Tag: Tenerife

German Group 12.18 Invests €74M In Luxury Resort In Ibiza

29 May 2017 – Expansión

The German Group 12.18. Investment Management, which specialises in hotel and vacation investments, has arrived in Spain with its first luxury resort, in Ibiza, where it has invested €74 million. The complex, which will operate under the Seven Pines brand, will open its doors in October and will be operational for twelve months of the year.

The resort has 418 beds distributed across two villas and 195 suites, with prices ranging from €230 to €3,000, depending on the season and the occupancy rate. The group estimates that it will generate turnover of €15 million from the complex during its first year of operation and will achieve annual growth of 5% thereafter.

The company, which has an investment portfolio worth €250 million, made its first incursion into Spain at the beginning of 2014, with the purchase of a 3-star vacation complex in Ibiza, constructed in 1970, which it has completely renovated. In addition, 12.18. owns a plot of land measuring 18,000 m2 in the north of Tenerife, which it plans to develop next year.

The German firm has highlighted its interest in strengthening its position in Spain and to that end, it is currently looking for opportunities in Barcelona, Mallorca and Marbella.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake

The Polanco Family Sells Ritz-Carlton Tenerife To HI Partners

21 April 2017 – El Confidencial

The Polanco family has resorted to selling the jewel in the crown of its personal wealth, the luxury Ritz-Carlton Abama resort in Tenerife, to obtain some financial breathing space in order to try and balance out its complicated economic situation.

According to real estate sources, the former majority shareholder of Grupo Prisa has reached an agreement with the hotel group HI Partners (HIP) to sell 49.99% of the listed establishment for almost €50 million, a quantity to which another €25 million of investment will have to be added to expand the hotel’s facilities with its residential complex. Sources at Timón, the holding company of the editorial giant, have acknowledged the transfer, but have not revealed details of any amounts or commitments.

As El Confidencial revealed several weeks ago, the problems of Prisa, whose shares are trading at their lowest value for a year and a half, have been transferred to the Polanco family, who has requested help from its creditor banks in light of the difficulties it is facing to meet its loan obligations. Its request has been answered by Santander and CaixaBank, its two primary lenders.

To this SOS, a new loan amounting to €60 million has just been agreed, which forms part of the sales operation to HIP. According to sources familiar with the deal, Sabadell, the owner of HIP, has granted this 18-month loan, with the aim of enabling the Polanco family to put its accounts in order.

Once that period has elapsed, and provided the loan has been repaid or transferred to another entity, HIP will acquire 49.99% of the luxury resort, an operation that, between the sales value and the money to be allocated to new investments, would mean that Prisa’s shareholders will obtain another €75 million.

In the event that the Polanco family breaches that obligation during the 18 month period, the hotel chain will not become a shareholder of Ritz-Carlton Abama and the financial problems of the giant will get worse, given that Sabadell would increase its list of creditors to include the aforementioned €60 million. (…).

With losses of €7.5 million at the end of 2015, the most recent period for which figures are available, and sales of €55.25 million, this luxury tourist resort comprises the five-star Ritz-Carlton Abama hotel, a residential development where 148 villas are planned and Abama Golf, a 72-hole golf course. (…).

HI Partners owns 31 establishments and manages €850 million of hotel debt on behalf of Banco Sabadell. Moreover, a year ago, the firm signed an alliance with the giant Starwood Capital Group, to create a joint venture aimed at investing €500 million over the next three years.

Original story: El Confidencial (by Ruth Ugalde)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Palladium To Invest €450M In New Openings & Renovations

23 January 2017 – Cinco Días

Palladium, the hotel group controlled by the Matutes family, is planning to invest more than €450 million in new openings and renovating its existing establishments, both in Spain as well as in the Caribbean.

The hotel chain, which recorded a turnover of €558 million in 2016, up by 14% compared to the year before, said that it had completed a good year. It also appeared optimistic about the performance of the holiday market in Spain this year, especially in the Balearic Islands, where it has a larger market share.

Abel Matutes Prats, CEO of the company, said that the firm’s growth strategy in terms of number of hotels now involves managing establishments owned by third parties. “We are ready to grow quite a lot in the urban and holiday segments as a hotel manager”, he said.

