Ibiza-born Concept Hotel Group has been nominated for Best Hotel Chain with Fewer Than Ten Hotels at the 2026 Smart Travel News Awards, putting one of the island's most recognisable independent hospitality groups in contention for another major industry accolade.

The nomination was announced on September 8, with voting now open and the winners due to be revealed at a gala in Madrid on December 2.

Concept Hotel Group was selected as one of the candidates by a committee of five tourism industry experts. The next stage will be decided through a public vote involving readers and tourism professionals.

Concept Hotel Group Enters the 2026 Awards

The Ibiza-based company is competing in the category for hotel chains with fewer than ten hotels.

The Smart Travel News Awards recognise companies, professionals, destinations and projects across the tourism industry, with 15 categories included in the 2026 edition.

The awards cover areas ranging from hotels and airlines to sustainability, marketing, technology and tourism destinations.

For Concept Hotel Group, the nomination places the company among the selected candidates competing for one of the hospitality industry's recognised annual awards.

Voting Is Now Open

The selection process for 2026 differs from previous editions.

A committee of five tourism professionals first chooses the candidates in each category.

The public voting phase then determines the finalists and eventual winners, meaning Concept Hotel Group's result will depend partly on the response from readers and tourism professionals participating in the awards.

The final winners will be announced during the awards ceremony in Madrid on December 2.

Until then, the company remains a nominee rather than a confirmed winner.

An Ibiza Company With a Distinctive Hotel Portfolio

Concept Hotel Group has built its identity around hotels designed around individual themes and concepts rather than a conventional standardised chain format.

The company is led by CEO and co-founder Diego Calvo and chaired by Marc Rahola Matutes.

Its Ibiza portfolio includes properties and brands such as Tropicana, Dorado, Cubanito, Paradiso, Romeo's, Grand Paradiso, Los Felices and Mongibello.

The group's hotels have become strongly associated with Ibiza's design, lifestyle and hospitality scene.

A Major Year of Development for the Group

The nomination arrives during a year that has already brought significant developments for Concept Hotel Group.

One of the newest additions is Nocturna, a boutique club opened this summer at Los Felices in Cala de Bou.

The venue was developed in collaboration with British company Tokyo Industries and is designed as a nightlife concept integrated within the hotel environment.

The project expands Concept Hotel Group's approach beyond accommodation and further connects its properties with Ibiza's nightlife and entertainment culture.

Mongibello Also Underwent Major Changes

Another of the group's hotels, Mongibello Ibiza in Santa Eulària des Riu, has also been prominent during 2026.

The property, managed by Concept Hotel Group, was recently upgraded to five-star status.

The hotel also changed ownership during the summer in a transaction reported by local industry sources at around €60 million.

Although the ownership change and the company's management of the hotel are separate matters, the development highlights the scale and value of the hospitality business in Ibiza.

Diego Calvo Has Previous Smart Travel News Recognition

This is not Concept Hotel Group's first connection with the awards.

In the inaugural 2024 edition of the Smart Travel News Awards, Diego Calvo was named Hotel Executive of the Year.

That recognition came personally to the company's CEO and co-founder, rather than to Concept Hotel Group as a corporate award.

The 2026 nomination therefore gives the Ibiza company an opportunity to achieve recognition in its own right.

From Boutique Hotels to New Hospitality Concepts

Concept Hotel Group has built much of its reputation around creating distinctive hotel identities.

Rather than relying solely on traditional luxury positioning, its properties tend to combine accommodation with strong visual concepts, themed design, restaurants, bars and entertainment.

That strategy has helped the group establish a recognisable presence within Ibiza's increasingly competitive hotel market.

Its newest projects also demonstrate an interest in developing experiences around the hotels themselves.

Ibiza's Hotel Industry Gets International Recognition

The nomination is also notable for Ibiza because Concept Hotel Group was born and developed on the island.

Ibiza is already one of Europe's best-known tourism destinations, but competition within its hospitality sector is intense, with international hotel brands, boutique properties and independent operators all competing for visitors.

Recognition at an industry award can therefore provide additional visibility for an Ibiza-based company operating beyond the island.

What the Award Category Means

The nominated category is specifically for hotel chains operating fewer than ten hotels.

This distinguishes Concept Hotel Group from larger international and Spanish hospitality groups that operate dozens or hundreds of properties.

The category is intended to recognise smaller hotel chains that have established a strong identity and position within the tourism market.

For a company such as Concept Hotel Group, that creates a direct comparison with other growing boutique and independent hospitality businesses.

A Public Vote Will Decide the Outcome

The next stage is now in the hands of voters.

The five-member expert committee has completed the initial selection, but the final outcome will be determined through the public voting process.

That means the nomination itself is already confirmed, while the eventual result remains undecided.

The company will now have to compete for support ahead of the December ceremony.

Fifteen Categories Across the Tourism Industry

The 2026 Smart Travel News Awards include 15 categories covering a broad range of the tourism sector.

Among them are Best Independent Hotel, Hotel Personality of the Year, Best Airline, Best Tourism Marketing Campaign, Best Hotel Management Tool, Best Hotel Chain with More Than Ten Hotels and Best Hotel Chain with Fewer Than Ten Hotels.

Other categories recognise sustainability initiatives, travel agencies, tour operators, startups, innovative destinations, online travel agencies, cruise companies and marketing and distribution consultancies.

The diversity of categories reflects the increasingly broad technology, hospitality and tourism ecosystem surrounding the travel industry.

Concept Hotel Group's Position Within Ibiza Tourism

The group's nomination comes at a time when Ibiza's tourism industry is evolving.

Hotels are increasingly competing through design, experiences, gastronomy, entertainment and lifestyle concepts rather than accommodation alone.

Concept Hotel Group has built its business around this broader approach, creating properties with distinct personalities designed to appeal to different types of visitors.

Its continued investment in new concepts demonstrates the group's intention to remain a significant player in Ibiza hospitality.

A Second Chance for an Ibiza Name

The 2026 nomination follows Diego Calvo's individual award in 2024 and represents another opportunity for the company to gain recognition from the same organisation.

This time, however, the spotlight is on Concept Hotel Group itself.

The company now enters the public voting stage with the outcome to be announced in Madrid at the end of the year.

For the Ibiza hospitality industry, the nomination is another example of an island-born company competing for recognition on a national tourism platform.

December Will Decide the Winner

The final result will not be known until the Smart Travel News Awards ceremony on December 2.

Until then, Concept Hotel Group remains one of the nominees for Best Hotel Chain with Fewer Than Ten Hotels.

The nomination recognises the company's position within the boutique and independent hotel sector, while the public voting process will determine whether it goes on to become one of the finalists and ultimately take the award.

For an Ibiza company that has spent years building hotels around distinctive concepts, the nomination provides another opportunity to put the island's hospitality creativity in the national spotlight.