Riu upgrades Torremolinos hotel to 'Palace' status in mainland Spain first

The Hotel Riu Palace Nautilus in Torremolinos has officially ascended to the "premium" tier of the renowned Mallorcan hotel chain.

The four-star establishment is now the first Riu property on mainland Spain to achieve the "Palace" superior rating, placing it on par with the brand's luxury offerings in the Bahamas, Los Cabos, and Tenerife.

Located on the Costa del Sol beachfront, the 313-room hotel has undergone an extensive refurbishment designed to maximize its Mediterranean setting and enhance guest comfort.

The complex has undergone extensive renovations, including a new restaurant, improved sea views and a redesigned interior that aims to increase natural light.

The 313-room hotel, located on the beachfront and well connected to the airport and Benalmádena, has updated areas such as the lobby to give them more light and make them more spacious.

The chain has also founded gourmet à la carte restaurant Krystal that will complement the main dining area, which has also undergone a complete renovation. The area now opens to a larger dining room and a bigger terrace.

The renovation has prioritised energy efficiency, employing high-efficiency heat exchangers and air conditioning and installing photovoltaic solar panels. It has also improved accessibility in all common areas and added more adapted rooms, now offering eleven in total.

Riu has four hotels in Andalucía: one in Chiclana, one in Nerja and two in Torremolinos, the Nautilus and the Costa del Sol. The renovation of the Hotel Riu Palace Nautilus is the chain's latest refurbishment project.

Riu started as a family business in 1953. It now owns 101 hotels in 22 countries. In 2025, these hotels welcomed 6.8 million guests and employed 38,955 people. Riu is the 40th largest hotel chain in the world and the third largest in Spain by number of rooms.