Vila Real de Santo António’s council has announced the relaunching of a competition to create boutique hotels in three historic Pombaline buildings in the city centre.
The call for submissions first went out in January this year but a second tender, published in the Official Gazette last week, had to be launched as so far there have been no takers meeting the strict conditions.
"The public tender for the design, conversion into a tourist business and management of three properties located in the historic center of the city of Vila Real de Santo António was reopened as the company in the first tender process did not meet the stated conditions and no contract was signed," the council has admitted.
The new tender, as published in the Official Gazette on 14 September, gives interested parties 60 days to submit their proposals.
The reconstruction work is going well at the Hotel Guadiana overlooking the river and the council now wants three boutique hotels for the historic central zone which is protected by a specific set of rules and regulations.
The new boutique hotels "should have minimum four star ratings” and the council will accept only proposals that create hotel accommodation aimed at tourists.
Any contracts awarded will take into account income for the council and the quality of work, but this time the council wants far more detail as to the conversion plans, something previously lacking.
"The conditions for the tenders are similar to the previous version, and require submissions that better explain the project in relation to existing architecture and how the business will be run,” said the council.
The creation of three more hotels should have a dual effect on Vila Real with the three historic buildings finding a new use as hotels and the money raised enabling the funding of further renovation projects.
The council is aware of the unique architectural legacy left by the Marquês de Pombal who commissioned and oversaw the building of the city from 1774 with the help of architects Reinaldo dos Santos, Carlos Mardel and Romao de Sousa, among others.
The council rightly claims that the historical centre "is, in reality, an excellent example of C18th urban architecture," and one the council wants to preserve while increasing economic activity in the city centre.
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