Renaissance Porto Lapa inaugurates new wing after two years of operation

Source: Publituris Hotelaria

The new area of the Porto hotel will add 78 rooms to the property, along with a spa and a gym. It is expected to be officially inaugurated in the first half of this year, following an investment of approximately 15 million euros.

Located in Lapa, next to the newly inaugurated Dr. Mário Soares Urban Park, the Renaissance Porto Lapa will celebrate two years of operation this April. Currently featuring 163 rooms and six event rooms, the hotel is expanding with a new wing of standard rooms, adding 78 accommodations, along with a spa that includes an indoor pool, gym, treatment rooms, and sensory showers.

Scheduled to open by the end of the first half of 2025, construction on the new wing began in January of last year and represents an investment of approximately 15 million euros by Mercan Properties, the project's owner. The hotel is managed by AHM – Ace Hospitality Management.

Currently, 60% of the hotel’s guests come from the United States, driven by the Renaissance brand, which is part of the Marriott chain. The national market follows, accounting for around 15%, along with Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. According to Álvaro Aragão, General Manager of the Renaissance Porto Lapa, the new wing aims to attract guests from other markets that the hotel has yet to tap into, such as the Asian market, which is considered "very interesting," and the Brazilian market, which is "increasingly visiting the city of Porto."

With different markets peaking at various times of the year, the hotel "heavily depends" on the national market for corporate stays and on North American and UK markets for leisure tourism. With this new area, particularly the addition of the spa, Álvaro Aragão hopes to increase occupancy rates during lower seasons and make the hotel more appealing to locals.

"I believe that hotels are increasingly focusing on this strategy. A guest might visit more than once a year, but the people who live in the city are here year-round. If we can build loyalty among locals—whether for private events, dining at our restaurant, or enjoying a cocktail at our bar—that will be a key focus for us," says Álvaro Aragão.

Last year, the Renaissance Porto Lapa had an average occupancy rate of 80%, with an average price of 170 euros per night. The hotel's revenue for 2024 "slightly exceeded" 8.5 million euros, according to the general manager.

Investing in Training

Currently, the Renaissance Porto Lapa employs 105 workers. With the forthcoming expansion and the addition of the spa, Álvaro Aragão expects to hire another 20 people.

Regarding the challenges of recruiting professionals, the hotel director explains that “the issue today is not just hiring, but hiring qualified personnel, which presents an additional challenge” for the industry. For this reason, he believes the focus should be on "training employees and retaining talent."

This is not a challenge exclusive to the hospitality sector, Álvaro Aragão has the opinion that because this is a "service industry, we must never overlook our role as leaders in fostering a positive work environment."

“For me, it’s a common denominator because each hotel has its specificities. I have had the opportunity to work in small hotels like Quinta do Vallado, which has 13 rooms, and in a large hotel like the Savoy Palace, which has 580. They are different, but they share the same goal of providing great experiences to guests and leaving a lasting impression,” he says.

And it is precisely through experiences that Renaissance Porto Lapa aims to stand out, as "nowadays, simply having a hotel with a comfortable room is not enough," according to the general manager. He explains that “guests plan their stays,” which is why the hotel has a dedicated team to create personalized experiences.

“In such a competitive industry, our strategy is precisely to differentiate ourselves through unique experiences,” he concludes.

Find more about this Mercan hotel here!