The company, which has signed an agreement with Hard Rock to bring the hotel brand to mainland Spain – the US firm already has two establishments on the islands, one in Ibiza and another in Tenerife – acknowledges that it has some plans on the table that have not been finalised yet. Not so long ago, Hard Rock was mentioned as the best positioned player to manage the hotel in Edificio España in Madrid.

“There are a couple of hotels in the pipeline, but nothing has been decided yet”, said Matutes Prats, who defends this alliance as “a well-matched marriage”, which is choosing to focus on its latest addition, the opening in Tenerife, at the moment, but which is not ruling out future developments in urban destinations.

The businessman highlights the arrival of Palladium in Asia. “One day we will have to make the jump, but right now it does not form part of our plans. When we move over there, it will be to launch something big”, he said.

Original story: Cinco Días (by L.S.)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Golf Property Sales Boost Recovery Of RE Market

9 September 2016 – Opp.today

Spanish property sales in major tourism areas have been starting to rise over the last year or so, with a little help from the golf sector.

In fact, the golf industry is a key driver of Spanish home sales, achieving nearly 3,000 transactions in 2016 alone – and buyers can benefit from prices that often rise faster than similar homes elsewhere.

Being close to a golf course can add up to a quarter to the value of a property compared to a regular home, says a new report from the Arum Group, which develops and manages luxury resorts in Spain including Abama Luxury Residences, La Manga Club and Eldorado Playa.

More than two-thirds (68%) of golf courses in Spain have a direct or indirect link with a real estate development, according to the data produced in conjunction with the Real Federación Española de Golf.

The Arum Group has seen strong demand at its Abama Resort in Tenerife with 45 sales in 2015, almost 50% more than predicted, and rising sales from sports enthusiasts at La Manga in Murcia, which has three golf courses.

Agustin La Rocca, Sales Director at Arum Group, says, “The Spanish property market is currently on an upward curve and one of the main drivers is the golf industry. We have certainly noticed the appeal that having world class golf courses adds to real estate developments.

“At both La Manga Club and Abama, we are graced with outstanding examples and there is no doubt that they add to the appeal for our buyers. For a start it means that their views will never be interrupted or built upon and also means that the peace and tranquility of the area will be preserved.”

Golf is a big draw for foreigners in Spain and it is estimated that 160,000 Britons in the country are close to a golf resort. In total, 234,500 properties enjoy ‘direct’ access to a golf course.

Most overseas demand for Arum Group Spanish golf properties comes from the UK, Belgium and Scandinavia, but it has buyers across the globe.

The EU Referendum vote has not affected UK buyer demand, says Agustin La Rocca. “Despite Brexit, British buyers will undoubtedly continue to aspire and want own their own luxury holiday homes in Spain. We have found that our clients are very focused and know exactly what they want from a second home. We do not have many competitors with the same standard of services and facilities and we expect UK demand to continue to grow.”

“The reason for buying depends on the project. Investors at La Manga Club are attracted to its renowned sporting facilities. The gated community offers world-class sporting amenities and wellness facilities perfect for second-homes investors looking for a home in the sun. On the other hand, Abama is more focused on luxury and glamour for those looking for the ultimate cuisine, golf and hotel facilities.”

With a high buyer demand, other developers are considering entering the sector, but it takes experience to be successful, says Agustin La Rocca.

“Over the past year, there have been a number of developers in Spain who have tried to develop golf resort but this is a science that needs lots of technology and it takes a lot of practice. It essential to have a highly experienced team behind the resort in order for it to be a success. In that sense, Arum Group has more than 20 years of experience in developing some of the top golf resorts in Spain.”

As well as boosting real estate sales, golf has also had a positive impact on the Spanish tourism industry with visitor numbers increasing 36.3% in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, in the region of Murcia alone.

La Manga Club, a 1,400-acre resort in Murcia popular with sports enthusiasts, has seen strong sales thanks to its on-site sporting facilities including three golf courses. It also reports, a rise in visitors using the available rental accommodation. These findings are supported by the Murcia Tourist Board, which recently released data highlighting that tourists staying in private rented accommodation in the region has risen by 25.6% in 2016 compared to the same period last year.

