Torrevieja City Council has granted a major works licence for the comprehensive refurbishment of the emblematic Hotel Masa Internacional, located on the cliffs of Torre del Moro, in the northern part of the municipality’s coastline.
The project, promoted by Torrevieja Hoteles SA, involves an investment of €866,334, including VAT, and aims to modernise the building while maintaining its current hotel use. The works are intended to improve services, facilities, accessibility, energy efficiency, finishes and equipment, with the objective of upgrading the establishment from three to four stars.
The hotel, also known by its original name Hotel Berlín, is one of Torrevieja’s best-known hospitality venues. The refurbishment was approved by the local government board after receiving the required favourable report from the regional coastal authority, as the entire property lies within the coastal protection easement area.
No increase in volume or built area
According to the project, the intervention will not involve any increase in volume, height or built surface area. On the contrary, the works include the demolition of several annexed elements, reducing the existing built area by 253.11 square metres from the current total of more than 4,100 square metres.
The building sits on the cliffside, making its full original volume difficult to appreciate from outside. It was constructed during the early years of Torrevieja’s tourism development and is arranged over eight levels: four above ground level and four below.
The owners describe the project as a modernisation and adaptation of an operating hotel, focusing mainly on the façades and structure, which are exposed to direct marine weather conditions, as well as a limited reorganisation of internal spaces.
The architects responsible for the project stress that the works do not constitute an extension, but rather the updating of an established building with an active operating licence. The aim is to strengthen the building’s functionality and adapt its services to current standards, enabling the hotel to reach four-star status.
If achieved, Hotel Masa would become Torrevieja’s second four-star hotel.
Fewer rooms, higher quality
The hotel currently offers 99 guest places across 50 rooms. It also includes a restaurant, bar, banquet hall, rented offices and an events room. The building is described as being in an average state of conservation, but outdated in terms of accessibility, energy efficiency, equipment and functionality.
After the refurbishment, the hotel will have 47 accommodation units: 30 double rooms, one adapted room, 11 triple rooms with the possibility of an extra bed, and five junior suites. Although the number of accommodation spaces will be reduced, the overall quality of the offer will be improved.
The project includes the removal of the porticoed entrance currently used as parking on the main façade, a storage room attached to the south façade, the protruding staff goods-lift volume next to the kitchen, external metal staircases and a wooden kiosk in the pool area.
The existing balustrades will be replaced with glass protections, and the façade will receive a new continuous coating with a light sand-coloured finish.
A landmark venue in Torrevieja
Beyond its hotel use, Hotel Masa has been a familiar venue for generations of Torrevieja residents. Over five decades, it has hosted weddings, banquets, local association events, meetings, political gatherings and a wide range of social functions.
The establishment has also been closely linked to residential tourism, serving as accommodation for European buyers visiting the area through the Masa Internacional sales network while viewing potential second homes in Spain.
Energy efficiency, accessibility and pool upgrades
The refurbishment will also include improvements to the swimming pool, with the replacement of finishes, changes to filtration systems and adjustments to the pool basin geometry.
External windows and glazing throughout the building will be replaced with aluminium frames and low-emissivity materials. Domestic hot water production and climate control will be updated using aerothermal systems. Roofs and terraces will also be waterproofed.
Accessibility is another key part of the project. Planned measures include adapted toilets for people with reduced mobility, new accessible routes, improvements to outdoor areas, reconstruction of stair sections, installation of handrails and designated parking spaces.
Coastal restrictions
The project documentation places particular emphasis on the building’s location within the coastal protection easement of the maritime-terrestrial public domain.
For that reason, the works are presented as repair, improvement, consolidation and modernisation, with no increase in volume, height or surface area. The documentation also notes that, in the event of total or partial demolition, any new construction would have to fully comply with Spain’s Coastal Law.
As part of the coastal compliance measures, the project includes lowering the current exterior blind masonry wall to a maximum height of one metre and installing vertical composite slats with a wood-effect finish, in line with coastal regulations.
Hotel sector slowly expanding
Several hotel projects are currently being processed in Torrevieja. These include two hotels of three stars or higher in La Veleta and Avenida de Los Europeos, as well as a planned four-star hotel opposite the new leisure centre near Paseo de la Libertad, with an estimated investment of around €10 million.
The Eden Roc, located in the coves near Hotel Masa, also remains under refurbishment by a French company aiming to open a family-oriented three-star hotel, although the project has faced administrative difficulties involving the City Council and the coastal authority. The Lloyds Club in La Mata is also expected to undergo renovation.
Torrevieja’s hotel capacity currently stands at close to 1,000 rooms and 2,000 guest places. However, growth over the past 20 years has been modest, largely due to the city’s extensive tourist housing offer, considered one of the largest in Spain. Most hotel places remain concentrated in three-star establishments.
