Work starts on Gerard Piqué's new five-star hotel project in Malaga city

Construction is under way on Barcelona football star Gerard Piqué's five-star hotel project in Malaga city.

The luxury accommodation, which will be operated by the Meliá hotel chain, will occupy the site of the old Andalucía cinema after the family investment company of the Spanish footballer closed a 50-million-euro deal. The 35-metre building will feature a ground floor with a mezzanine, five more floors and a penthouse. There will be 128 rooms, with a total occupancy of 209 guests. The hotel will also feature meeting rooms, a gym, a swimming pool in the penthouse, a bar and restaurant.

Extensive archaeological excavations at the site have delayed works after burial sites of the medieval Islamic necropolis of Jabal Faruh were uncovered along the entire slope of Gibralfaro. Remains of a pantheon and a funerary mosque were also found, according to documents seen by SUR.

The hotel was supposed to have 64 parking spaces, but due to the archaeological discovery, must now only include 17 on site. The regional ministry of culture has ordered an archaeological director to supervise construction in case more remains are found.