The Socialist group in Sant Antoni has asked the municipal government for detailed information about the new ZEST Hotel & Resort at Cap Negret, particularly over its planned entertainment programme, reported 6,000-square-metre pool club and links with Tomorrowland.

The former Stella Maris complex is being transformed into a new five-star resort, with the operator currently advertising an April 2027 opening.

The PSOE has asked Mayor Marcos Serra to explain exactly which project has been authorised, what changes have been made since the original 2022 planning licence and which activities will be permitted at the new hotel.

From Stella Maris to ZEST

The development is located at the former Stella Maris complex on C/ Cap Negret, 16, in Sant Antoni de Portmany.

The site previously operated as a large holiday resort and is now being redeveloped under the ZEST Hotel & Resort name.

ZEST's current website describes the project as a five-star hilltop resort overlooking Ibiza's west coast, with accommodation, villas, restaurants, bars, wellness facilities, experiences and event spaces.

The project's official booking page currently gives April 2027 as the opening date and says room bookings will be available from September 2026.

The Original 2022 Licence

The political questions centre partly on the project's planning history.

In September 2022, Sant Antoni Town Hall granted CECA S.A. an urban development licence for the expansion and renovation of the four-star Stella Maris hotel complex.

The approved project included 40 additional accommodation units, two-storey construction, a restaurant and swimming pool, as well as the reform of existing buildings. The municipal document refers to a project covering the Stella Maris complex at Cap Negret, 16.

The licence had a construction budget of €4.825 million for the building project, plus a separate urbanisation budget of approximately €452,000.

A Modification Was Approved in 2023

The project subsequently underwent changes during construction.

A December 2023 municipal agreement authorised modifications under an amended execution project referring to an expansion of 48 accommodation units in two storeys, together with restaurant facilities, swimming pools and the reform and extension of the existing Stella Maris complex.

The municipal document states that the modification was considered compatible with the parameters of the existing licence.

This planning history is now being raised by the PSOE because the project being publicly marketed today has a considerably different five-star resort identity and includes facilities and entertainment concepts that the party wants the Town Hall to clarify.

A 6,000-Square-Metre Pool Club

The current ZEST project is being promoted with a pool club covering approximately 6,000 square metres.

The figure appears in recent descriptions of the resort and is also cited by the PSOE in its request for clarification.

ZEST's own current website highlights the pool club as part of the wider resort concept, although the site's main pages do not provide a detailed operational description of the facility.

The PSOE is asking the Town Hall to establish precisely what activities will take place there and under which authorisations.

Reported Daily Tomorrowland Collaboration

Another point attracting attention is the project's reported relationship with Tomorrowland.

Recent hotel-industry reports describe a daily collaboration with the Belgian electronic music brand, while earlier reports have said the exact format of the collaboration had not been fully detailed publicly.

The Sant Antoni PSOE is specifically asking whether music and entertainment activities will form part of the hotel's operation, including what hours they would run, who they would be aimed at and which permits would apply.

These questions should not be interpreted as evidence that the reported collaboration or planned activities lack authorisation. The party is requesting clarification from the municipal government on the scope of the authorised project.

PSOE Wants Details of the Authorised Project

The Socialist group has asked Mayor Marcos Serra to explain exactly which version of the development has been authorised.

It also wants information about any changes made to the project since the 2022 licence.

Among the issues raised are the permitted uses of the property, the possible use of outdoor areas for activities and the hours during which entertainment could operate.

The request reflects a political debate about how the redevelopment fits into Sant Antoni's tourism and entertainment model.

Water Consumption Is Also Being Questioned

Water is another issue raised by the opposition.

The PSOE has asked for information about the expected annual water consumption of the resort and, in particular, its expected consumption during July and August.

The party also wants to know whether the hotel's water supply would come entirely from the municipal network.

The questions have been linked by the PSOE to its concerns about water resources in Sant Antoni during the high season.

At present, those concerns are political requests for information rather than an official finding that the resort lacks sufficient water resources.

