T e n e r i f e ’ s f a v o u r i t e b r i t i s h w e e k ly n e w s p a p e r Issue 722 23 September - 29 September 2011
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If it's good enough for Sir Winston Churchill …
IT was opulent enough for Sir Winston Churchill, Greek shipping magnate Onassis, legendary actresses Elizabeth Taylor and Sofía Loren, and even superstar Van Morrison.
These were just a handful of the countless celebrities and dignitaries, who were attracted to the Grand Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz in years gone by. Now, the owners of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Mencey plan to rekindle those memorable times by re-opening its doors in Santa Cruz on 11th November after a 25-million-euro renovation. It closed just two years ago, a tired, weary old building in need of a facelift desperately. But far from simply modernising the iconic, 60-year-old landmark, the owners have restored
this palatial hotel to its former glory. Their ambition is to provide luxury accommodation for tourists, on a par with anything mainland Spain has to offer. And they are succeeding at every level. More than 500 tradesmen have been involved in the operation, and on Tuesday, owners Iberostar Hotels & Resorts invited the media to share their delight by demonstrating the sheer quality of the refurbishment. During the meeting, Aurelio Vazquez, General Manager of Iberostar, said: “With the reopening of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Mencey, Tenerife will have a large, luxury hotel that will attract a highlevel of tourism. “We expect to receive business travellers who were already our clients before the reform, and also people visiting Santa Cruz as tourists.
“The city has great attractions and firstclass facilities, such as the Auditorium and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which make it worthy of consideration as a holiday destination.” Abject luxury has always been the aim of Iberostar for the old building, combining quality standards and services of the 21st Century with the historic tradition of the Hotel Mencey. Daniel Cañibano, Director of Iberostar Grand Hotel Mencey, told journalists: “This reform has been designed to achieve the perfect combination of innovation and tradition. “We want to keep the historical essence and the spirit of Mencey, while offering the best possible product, perfectly adapted to new times, and a quality service which will allow us to position ourselves at the forefront of the hotels in Spain.”
It will be the only five-star hotel in the Tenerife capital and is situated in a residential complex with its own unique, colonial-style surroundings. After a complete renovation, the hotel will be seen to have retained the heritage which made the Mencey unique in Santa Cruz over the years, with its steady stream of famous personalities from the world of culture, entertainment, politics and sport. Without altering its traditional ways, the hotel will become more dynamic with new technologies coexisting with old traditions to meet the customers’ demands. “Historically, Mencey Hotel has been one of the major players in the social life of Santa Cruz,” adds Daniel Cañibano. “After this complete renovation, the hotel will strengthen its leading role as a meeting point for visitors from around
the world, and for the inhabitants of the city.” Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, keen to compile the hotel’s history, has launched a project called El Legado del Mencey, which aims to bring together a collection of hotel images, historical photographs, celebrities, postcards, documents, stories, anecdotes and curiosities to form a heritage book for everyone to enjoy. Oscar Gonzalez, the company’s Europe Marketing Director, said: “Several historians and researchers have been compiling the history of this legendary hotel, from its construction until the present day. “And anyone can help us to shape and remember the history of this landmark building with all kinds of information.” If you feel you can add to the project, you can contribute information via www. legadodelmencey.es