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Argentine Government Announces Seven Nadal-Backed ZEL Hotels as Meliá Confirms Five Projects

Formal contracts and project disclosures are expected to clarify the full scope and timeline for the two remaining ZEL hotels.

Rafael Nadal, exnúmero uno del mundo y referente del tenis, expande su legado con la marca de hoteles ZEL que llegará la país
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Overview

  • Argentina’s tourism secretary Daniel Scioli named Bariloche, El Calafate, Iguazú, Mendoza, Posadas, Salta and Ushuaia as sites for seven planned ZEL hotels in partnership with Rafael Nadal and Meliá Hotels International.
  • Meliá Hotels International said it has five new projects signed in Argentina, some of which will carry the ZEL brand, without confirming a total of seven ZEL openings.
  • The expansion is reportedly backed by a US$200 million investment plan over five years, with local press suggesting the first ZEL hotel could open in El Calafate in 2026.
  • ZEL was launched by Rafael Nadal with Meliá in 2023 and currently operates two properties in Spain and a resort in Punta Cana, serving as the model for the proposed Argentine sites.
  • Resolving the hotel count dispute requires finalizing financing arrangements, obtaining permit approvals and formalizing contracts to set definitive project schedules.