Advertiser Disclosure
Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
James Larounis
Senior Content Contributor
583 Published Articles
Countries Visited: 30U.S. States Visited: 35
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.
Famed tennis player Rafael Nadal has partnered with Meliá Hotels International to start a new hotel brand called ZEL. ZEL will introduce an upscale urban leisure brand to the Spanish market, later expanding to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
Many Americans likely haven’t heard of Meliá Hotels before. The group operates around 400 hotels throughout Europe that generally offer upscale, city-centric offerings. Meliá’s current hotel brands include Affiliated by Meliá, Falcon’s Resorts by Meliá, Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, INNSiDE by Meliá, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Meliá, Sol by Meliá and now ZEL.
The brand was born in Spain and operates its primary concentration of hotels there.
ZEL is new brand in partnership between Nadal and Meliá that hopes to open 20 hotels in the next 5 years. Its primary focus will be a “bleisure” model, or a hotel that can successfully cater to business and leisure travelers who are often traveling for combined reasons during a typical stay. For those interested in warmer climates, ZEL intends to open its first hotels along the Mediterranean coast and then expand into major cities such as London, Madrid, and Paris.
The first hotel to open will be in Palma de Mallorca in 2023 — a perfect location for those looking to get away and enjoy the great weather.
ZEL will focus on having great partnerships in hotel amenities, decor, and sustainability … a big theme you’ll see echoed throughout the brand.
The hotel will have a Mediterranean focus, and you’ll see these themes throughout:
In addition to the hotel itself, ZEL plans to offer experiences to guests that they can organize, focusing on physical exercise and fitness — a play on the outdoors focus the hotel has.
Architecture is a big piece of the hotel, and you’ll find these great spaces:
It’s nice to see a Mediterranean-themed hotel brand, and it will be interesting to see what partnerships Rafael Nadal, a native Spaniard from Mallorca, brings to the table. While this brand won’t be opening a ton of hotels over the next few years, if you’re visiting Europe, it might be worth checking one out for a night or 2.
![The 6 Best Boutique Hotels in Minneapolis [2023]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Minneapolis.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=700)