€158 million investment to create 337 direct jobs
A new luxury beachside hotel has been announced for Praia da Lota in the Algarve municipality of Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA).
The five-star hotel, representing an investment of around €158 million, will be built between 2025 and 2026 and is due to open in 2027.
The ambitious development is spearheaded by BodyHoliday, a renowned name in the Wellness and Spa tourism sector. Estimated to create 337 direct jobs, the hotel will feature 220 rooms, including 40 single rooms, 160 double rooms, and 20 suites.
Guests will also have five restaurants at their disposal, as well as a wellness centre and spa featuring over 50 treatment and massage rooms. The hotel will also boast a gym equipped for Pilates, Spinning and Yoga, an indoor pool and three outdoor pools, and scenic gardens providing direct access to the beach via wooden boardwalks.
Local officials are hailing the project as a game-changer for VRSA. Mayor Álvaro Araújo believes the new hotel will “shift the tourism paradigm of Vila Real de Santo António, enhancing the quality of its offerings and attracting visitors from the luxury segment.” Meanwhile, deputy mayor Ricardo Cipriano adds that the project will bring diversity to the borough’s tourism sector, helping reduce seasonality and increase the average length of visitor stays.
With a vision to position Vila Real de Santo António on the global tourism map, the project is expected to attract “high-end visitors from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Nordic countries.”
The hotel is being designed with sustainability in mind, aiming for the prestigious BREEAM certification – an internationally recognised benchmark for environmental performance. Having already achieved an “Excellent” rating of 75.06% in its design assessment, the development incorporates cutting-edge materials, construction techniques, and energy-efficient systems, says the municipal council in a statement.
“This is a structural investment that will drive local economic growth, which puts Vila Real de Santo António on the map of quality tourism and creates new opportunities for its population,” adds mayor Araújo.
