Carratraca town hall welcomes the recovery of its famous spa and hopes for its swift reopening

Carratraca town hall in Malaga province's Guadalhorce valley has voiced its satisfaction after confirming the owners of the historic Hotel Villa Padierna Thermas de Carratraca have managed to settle debts and recover full management of the complex. This establishment, considered a benchmark in health and wellness tourism, had been closed since 2019 and had been subject to insolvency proceedings since 2024. Now, thanks to the settlement of liabilities for an approximate amount of 3.5 million euros, the debt has been paid, paving the way for its reopening.

The mayor of the municipality, Marian Fernández, explained to SUR that this development represents an opportunity for the local economy and the tourism sector inland. "From the town hall we only hope that the fact that the owners of the thermal baths and the hotel have been able to rescue the property will be an improvement for the municipality and that they will quickly find someone to manage it, because we know that there are some hotel chains that have contacted them," they said.

Although no names have been revealed, the town hall is aware that these are top-level operators in the luxury and wellness segment, which reinforces the expectation that the establishment will regain its original prestige. SUR had already revealed that the owners of the spa were working on the search for an operator specialising in top-level health and wellness hotels - information now backed up by the mayor herself.

The town hall also stressed that there are no significant legal obstacles pending before the reopening. "As far as I know, the hotel has its licence. I don't know if it will have to bring anything up to date. As it should, it has its debt with the Patronato, but it seems that it is going to catch up. Otherwise, I don't think it will have any problem reopening both the hotel and the thermal baths," said Fernández. This means that, once an agreement has been reached with a new operator, the complex could be operational in a relatively short time. They hope to recover clients soon after several years of inactivity that have affected the image of the municipality.

The town hall insists on the importance of the spa as a sign of Carratraca's identity. "The thermal baths are a reference point in the municipality and the town has always grown around the water. That is what we hope: that it will open soon; that is what we want and expect," explained representatives. The facility, which combines hotel and spa in two buildings connected by a tunnel, represents not only a tourist attraction but also an economic engine that can generate direct and indirect employment in the area, benefiting local businesses such as restaurants, shops and service companies.

For all these reasons, the council, led by the mayor, maintains an optimistic message for the future. "We are going to be positive. The town hall is happy because the property has finally been recovered and we hope that an agreement will be reached with interested parties to ensure a quick reopening. It's going to be a boost for the town," they concluded.