Reopens the Gran Hotel Miramar, a symbol of luxury in Malaga
We talk about Gran Hotel Miramar , opened in Malaga in the 1920s and turned into a myth since then, despite ceasing its activity to serve as field hospital during the Civil War and how Palace of Justice since 2007 . However, the accommodation reopened its doors earlier this year, restored as the luxury icon that, in the collective imagination of the people of Malaga, never ceased to be.
This week, moreover, it has celebrated its Official inauguration, with an audience made up of the cream of Malaga's social life. 1400 people that they enjoyed live performances, light and sound shows and a careful decoration, besides different food and drink stations where to taste the gastronomy of the house.
"The Miramar Hotel is, has been and will be a very important symbol for the city of Malaga . It has been since its inauguration in 1926. We believe that the enormous impact it caused at the time was due, in addition to the grandeur and indisputable beauty of the building , to the strong relationship he initially had with the royal family", they explain Eloisa Navas and Carmen Enciso. Both are authors of the novel ** Miramar **, which takes place around the accommodation, and they are also preparing an essay on the real history of the site.
" Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia were his first guests -they continue- and, later, members of both Spanish and European royalty attended the hotel. This fact attracted the establishment, from its beginnings, to a type of tourism of a level hitherto unknown in Malaga and gave it a prestige that came to make it in the flagship of the Malaga hotel industry. And we are convinced that it will continue to be so with the new Gran Hotel Miramar".
In its beginnings, the hotel had the name of a king
PART OF THE DAY TO DAY
However, despite its status as a luxury hotel, perhaps what contributed most to the Miramar's legend was its accessibility, which made it a living part of the history of the people of Malaga. Thus, it was the scene of the Winter regattas award ceremony organized by the Real Club Mediterráneo (still active), court for fencing competitions, riders accommodation who participated in the Equestrian Competition that was held in the also mythical Baños del Carmen, venue for the annual masquerade ball of the Malaga Press Association, and, above all, the weekend dance hall.
Thus, every Sunday, the majestic building opened its doors to the neighbors -to those who could afford to pay the price of their drinks and snacks, of course- so that they would give free rein to the rhythm and the flirtation. The music was provided by the Miramar's own orchestra, and **its melodies were broadcast by Radio Málaga (National Radio of Spain) ** so that even the humblest house could feel the animation of the great hotel.
"The Miramar Hotel he wants to be very close to the people of Malaga , as it was in the past, and continue to be one of the nerve centers of the city", argue Santos Hotels, the new management of the establishment, which belongs to the luxury hotel group LHW (The Leading Hotels of The World). "Times have changed and perhaps traditions too, so dance or fencing acts will be difficult to perform on a weekly basis. However, we are working on offers that are more current and attract all types of public , to make everyone who enters through the door of the Gran Hotel Miramar feel that a piece of the hotel is like their own home, "they add.
The halls retain their majesty
LIKE AT HOME
There was a type of public for whom the Miramar was, in fact, just like home: "Both before and after the civil war, Many of the hotel's clients were families from Malaga who lived there seasonally. . It is true, as strange as it may seem, but the wealthy families of the time preferred to move to the hotel, especially in winter, to witness first-hand the different activities that were organized there, without having to move continuously from other parts of the city", the authors explain. "In other cases, s e stayed at the hotel as a result of any domestic problem , like the Hafner family, who appears in the novel, who ended up living there for a few months while they fixed a problem with the water in the area where they lived. It was also common for some of them to spend a long time in the hotel. foreigners living in Malaga, while their homes were being built , generally in the area of Limonar and La Caleta".
Sleeping in the hotel, especially for long periods of time, ensured the guests the cross paths with a star through the lavish gardens, the pool area (it was one of the few establishments that possessed it by then) or the private beach. The reason? It was an obligatory lodging place for the opera stars that acted in the Cervantes Theater, for the players of the great soccer teams and for the film production companies national and international that chose Malaga as a filming location.
Like at home
SYMBOL OF AN ERA
Shortly before the opening of the Miramar, the aforementioned ** Baños del Carmen .** This recreational space, also with a private beach, had summer cinema, tennis courts, jetty, restaurant and dance floor, among other leisure elements, and also occupies a very special place in the imagination of the people of Malaga. Navas and Enciso explain why: "What we believe unites these two emblematic places in Malaga is romanticism referring to an era. Keep in mind that the Baños del Carmen opened in 1918, just eight years before the Miramar. They practically belong to the same period of history, one in which the economically wealthy class enjoyed a life of leisure very much in keeping with these two establishments , in which all kinds of recreational activities were organized. Although the germ of the revolution and the Republic was already beginning to nest in the working class, it would still take a few more years for it to materialize.
Nothing remains of what used to be the baths; nevertheless, Miramar has now been restored by Estudio Seguí just as it was conceived in its time : "The hotel has been completely remodeled, although it maintains its essence, since it is a listed building and its original structure has been respected. However, it will also be a benchmark in terms of technological modernities , both in meeting rooms and in the rooms, always trying to be at the forefront of new developments that may make the customer's life easier ", they explain from Santos Hotels.
Happy times
THE NEW GRAND HOTEL MIRAMAR
Thus, the new Miramar is a five star grand luxury what is still shining the modernist-style architectural design awarded by Guerrero Strachan from Malaga -it is considered, in fact, his masterpiece-, but it offers more services than its predecessor. Among them, their outdoor semi-heated pool to enjoy in winter, a convention center for 700 people with all the audiovisual advances, five spaces with various types of cuisine (among which the Prince of Asturias Restaurant, commanded by the chef Diego Nicas ), international cocktail options, the Botanic Garden Spa by ®Sisley , Kid's club, butler service and valet, VIP Club and chill out with sea views And till guided tours of the winery , located in the old prison of the Palace of Justice.
On the other hand, the rooms are classified in Premier, Deluxe and Suite , each one with several modalities by category, and its decoration navigates between the Arab style, the Mediterranean or the modernist. Let us reserve them to feel part, so many years later, of a time of kings and movie stars, of Sunday dances, of opera stars and fencing tournaments; of a time that, today, is almost legendary.
Arabic-style rooms at the Gran Hotel Miramar