Sol Melia Set to Open New Hotels in Colombia, Portugal

Sol Meliá closed the year 2009 by adding three new hotels to its portfolio -- two in Colombia (the company’s first entry into this market) and one in Portugal. The Meliá Cartagena, located on the road Vía al Mar, from the tourist city of Cartagena de Indias, will provide 268 rooms and a wide range of services, such as spa, gym, an extensive choice of restaurants, meeting rooms and the exclusive “The Level” lounge.

The building will also house a shopping center and a 1,000-square-meter casino. The Meliá Barranquilla will be located in the seaside town of Barranquilla, in the Caribbean Sea. The hotel will provide 253 rooms and a large convention center for more than 1,000 people. In addition, Sol Meliá will manage a new hotel in Braga (Portugal), whose opening is scheduled for June 2010.

Located in the main development district, the luxury Meliá Braga Hotel & Spa will provide 180 rooms as well as the meeting rooms. The hotel company has added 20 hotels during the year to its portfolio, according to its brand’s development strategy, and will keep on growing within the next two years under management, lease or franchise agreements.