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The complex covers an area of more than 197,000 square metres. Josele Fuerte and Barceló hotel chains compete for Marbella holiday and leisure complexThe Marbella-based company and the hotel giant are the only firms aspiring to take over the operation of the complex after Sierra Blanca Estates was excluded
Marbella
Friday, 16 January 2026, 13:23
The future of the Residencia de Tiempo Libre de Marbella leisure complex now rests with two final parties. Ritusa SA (a subsidiary of Marbella-based Fuerte Group) and the Barceló hotel chain are the only two bidders being considered by the Regional Ministry of Economy, Finance, and European Funds to operate the iconic facility.
This site was the last of the worker holiday complexes built in Spain to provide affordable vacations for public company employees and was the most recent to cease operations.
The two finalists - the Marbella-based Ritusa and the hotel giant bidding as Barceló Arrendamientos Hoteleros SL - are competing for a 75-year management contract, with a potential extension to 99 years. The winner is expected to be decided by auction this January. A third bidder, Sierra Blanca Estates Epic SL, was recently excluded from the competition. While the developer submitted its bid through Leisure City Management SLU, the procurement committee rejected it because the tender specifications expressly prohibit relying on external resources or parent companies to meet financial solvency requirements.
The submission deadline was extended following a successful appeal by Castillo de San Luis SL, a branch of Fuertegroup SL. Fuertegroup’s portfolio includes the five-star El Fuerte Marbella, Olée Holiday Rentals, and four-star hotels in Huelva and Cádiz (El Rompido, Conil, and Grazalema). The final bid was channeled through Ritusa SA, whose administrator is the president of Fuertegroup. This group also manages the Amàre Hotels brand, which is currently expanding with a new location in Sancti Petri (Chiclana de la Frontera).
The winning operator must commit to a minimum investment of 50 million euros within the first 15 years and begin operations within three years of the contract signing. Additionally, they must pay an annual fee (canon) of at least 4 million euros.
The transformation is part of a 2024–2025 agreement between the regional ministry and Marbella Town Hall to reclassify the plot for hotel use. This allows for an increase in buildable floor area of 30,000 square metres over the existing 23,395 square metres. As the complex is part of the Andalusian Historical Heritage, all redevelopment must strictly adhere to regional protection regulations.
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