There is a similar story at the Abama Resort in Tenerife, which features an 18 hole Dave Thomas designed golf course and tennis academy. 45 units were sold in 2015, almost 50% more than predicted, with all purchasers attracted by the lifestyle offered by the resort and its amenities. (…).

In May 2016, across all Spanish property sales, not just golf villas, 32,512 homes were sold, up 23% year-on-year, according to the National Statistics Institute. It is the highest figure since January 2013 and the fourth consecutive month of double-digit annual increases.

Original story: Opp.today

Edited by: Carmel Drake

HI Partners Buys Hotel In Tenerife From The Polanco Family

26 July 2016 – Expansión

The founding family of Prisa will use the funds (received from the sale) to reduce its debt with the banks and repay a loan from Banco Santander.

HI Partners is pushing ahead in its offsensive to become one of the largest owners of hotel assets in Spain. The subsidiary of Banco Sabadell has acquired the Hotel Jardín Tropical, located in Costa de Adeje, in the south of Tenerife, from the Polanco family, founder of Prisa.

This is a complex operation that, on the one hand, will allow the repayment of a €20 million loan that the hotel holds with Banco Santander. In parallel, the Polanco family will reduce the bank debt that it holds with several financial institutions, according to sources close to the transaction. This is HI Partners’ second acquisition in the Canary Islands, after it purchased Hotel IFA Catarina in Gran Canaria a few days ago, from the Lopeson group.

Through the investor holding company Timón, the Polanco family controls several hotels, which it operates through My Way. This company will continue to manage Hotel Jardín Tropical, which has 419 rooms and has a 4-star rating. The hotel, constructed around thirty years ago and located on the beach front, was designed by the architect Melvin Villarroel, known for integrating architecture with nature. Thus, the hotel has 12,000 sqm of sub-tropical vegetation and a saltwater swimming pool.

The aim of HI Partners is to renew all of the rooms to modernise the tourist complex, located in Spain’s fourth most important destination by RevPar, the indicator used to measure the profitability of hotel assets. The company led by Alejandro Hernández-Puértolas now has 26 hotels in its portfolio and manages €850 million of Banco Sabadell’s hotel debt.

Original story: Expansión (by S. Saborit)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Barceló Sells Hotel In Tenerife To Chinese Group ‘Kangde’

23 April 2015 – Expansión

Another transaction in the Spanish hotel sector has a foreign buyer. Barceló has sold the Hotel Barceló Santiago (in Tenerife) to the Chinese group Chongqing Kangde Industrial. Negotiations began in 2013, when Barceló and Kangde signed a framework agreement to explore options together.

After more than a year of meetings, the Spanish tourism group agreed the sale of the property to Kangde. According to the Chinese group’s website, the alliance was signed during Lu Chaokang’s tour of Europe in search of investment opportunities. Chaokang, the Chairman of Kangde, visited a dozen projects in Budapest, Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

Consideration of €50 million

The sale, which amounted to around €50 million, has not been formalised yet, as the buyer is still waiting to receive approval (of the purchase) from the Chinese government. The deadline for obtaining the backing ends in May. Nevertheless, according to industry sources, Barceló has already received confirmation that the transaction will close on time.

The Spanish chain will continue to manage the four-star hotel, which has 406 rooms and is located close to the Playa de los Gigantes. However, Kangde may be interested in renovating the property and increasing its (star) rating. In 2006, Barceló invested €7 million in the refurbishment of Hotel Santiago, which entered its portfolio in 1995. The sale of the hotel forms part of the process designed by Barceló to reduce its exposure to real estate, which has reached a historic high – (it owns) almost 63% of all of its rooms. The major milestone on this roadmap has been the creation of the Socimi, Bay, together with Hispania. Barceló will transfer 16 hotels and two shopping centres worth €421 million to the Socimi and whereby reduce the percentage of rooms it owns to 43%.

In 2014, Barceló recorded a profit of €46.4 million, up 85.6% on the previous year and a turnover of €2,056.6 million.

Original story: Expansión (by Yovanna Blanco)

Translation: Carmel Drake