Meliá Hotels International is expanding Zel, the brand it created with tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

The Spanish hospitality company is set to open the brand’s second hotel on Spain’s Costa Brava this summer, followed by new hotels in Madrid, Sayulita (Mexico), and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) in 2025.

Owned by Azora, Zel Costa Brava sits on 35 hectacres between Cala Pola and Cala Giverola, and is just minutes from Tossa De Mar, a municipality some 100 kilometers north of Barcelona.

Formerly the Pola Giverola Resort, the property is currently undergoing a refurbishment to align it with Zel’s key attributes and outdoor living-inspired architecture.

It will open this summer with 214 guestrooms. Consistent with the first Zel property, which opened in Mallorca in 2023, the entrance to the resort will transform into a patio, serving as the heart of the hotel. It will house a specialty coffee corner, a concept store with products from local and international brands, a modern supermarket, lounges with reading and relaxation areas, and self-check-in kiosks. The hotel will also focus on providing a distinctive gastronomic experience and will feature renovated leisure, sports, and wellness facilities.

“Our alliance with Rafael Nadal continues to progress and is embodied in this energetic hotel located in front of one of the most spectacular coastlines of the Mediterranean—Tossa de Mar,” says Gabriel Escarrer, chairman and CEO of Meliá. “This, along with the values of this asset and our collaboration with Rafa and partners like Azora, fills us with pride, affirming our belief that Zel Costa Brava will become an essential hotel-destination for quality tourism in this area.”

Rafael Nadal commented on the announcement saying, “A new Zel hotel in the Costa Brava, a Mediterranean area with many similarities to Mallorca, where the Zel concept originated. We are aware of the demands that this brand represents, and that is why we value moving forward with the expansion hand in hand with Meliá. Zel Costa Brava in a destination like Tossa de Mar offers everything the Zel customer expects in terms of nature and surroundings, authentic experiences and impeccable service”.

Concha Osácar, founding partner of Azora, describes the hotel “as a unique asset in the Mediterranean, difficult to replicate. When presented with Meliá’s value proposition for the Zel brand, partnering with Meliá and Rafael Nadal in the hotel’s repositioning was an obvious and winning decision for Azora. We believe that the collaboration has everything needed to make Zel Costa Brava a benchmark on the Costa Brava—an evolving tourist destination with numerous attractions.”​