Rafael Nadal teams up with hotel chain to launch beachfront property

When the celebrity-driven Planet Hollywood brand of restaurants and hotels was a globally-expanding phenomenon in the 1990s, the likes of Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Jackie Chan and Arnold Schwarzenegger were turning up on red carpets to open the outposts in often spectacular style.

Times have changed. No one’s riding motorbikes perilously down red carpets – we’re looking at you and your Planet Hollywood antics, Jean-Claude Van Damme.

But the celebrity-endorsed hotel is still big business.

The Pestana CR7 hotels are so named for their co-owner, the superstar Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (the CR being his initials, seven being his Manchester United playing number). Proprietors of the Nobu restaurants and hotels include the actor Robert De Niro. Other actors, Leonardo Di Caprio, Richard Gere and Hugh Jackman are at least part owners of standalone properties, as is British tennis star Andy Murray.

And now another tennis great has leant his name to a new hotel brand, the Australian Open favourite and Spanish great, Rafael Nadal.

Nadal has joined forces with another Spanish giant, Melia Hotels International to launch Zel Mallorca, the first of what is intended to be a family of Zel-branded hotels.

It’s fitting for Nadal that the first property of his hospitality venture would be on the Balearic island of Mallorca – he is Mallorcan by birth (as is Gabriel Escarrer, chairman and chief executive of Melia).

Designed by Madrid-based hotel architecture specialists, Alvaro Sans Arquitectura Hotelera whose work includes many Melia properties, the Palmanova beachfront hotel’s style is set to evoke the spirit of “a vivid and playful Mediterranean house” with seaside tones and textures throughout.

“The patio” replaces a lobby and reception. Instead, you’re met by a concept store selling on-theme products such as homewares, hats and books, a cafe serving cult Barcelonian brand Syra Coffee, and a lounge with digital kiosks where guests generate their room card by scanning a QR code they will have received when booking one of the 165 rooms and suites online.