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Costa del Sol hotel taped off with 200 guests inside: It didn't conform to Spain's new tourist law
A Benalmádena hotel has been shut down for lacking proper registration under regional tourist regulations
A hotel in Benalmádena was sealed off on Tuesday June 17, leaving more than 200 guests still inside, after local authorities discovered it was operating without being correctly registered under Andalucia’s updated tourist accommodation laws.The Vivemar Hotel, previously known as Vistamar, was shut down by Benalmádena City Council, who confirmed that the property had not been included in the official Andalusian Registry of Tourist and Hotel Accommodation. According to Councillor Raúl Campos, several requests had been made for the hotel to provide the correct paperwork, but it had failed to do so.
Police taped off the building that morning, despite the hotel being nearly full, with 98% of rooms occupied.
The Andalusian Regional Government confirmed that “its registration has been cancelled” after verifying that “it is not in compliance and that it was being operated without the owner’s authorisation.”
The situation highlights the importance of adhering to the updated regional rules introduced this year, which require all tourist accommodation to be correctly listed in the official registry.
Hotel manager Alberto Tusquellas claimed the issue stems from an administrative error by the former management company. He explained that Vive Resort Management SL took over operations last September and insists they are now the legal operator, having inherited the contract. “We’ve submitted everything needed to re-register: declarations, certificates, the fee for the licence,” he said.
Tusquellas also criticised how the closure was handled, saying the police “blocked the emergency exit with steel cables” and that guests had to “exit the lift through the car park,” calling it an awkward and confusing situation.
Guests were not removed from the hotel. Many had arrived with bookings made through the new management company, including a large group of children in town for a sports tournament, another from IMSERSO (Institute for the Elderly and Social Services) and various international tourists.
Meanwhile, the legal owners of the property say they have been battling this issue in court for years. María José García explained that one civil lawsuit dating back to 2018 is still awaiting a verdict from the Supreme Court, while a criminal case over alleged document falsification is ongoing. “Any lease must be reported to the owner,” she said. “And I was never informed.”
Tusquellas disputes the claim and says nothing was falsified. “The previous operator signed an agreement with us last September,” he said. “This will be for the courts to decide.”
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