Traffic and Parking

The PSOE has also asked about the potential impact of the resort on traffic along the Cap Negret road and the approaches to Cala Gració.

The group wants information about the number of parking spaces planned and how the development is expected to affect local traffic.

These questions are part of its wider request for details about the project's impact on local infrastructure.

A Five-Star Resort

The new ZEST development is being positioned very differently from the former Stella Maris.

Its official website now presents the property as a five-star resort combining accommodation, villas, restaurants, wellness, events and leisure experiences.

The current website lists several accommodation categories, including suites and private-pool options, as well as six named villas.

The resort is therefore being presented as a broader hospitality and lifestyle project rather than simply a conventional hotel refurbishment.

The Opening Is Scheduled for April 2027

ZEST currently gives April 2027 as its opening date.

The booking website says the resort is opening in April 2027 and is already accepting bookings or booking enquiries from September 2026.

The project was originally expected to open in 2026 but was subsequently delayed.

Recent reporting says structural problems were identified in the foundations of the existing development, after which the project moved towards a more extensive reconstruction.

Construction and Planning Have a Longer History

Although ZEST is now being marketed as a new five-star resort, the municipal planning file goes back several years.

The 2022 licence was granted for the reform and expansion of the existing four-star Stella Maris complex.

A modification was later authorised in 2023.

The project's current identity as ZEST, including the five-star positioning and reported entertainment collaboration, has developed subsequently.

That is why the PSOE is asking the municipal government to explain the relationship between the current project and the earlier planning approvals.

The Resort's Current Public Offering

ZEST's current website describes a range of facilities and experiences.

These include multiple restaurants and bars, villas with private pools, suites with private gardens or pools, wellness facilities and spaces for meetings and events.

The official site also presents the property as a destination combining a quieter resort environment with what it describes as Ibiza's livelier side.

A Changing Part of Sant Antoni

The redevelopment is part of a wider transformation of the Cap Negret and Cala Gració area.

The former Stella Maris was a long-established holiday complex, while the new project is being positioned as a five-star resort aimed at a different segment of the Ibiza market.

Other high-end hotels have also opened or expanded in the wider Sant Antoni area in recent years.

ZEST adds another large hospitality development to that changing landscape.

The Political Debate

The current controversy is not over whether the former Stella Maris site can be redeveloped. Planning permission for the expansion and renovation of the hotel complex was granted in 2022 and subsequently modified in 2023.

The debate now concerns the precise characteristics and permitted operation of the new project.

The PSOE says the municipal government should explain what has changed, what entertainment uses are authorised and what impact the development will have on water, traffic and local infrastructure.

The municipal government has not, in the sources reviewed for this report, published a detailed response addressing each of those questions.

No Finding of Illegal Activity

It is important to distinguish between a request for explanations and an official finding.

The PSOE has asked questions about the project's authorisation and potential activities, but the available information does not establish that ZEST is operating outside its licences or that the reported Tomorrowland-related programming is unauthorised.

The hotel has not yet opened and is currently being presented as a future April 2027 development.

What Happens Next?

The immediate issue is whether the Sant Antoni municipal government provides the information requested by the opposition.

The PSOE wants clarification on the authorised project, modifications since the 2022 licence, entertainment activities, operating hours, outdoor use, water consumption, traffic and parking.

Meanwhile, ZEST continues to prepare for its planned April 2027 opening.

The project's official website is already presenting it as a five-star resort, while its reported 6,000-square-metre pool club and planned connection with Tomorrowland are now part of the political discussion surrounding its future operation.

ZEST and the Future of Cap Negret

The transformation of Stella Maris into ZEST represents a significant change for Cap Negret.

The former holiday complex is being redeveloped into a five-star resort with a different accommodation, dining, wellness and entertainment concept.

The exact relationship between the current resort plans and the historic planning approvals is now being questioned by the Sant Antoni PSOE, which has asked the municipal government to provide more details.

For now, the confirmed position is that ZEST is a future hotel and resort targeting an April 2027 opening, while questions over its detailed entertainment programme and operational impact remain part of the local political debate.