RIO DE JANEIRO — Meliá Hotels International will be launching its Gran Meliá luxury brand in Brazil this March with the official opening of Gran Meliá Nacional Rio.

Located in Rio de Janeiro’s most exclusive neighbourhood, São Conrado, the hugely anticipated hotel will be the brand’s flagship property and will open its doors following extensive renovations to its original structure.

Built in 1972, the famous ‘Hotel Nacional’ will reopen after more than a decade of being left abandoned. In its heyday, the hotel was renowned as a celebrity hotspot, with A-list guests that included Liza Minnelli, BB King and James Brown. It is recognized as a national heritage site and houses some of Brazil’s most treasured modern art.

Upon opening, Gran Meliá Nacional Rio will offer 413 rooms, including two presidential suites and 200 executive suites. Featuring a glass exterior, guests can enjoy panoramic floor-to-ceiling views of the city from both their room or suite and the communal areas.

The hotel will also boast RedLevel service, which provides access to exclusive spaces and personalized service. The RedLevel Lounge features a private reception area, lounge-library with TV and music, private breakfast area and an open bar with premium drinks. RedLevel will be fully operational starting in April.

Other hotel amenities include two restaurants, one serving Mediterranean cuisine with a Spanish touch, and the other headed by highly acclaimed Brazilian chef Felipe Bronze. The latter will also open in April. In addition, there’ll be three contemporary bars, including a rooftop bar, a fully equipped gym and fitness studio, and the only Spa by Clarins in Latin America.

“Rio de Janeiro is a city with a huge amount of history, incredible architecture and a booming luxury market. The outstanding cultural heritage, art and natural scenery available in the city really enriches the traveller’s experience. We are very excited to finally launch this unique property with such a huge historical significance in one of Latin America’s most important cities and we believe it has the potential to bring back the time of splendour of the city’s tourism,” said Gabriel Escarrer, Vice Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International.

Meliá Hotels International already has 17 hotels in the country’s top tourist destinations, including Angra dos Reis and São Paulo, with three new hotels set to open in 2018.