One of Santa Pola’s best-known roadside landmarks is set to be brought back to life after the council approved plans for the complete renovation of the former Rocas Blancas hotel.
The long-abandoned complex beside the N-332 will be transformed into a four-star hotel featuring 105 rooms. Developer Grupo ASA hopes to begin work shortly, with construction expected to take approximately 18 months and completion targeted for September 2028.
The project will end more than 16 years of neglect at a building that once ranked among Santa Pola’s leading tourist destinations.
A major element of the development will be a pedestrian bridge across the busy N-332. The walkway will link the 23,000-square-metre hotel site with Santa Pola town centre and the Molí de la Calera area, which contains a protected building of local interest.
The bridge, which will require coordination with the national authorities responsible for the road, is designed to allow hotel guests to reach the town safely without using a car or disrupting traffic on the N-332.
Santa Pola Council has welcomed the redevelopment as an important investment in the municipality’s tourism industry. The governing Partido Popular also declared the project to be of special municipal interest because of its economic, social, cultural and historical importance.
As a result, councillors approved a 50 per cent reduction in the local Construction, Installations and Works Tax.
Mayor Loreto Serrano said the owners had demonstrated a clear commitment to completing the project. She argued that restoring such a recognisable building would create employment, attract visitors and remove a badly deteriorated structure from one of the principal entrances to Santa Pola.
Grupo ASA first informed the council of its plans in 2023. The Elche-based company already operates a four-star hotel in Gran Alacant and believes Rocas Blancas has the potential to become an important destination on the Costa Blanca.
Initial work included clearing overgrown vegetation, cleaning graffiti and strengthening parts of the structure. However, the apparent lack of activity over the following years led many residents to question whether the redevelopment would proceed.
In October 2024, the company confirmed that its architects, engineers and technical teams were continuing to prepare the project. The proposed resort, which could be named the ASA Rocas Blancas Resort Hotel, is expected to combine luxury accommodation with sustainability.
Rocas Blancas once offered a swimming pool, spa, gym and a large “Crystal Palace” used for weddings, celebrations and other events. Its facilities also hosted football teams during training camps.
The hotel closed in 2010 after being badly affected by the economic crisis. Its condition subsequently deteriorated as the empty building became a target for vandalism, theft and unauthorised entry.
Furniture and electrical wiring were stripped from the property, graffiti appeared throughout the complex and several small fires were started inside. The council eventually ordered the previous owners to secure the site and seal its entrances.
At one stage, the abandoned hotel was even advertised for sale on Wallapop for €4 million.
The newly approved redevelopment now promises to turn what had become a prominent symbol of neglect beside the N-332 into a modern four-star hotel and a renewed gateway landmark for Santa Pola.
