Five-year roadmap laid out for ambitious transformation of IPV Palace & Spa hotel on the Costa del Sol

The latest phase of upgrades of the IPV Palace & Spa hotel, set on the beachfront in Fuengirola, has resulted in an investment of 1.3 million euros in innovation, digitalisation and modernisation of its facilities. This is a part of a process developed over the last three years in which the foundations are being laid to move towards a more ambitious project designed for the next five years, which includes a comprehensive reform that could begin within a couple of years. Nor does the hotel rule out upgrading its rating, although the CEO and owner of the establishment, Nacho Pérez, said that "it is not the ultimate goal to become a five-star hotel", adding that at present they already meet most of the requirements to be at this maximum level. "It is something that will be decided at the last moment," he explained.

In the meantime, he said the transformation that has taken place over the last three years, during which he has taken the reins of this emblematic hotel on the Costa del Sol, which has been in existence for two decades. He explains that the management structure has been reinforced to boost the financial and commercial side with a view to the overall renovation and the new short and medium-term aims of combining its classic essence with a renewed vision of hospitality.

The hotel has 285 rooms, a wide and renewed gastronomic offer and a spa designed to underpin the appeal of a growing health and wellness tourism, a segment to which they are adding in this new stage a commitment to the events and conference traveller. "We are reinforcing our positioning in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (Mice) segment with ten multifunctional rooms with natural light and capacity for 600 people designed for professional meetings and private celebrations," he said.

New ventures

Although the backbone of the business is holidaymakers, which divides almost equally between Spanish and foreign clients, in this new stage they are also focusing on opening up even more to the public with the beach club and the spa as main attractions. To this is added a gastronomic offer, distributed in various spaces, such as the Doña Lola restaurant, Alacena, beach club, Bar La Taurina and the Beatriz terrace. "We are in the process of converting the gastronomic offer and everything to do with events," he explained.

Pérez highlighted the economic actions that have been carried out in the last three years that do not have a great visual impact for the customer, but that do represent great advances for the management of the establishment. Among them, he said, are the investment disbursed to undertake the digitalisation of the hotel, to proceed to a change of the wifi network or the implementation of software for the management of human resources. "We have created a new structure and incorporated new job profiles," he said, emphasising the importance of the staff in the success of this establishment.

Pérez also explained the strategy that the hotel will begin to develop in the near future to take advantage of golf tourism, taking advantage of the proximity of Mijas and taking positions as a reference for accommodation for golf enthusiasts, who have their high season just when the holiday segment begins to lose strength. "The hotel is open all year round, and golf, together with congress tourism, can help to reduce seasonality," he said.

After taking stock of a summer that, he said, "holds good expectations", Pérez invited visitors "to rediscover the genuine hospitality, close at hand and in touch with the environment that defines the Mediterranean lifestyle".