The Government delegate in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, visited on Thursday the rehabilitation works that the Ministry of Industry and Tourism is carrying out, through Turespaña and Paradores, in the Parador de Santillana del Mar, with an investment of more than 7 million euros.
In his tour, he has been accompanied by the director of the Paradores de Santillana del Mar and Santillana Gil Blas, José Carlos Campos, as well as by the president of the SIEC Group, Juan de Miguel, the construction company in charge of executing the works.
After touring the works accompanied by the director of the Paradores de Santillana del Mar and Santillana Gil Blas, José Carlos Campos, as well as the president of the SIEC Group, Juan de Miguel - the construction company in charge of executing the works - Gómez de Diego highlighted that this action "demonstrates the firm commitment of the Government of Spain to Cantabria and, in this case in particular, to the tourist and cultural development of our region and Santillana del Mar, with a very ambitious performance".
“It is not a simple facelift, but a comprehensive reform that will raise the status of the Parador de Santillana del Mar to a higher level and ensure its adaptation to the demands of an increasingly demanding and sustainable tourism,” said the government delegate.
The intervention includes improvements that, as explained by Gómez de Diego, will represent “a boost for the local tourism sector”, generating new opportunities and consolidating Cantabria and Santillana del Mar as references in quality tourism.
He also stressed that the works will respect the essence and idiosyncrasy of the villa, declared Historical-Artistic Complex, "maintaining the exterior aesthetics and the seal of quality of Paradores, with the use of noble materials". “Both the reforms and the decoration have been designed with the greatest respect for architecture and local identity, respecting the spirit of this villa and the style of Paradores,” he said.
Energy efficiency
Of the constructive project, the government delegate also wanted to highlight her commitment to sustainability. The project includes measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint, such as thermal insulation, the installation of state-of-the-art air conditioning systems and the use of cleaner energy, which will result in "a modern building, which takes care of the environment and saves energy".
“Santillana del Mar, as one of the most iconic destinations in Spain, deserves tourist infrastructures equal to its international recognition, and the Government of Spain will contribute to this with this important investment,” he said.
In this way, the Government delegate thanked Paradores and its president, Raquel Sánchez, for their commitment to Cantabria and expressed her desire to celebrate in 2026 the reopening of the facilities “as a benchmark of excellence and quality, capable of attracting tourists”.
Description of the works
The works are currently in their initial phase, with the demolition of the interior partition, and after that the reorganization of the spaces in all the plants will begin, with the aim of optimizing their distribution and functionality. All the facilities will be renovated, as well as the wooden structures inside and outside, maintaining the aesthetics and the seal of quality of Paradores.
The works include the improvement of the thermal envelope and of the hability and comfort, as well as the suppression of architectural barriers. After the redistribution of spaces, the Parador will have 32 rooms.
In 2024, the Parador de Santillana Gil Blas - located in front of the Parador de Santillana del Mar - has maintained the upward trend of the company. An average occupancy rate of 74% has been reached, representing 4 more occupancy points compared to the same period of the year 2023. As for the customers housed in the Parador de Santillana Gil Blas in 2024, they amount to more than 7,000, being mostly national customers. As for foreign customers, the majority are British, followed by Americans, Germans and French.