Why Open a Hotel in Spain?
Spain is one of the world’s top tourist destinations—welcoming millions of visitors to its cities, coastlines, and countryside each year. With a booming hospitality industry, opening a hotel in Spain is a strategic investment. Whether you’re developing a boutique hotel, a rural retreat, or a resort chain, our legal team helps you enter the market confidently and in full compliance with Spanish law.
✅ Strategic location in Europe
✅ Strong tourism and MICE sectors
✅ Government incentives in rural zones and underdeveloped regions
📋 Legal Requirements to Open a Hotel in Spain
🏢 Choose the Business Structure
Most investors use one of the following legal forms:
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SL (Sociedad Limitada) – Private Limited Company, ideal for small to mid-sized hotels
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SA (Sociedad Anónima) – Public Limited Company, preferred for larger or investor-funded hotels
✅ We’ll help you register your company with the Registro Mercantil (Commercial Registry)
🏛️ Obtain Hotel & Hospitality Licenses
You must meet the requirements set by your autonomous region (e.g., Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid):
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📝 Declaración Responsable (Responsible Declaration) for small hotels or rural tourism
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🏨 Licencia de Apertura (Opening License) and Categoría (Hotel Star Rating)
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🛡️ Health and safety inspections
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📐 Proof of accessible design and environmental compliance
🧾 Tax Registration & Compliance
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Obtain NIF (Tax ID Number) for the company
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Register for IVA (VAT) if offering services or food
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Hotel businesses are subject to corporate tax (25%) and local business rates
📌 You may also need to collect and remit tourist tax depending on your region
🔍 Due Diligence Before Purchase or Lease
If you’re acquiring an existing hotel or converting a building, we conduct:
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Title deed and land registry verification
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License and zoning compliance review
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Employment contracts and union obligations (if staff are transferred)
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Environmental and accessibility audits
🏗️ For new builds, we coordinate with architects, engineers, and licensing boards
📑 Staff Hiring & Labor Compliance
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Draft legal employment contracts
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Comply with national and regional collective agreements (convenios colectivos)
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Register employees with Spanish Social Security
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Ensure compliance with working hours, safety, and overtime pay rules
👩🍳 Front desk, housekeeping, restaurant, and maintenance staff all require proper contracts
💡 Tip: Hospitality-Specific Business Models
You can also explore:
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🏠 Aparthotels
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🧳 Boutique and luxury concepts
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🌄 Eco-hotels and rural casas rurales
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🤝 Hotel franchise or management agreements
🌍 Foreign Investment Support
At Borderless Lawyers, we help you:
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🔍 Conduct legal due diligence
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📂 Structure your hotel company
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🧾 Register with tax and tourism authorities
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🏛️ Obtain licenses and permits
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🧑⚖️ Draft franchise or management contracts
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📈 Handle M&A or joint ventures in the hospitality space
🌐 We speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic
💬 Real-World Example
Case: An Australian hospitality group acquired a historic building in Seville to develop a 4-star hotel. Our team handled the property due diligence, transfer of licenses, SL formation, zoning clearance, and employee contract transitions.
🚀 Start Your Hotel Business in Spain Today
Whether you’re a solo investor or part of a hospitality group, Borderless Lawyers provides full legal and business support to open your hotel in Spain efficiently.