Villa Le Blanc, a Gran Meliá Hotel
Inauguration of The Gran Meliá Villa Le Blanc Hotel, an Icon of Luxury and Hotel Sustainability in Menorca
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Authorities from Menorca and the Balearic Islands and representatives of the hotel owners attended the opening of the first Grand Luxury hotel on the island and the first carbon-neutral hotel to be operated by the leading Spanish hotel group.
The new Gran Meliá Villa Le Blanc Hotel was officially inaugurated yesterday in Menorca. The hotel is operated by Meliá Hotels International and is the first Grand Luxury hotel on the island and the first carbon-neutral hotel with net-zero emissions.
The beachfront hotel is fully integrated with its surroundings and provides 114 rooms and 45 suites, all designed with the greatest respect for traditional Menorcan style, as well as three dining spaces inspired by the island's culinary traditions and innovation: S'Amarador Villa Le Blanc, CRU (created by chef Joan Canals and reflecting the personality of the iconic Ulises Restaurant in Menorca) and NIVI, specialising in Mediterranean cuisine and barbecues.
In addition to extraordinary luxury and exceptional beauty, the Gran Meliá Villa Le Blanc Hotel is also a prototype of a sustainable hotel that the company expects to lead the way to the future decarbonisation of its hotel portfolio thanks to greater energy efficiency and renewable energy. Key features in the hotel include biomass boilers, geothermal energy and heat recovery, photovoltaic energy, recycling clean and grey waters, and digital technology to measure and control the water footprint and reduce energy and water use.
The hotel opened just a few weeks ago and is owned by Victoria Hotels & Resorts, a company set up by Bankinter in 2021 as another example of its commitment to a strategic Spanish industry, and also involving a number of its most relevant clients, Meliá Hotels International and GMA, the latter as managing partner. The inauguration is the result of the commitment they all share to sustainability.
The event itself was accompanied by the Mallorcan group The Alp Collective, which added an extra dose of "magic" to the evening, and was attended by representatives of the Balearic Islands Government, the Menorca Island Council and the Es Migjorn Gran Town Hall, along with representatives of the hotel owners. All the attendees celebrated the inauguration of a project of which they all feel proud and which is a significant milestone for Menorca and the hotel industry in general. As Iago Negueruela, Minister of Tourism for the Balearic Islands, stated, this hotel is "a clear commitment to the circular economy, to social responsibility and to environmental and territorial sustainability that goes far beyond just compliance with regulations". The inauguration should have a very positive impact on the destination, attracting higher quality visitors with greater purchasing power and also providing better quality employment. As the Minister explained, the old hotel employed only 65 people, while the new Grand Luxury hotel will have a staff of more than 150.
For his part, Gabriel Escarrer highlighted the "great news" regarding the transformation of the old Santo Tomás Hotel into a benchmark hotel for luxury and sustainability, which "will enhance the value and reputation of the destination". Escarrer thanked the local authorities for their support in completing the project in spite of the difficulties the industry has been going through. He also highlighted the crucial collaboration with partners in Bankinter and GMA to make it all happen. The CEO of Bankinter, Maria Dolores Dancausa, recalled the important social role played by financial institutions and their ability to help make the dreams of families and companies come true. She also reiterated her commitment to alternative investment vehicles with highly reputable companies such as Meliá, "which make it possible to take on projects such as the Gran Meliá Villa Le Blanc Hotel, which have a positive impact on both society and the environment".
The event ended with a few emotional and inspiring words from the Mayor of Es Migjorn Gran, Antonia Camps, before the symbolic ribbon was cut to mark the official inauguration of the new hotel.
