Mallorca is once again at the center of the international luxury map. The purchase of the hotel Es Molí, in Deià, by Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz (son of Alicia Koplowitz and Alberto Cortina) has revolutionized the tourism sector in the Balearic Islands and has put the family in a unique position: they already own two historic hotels on the island, adding this acquisition to the emblematic Maricel & Spa, in Cas Català.
The transaction, closed for 50 million euros, represents for Pelayo Cortina the definitive entry into “the league of trophy assets”, those practically unrepeatable real estate assets, whose possession is worth more than any immediate benefit. “It is a differentiated product with unparalleled history, identity and location,” emphasizes Ilanga Capital, the firm with which the businessman has carried out the purchase.
A unique hotel in an unrepeatable setting
Es Molí is not just any hotel. Located 15 minutes walk from the Belmond La Residencia, and in one of the most exclusive municipalities of the Mediterranean, the building that houses it has more than 500 years of history. Its origins date back to 1459, when Joan Masroig acquired the estate consisting of two mills and olive groves. After multiple uses (power plant, guesthouse and inn), in 1965 it began its transformation into a hotel.
Since then, Es Molí has been part of the living history of Mallorcan tourism. In the 1990s, it was even the setting for 24 episodes of the popular series Hotel Paradies, broadcast on German television ZDF, which increased its fame in Central Europe.
The establishment has:
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License for 86 rooms
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Several private villas
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Tennis courts
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Gym
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Three restaurants
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15,000 m² of gardens, with olive, orange and lemon trees.
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Private access to the sea in a protected natural area of Muleta
This last feature is its most coveted jewel and what makes it a top-tier “trophy asset”.
The plan: repositioning it to attract the international tourism elite
Ilanga Capital, led by Pelayo Cortina, wants to transform Es Molí into a luxury tourism-oriented hotel aligned with sustainability, wellness and conscious luxury. The idea is to create its own line of business, called Unique Trophy Assets, dedicated to acquiring and repositioning unique hotels, difficult to replicate and located in exceptional locations.
Ilanga Capital’s plans seek to take advantage of the limited supply of super-luxury hotels in Deià, the presence of the Belmond La Residencia as a world reference and the growing international demand for exclusive natural environments, three factors that make the enclave an ideal setting to reposition Es Molí as a magnet for the most select tourism.
Ilanga’s advisory board includes leading names in Spanish hospitality and business: Alberto Cortina, Sol Daurella, Antonio Catalán, Carlos Clavarino, Federico J. González, Chema Basterrechea and Alain Dominique Perrin, among others.
A family linked to Mallorcan luxury for decades
The Koplowitz family’s relationship with Mallorca goes back a long way. Alicia Koplowitz is the owner of the elegant Hospes Maricel & Spa, a hotel whose history dates back to 1950 and which has hosted figures such as Montgomery Cliff, Errol Flynn, Julia Gutiérrez Caba or Rita Pavone. After its reopening in 2002, thanks to the efforts of its owner, it recovered the splendor lost after its closure in 1986.
In addition, his father, Alberto Cortina, owns Moncaire, an estate of more than 300 hectares in Fornalutx, which he acquired in 2006 for 20 million euros and where he even celebrated his re-wedding after getting married in London; while his mother, Alicia Koplowitz, controls Hospes Hotels after buying back 50% from the Gaw Capital Partners fund. With the acquisition of Es Molí, the family consolidates its position as one of the most influential in the Mallorcan hotel sector.
Deià, a cultural icon turned into a super-luxury refuge
The village of Deià, where the poet Robert Graves found refuge after World War I, has been transformed into an enclave of exclusivity, art and nature. The municipality has only five hotels, and only two (Belmond La Residencia and Es Molí) have the necessary characteristics to compete in the international league of the most select tourism.
The Cortina acquisition, in that sense, is a statement of intent: to place itself in the heart of Mallorcan luxury, but with a focus on calm, sustainability and privacy.
A new stage for one of the most beloved hotels on the island
Es Molí’s repositioning project seeks to respect its essence: its discreet elegance, its century-old garden, its connection to Mallorca’s history and its artistic soul. But it also aims to adapt it to the demands of the high-end traveler in 2026 and beyond.
Deià, a town accustomed to welcoming artists, writers and travelers in search of beauty, now adds another chapter to its history: being part of the ambitious hotel strategy of one of the most influential business families in Spain.
With Es Molí, Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz not only enters the global club of trophy assets: she makes Mallorca the epicenter of her vision of the luxury of the future.
