near the capital Tirana. Sol Fafa Golem will be a large avant-garde beachfront resort with 460 rooms. Focused on family holidays, it will offer a variety of services, including several restaurants and bars, swimming pools and spaces for kids.
The second new location is the future Eliza Hotel Affiliated by Meliá, a modern 46-room hotel in Tirana, currently under construction and scheduled to open before the end of the year to become the company’s first opening in Albania.
The third hotel is Hotel Tomorri Affiliated by Meliá with 120 rooms, located in Berat in south central Albania. The property will form part of a complex which includes a new casino and which is expected to open in 2024.
Already planned
Meliá ‘s existing pipeline also includes Gran Meliá Tirana, a five-star luxury hotel with 125 rooms due to open in 2025 as part of an architectural project in the heart of the capital city. Gran Meliá Tirana is intended to be the flagship hotel to help consolidate the company’s brand recognition in Albania.
In the Albanian Riviera, Meliá will be adding Hotel Altea Meliá Collection, in Palasa Beach, a luxury hotel with 142 rooms and suites, including villas in front of the sea.
Second city sites
In Dürres, the second largest city in Albania, the company will open two hotels in 2023, Meliá Dürres and Sol Tropikal Dürres. Developed with Concord Investment Group, the first site will be a five-star resort on Gjiri I Lalzit beach with 455 rooms and 10 villas, in addition to an extensive range of facilities and services.
The second, Sol Tropikal Dürres, is 8 km from the city centre and will be the result of the renovation of the current Tropikal Resort, to which two new buildings will be added to create a modern holiday resort on the beach. The property, owned by FT Management & Events, will house a total of 383 rooms, of which 180 will be available in 2023 and the rest will be included progressively.
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Meliá Hotels International was founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca and is one of the world’s largest resort hotel chains, as well as Spain’s market leader.
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