Óbal Urban Hotel begins their first summer season as a 4-star hotel, celebrating a grand-opening party
- More than 200 guests attended the event, including the mayor María Ángeles Muñoz and Irene Villa with her fiancé, David Serrato, as special guests.
- After an investment of 9 million euros and starting with 65% of rooms occupied, Óbal Urban Hotel exceeds expectations and reflects the growth in tourism within Marbella, establishing itself as the leading location within the sector.
- The hotel just received the UNE 170001 Universal Accessibility certification and it is in the process of obtaining the European Standard Certificates: the ISO 9001 quality standard, the Q Tourism Quality Seal, the ISO 14.001 environmental standard, the lSO 45.001 safety and health in the workplace standard, and the SICTED for quality in destination. With these qualifications, the hotel is to become the first in Spain to obtain the 6 most important qualifications in the hospitality industry.
Marbella, 17th May, 2024.- In the afternoon of the 17th May, Óbal Urban Hotel officially marked the beginning of their first summer season with a grand-opening party, after its recent transformation into a 4-star hotel. This event, celebrated in the heart of Marbella, had the attendance of 200 guests, including prominent figures such as the Tourism, Culture and Sports Delegate from the Andalusia Government in Málaga, Gemma del Corral, the mayor of Marbella María Ángeles Muñoz; the human resources, urbanism, civic security, industry and public life delegate, José Eduardo Díaz Molina, and other representatives from the city council. Amongst the attendees were also the president of AEHCOS, José Luque García, and the President of CIT, Juan José González Ramírez. It´s also important to note the attendance of Irene Villa, the event’s patron who attended with her fiancé, David Serrato.
During the party, the origins of the old Hotel San Cristóbal were commemorated, built in the year 1961 on the land adjacent to the Parra family home, on the Avenue Ramón y Cajal de Marbella, with 58 rooms. Back then it was a guest house, providing only accommodation. After years of management under the second generation of the Parra family, now the third generation takes the reins of the family business.
The 110-bedroom hotel, which has been running since the beginning of the year, following a €9 million renovation, has achieved an average occupancy of 65% within its first months, a promising figure that exceeds initial expectations and aligns with trends of the region’s growth in tourism.
The tourism figures in the Costa del Sol, provided by the National Statistics Institute (INE), show a significant increase in the number of tourists and overnight guests during the first quarter of 2024, which reflects a positive outlook for local industry. Marbella in particular has seen a notable rise in tourist activity, with a new record of more than 220,000 overnight stays in March.
“The results of the first quarter have been extremely positive and it encourages us to look optimistically towards the summer season. We anticipate an increase in the number of visitors and we hope that our value proposal, centered around the client’s quality experience, places us as leaders in the sector”, states Manuel Murga, director of Óbal Urban Hotel.
Cristóbal Parra, the family business’ operations director, highlighted the philosophy behind the project, saying “Our commitment to providing an urban, modern hotel responds to Marbella´s need for constant development. Óbal Urban Hotel has been specially designed to offer an exceptional experience, all whilst with the promise of sustainability and innovation.”
Additionally, the hotel has made an important step in its commitment to inclusion and accessibility in gaining the UNE 170001 universal accessibility certification. This guideline certifies that the hotel meets the highest standards, ensuring its facilities are accessible to everyone. This achievement is part of the constant work by a specialised team, which is also focused on complying with Tourism Quality, Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety, and the Comprehensive System for Tourism Quality in Destinations (SICTED) regulations, highlighting the hotel’s strategy to ensure maximum quality and accessibility in its reopening process, consolidating its leadership in the hotel industry.
Furthermore, the cuisine on offer at Óbal Urban Hotel is one of the stand out characteristics of the new establishment, lead by head chef Marilú Montecé, who boasts a recognised career in cooking. The Alameda restaurant, under her direction, specialises in Mediterranean cuisine using local, zero-Km products, offering their diners an authentic and high quality culinary experience. Also, the hotel boasts a unique location in the old town of Marbella, the RoofTop 360 Blue Sky Bar, with an innovative menu including healthy options, signature cocktails and a pool with panoramic views of the city, this space offers a relaxed and modern ambience. The new terrace has caught the attention of locals and visitors alike, becoming one of the most popular destinations for both leisure and entertainment in Marbella, with a calendar full of events, DJ sets and live music, establishing it as an important location for entertainment in the city.
With these initiatives and a solid operations strategy, Óbal Urban Hotel prepares for an exciting summer season, establishing itself as the number-one destination for national and international visitors in search of comfort and convenience in the centre of Marbella.
For more information: prensa@comunicacion.com
