Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has teamed up with Spain's Meliá Hotels to create a new group of luxury hotels under the Zel brand.
The first Zel hotel is set to open on Rafa's home island of Mallorca in 2023.
“As a Spaniard, a Mallorcan and a global traveller, the launch of our hotel brand is a project that I have had in mind for a long time,” said Rafa. “Zel is synonymous with feeling good at all times, enjoying life and the way we live it throughout the Mediterranean.”
Meliá and Nadal say that they will open more than 20 hotels in the next five years, concentrating on “bleisure” hotels in strategic locations in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asia that draw high-end leisure tourists.
Apart from winning a record 22 tennis Grand Slams, 36 year old Nadal is a shrewd businessman. He owns a group of international tennis academies and is sponsored by the likes of luxury watchmaker Richard Mille, Armani and Santander.
Meliá currently has more than 350 hotels in 35 countries.
