Malaga witnesses grand opening of five-star Áurea Palacio de la Tinta hotel

Although this was the official opening of Áurea Palacio de la Tinta, the hotel opened its doors on 21 May.

The hotel marks the revival of the historic building, dating from 1908, which formerly housed the Andalusian railway confederation. It is a jewel of European Modernism, which Áurea Hotels has restored as "one of its most unique architectural treasures".

It features 141 rooms, a terrace, a swimming pool, a spa, meeting rooms and a varied range of dining options. The renovation had a budget of 50 million euros.

Some of the main features of the opening event on Thursday were the catering and the performance by a local band and then an all-female string quartet.

The hotel terrace brought together around 200 people from the city's social, economic and cultural spheres. They discovered everything the venue has to offer through a tour of the rooms.

One lucky guest took home a unique memento by artist Mireia Vilà, who painted a piece live, which was raffled off during the event.

During the speeches preceding the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, Amancio López said that the opening of the Áurea Palacio de la Tinta "marks a very special milestone" for the company and a hotel brand, which boasts "a collection of unique hotels that respect heritage and are closely linked to the identity of their destinations".

He drew a parallel between his own business career and that of Malaga, highlighting the "major transformation" of the Costa del Sol capital thanks to the tourism sector and institutions "with a broad vision and a desire to leave a legacy".

López recalled that he had first visited Malaga in 1984, at the start of his career in the tourism industry. At the time, Malaga "was a city in clear decline", a far cry from the city it is today, which he described as the one "growing fastest in Spain".

López highlighted the arduous task of restoring "an iconic building to turn it into a unique hotel, deeply connected to the history and character of Malaga". He added that the aim is for it "to be a space that helps enrich the experience of those visiting the city and a source of pride for its people".

López, accompanied by his daughters, who are also executives at the company, highlighted the Áurea brand, noting that the company's hotels are simply unique, with facilities designed to blend into their surroundings and harmonise by absorbing their essence and style.

"This is the model we champion for the future. We want to seek out uniqueness in geography and history," he said. López said that, "without tourism, cities would be in decline".

The hotel's opening served to confirm the company's commitment to enhancing the tourist offering in the Costa del Sol and establishing Malaga "as a benchmark for excellence, culture and hospitality"

Grupo Hotusa operates 49 properties in Andalucía, seven of which in Malaga province. Juanma Moreno thanked López for the company's commitment to Andalucía.

The president of the regional government said that the hotel brand had breathed new life into the historic building and transformed "a liability that was costing Andalusians tens of thousands of euros into a unique asset that generates employment and wealth".

For Moreno, this opening "is a milestone because this iconic building is being returned to the city".

Mayor of Malaga Francisco de la Torre said that "the opening of this sixth five-star hotel is an important day for the city, bringing the total number of top-category accommodation to over 1,000".

He stated that the aim "is to grow in quality rather than quantity" and that the city still has "a long way to go" before it becomes a truly attractive destination, "first and foremost for residents and then also for tourists".

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