Meliá Hotels International CEO Gabriel Escarrer and Nadal celebrate ZEL Punta Cana’s grand opening. Rafael Nadal is ESPN’s 12th top athlete of the 21st century, so you expect the man to carry out some wonderous physical feats. But what the 22-time Grand Slam tennis champion was seen doing around the new ZEL Punta Cana , the lifestyle hotel brand under the Meliá Hotels International umbrella, was impressive even by his lofty standards.
In a span of 24 hours during the island resort’s March grand opening weekend, Nadal was spotted answering questions at his tennis center groundbreaking, shaking hands with Dominican Republic president Luis Abinader at a press conference and taking countless selfies at a poolside party — all without ever resting his smile. And you thought Rafa’s epic five-setters with Roger Federer were exhausting. Meliá Hotels International CEO Gabriel Escarrer knew exactly what he was doing in partnering with Nadal for ZEL’s launch in 2022.
Yes, the retired tennis icon and Meliá share a passion for greatness, but equally as vital to the collaboration is the fact they both got their starts in Mallorca , the beloved island off the eastern coast of Spain where the first ZEL opened 2023. A look at Parda and the main pool at ZEL Punta Cana. ZEL Punta Cana is a breezy, 190-suite escape with a “Born in the Med” philosophy — the Mediterranean’s vibrancy melds with Caribbean charm through décor, food and the staff’s radiant attitude — t.
