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The Benidorm skyline is about to change forever with the demolition of one of the oldest hotels on the Costa Blanca – the Gran Hotel Delfín.

 

Built in 1963, the T-shaped hotel was a landmark in the area of Poniente beach but now, the site is a flattened construction zone, cleared to make room for a towering new development.

 

Heavy machinery is still on-site, clearing the last pieces of rubble where the hotel once stood. There's nothing left of its rooms, gardens or its famous dolphin mural. Only the beachside entrance sign remains, barely hinting at the history that once defined this block.

 

In its place, a new 44-storey skyscraper is about to rise: the Gran Delfín, a name chosen in tribute to the original hotel. The tower will reach 158 metres, making it one of Benidorm’s tallest buildings. It will share third place on the city’s skyline with Torre Lugano, just behind Intempo (202 metres) and Gran Hotel Bali (186 metres).

 

The project is being led by Goya Real Estate, which bought the land from the Pastor family in 2024. This will be the developer’s second tower on the site: Delfín Tower, completed in 2022, now stands where the hotel's tennis courts used to be.

 

The new Gran Delfín will combine residential and hotel use. Its sail-like design aims to ensure that all apartments have sea views. The tower will also feature Mediterranean-inspired landscaping, with dunes surrounding the building to better blend it with the beachfront.

 

Part of the tower will house a luxury hotel operated by Minor (NH), with high-end facilities like a spa, gym, yoga and Pilates studios, co-working areas, tennis courts, gardens and several swimming pools. A beach club with direct beach access is also planned, covering 1,000 square metres.

 

Around 100 of the homes in the tower will be sold privately. Buyers will have their own entrance, pool, sky gardens and exclusive amenities, but they’ll still be able to use the hotel’s services. These units are expected to carry tourist rental licenses, allowing owners to let them out when not in use.

 

The site will also include 180 electric parking spaces, a 1,000-square-metre auditorium and LEED Gold-certified construction, meaning the building will follow strict environmental standards. Just like its neighbour Delfín Tower, the new Gran Delfín will use green technologies like solar panels, water reuse systems and energy-efficient concrete.

 

Costing more than €100 million, the Gran Delfín project should be completed within three years.

 

 

Image: Ruben Martinez Vilar via Wikimedia Commons