During this month, the second phase of modernisation work began on the hotel Riu Grand Palace Maspalomas Oasis, located next to the Faro de Maspalomas in the far south of Gran Canaria.

The 5-star, 342-room establishment was acquired by the RIU group in 1997.  Following a first, partial renovation, full modernisation will be completed in the next few weeks.

The hotel was built in the 1970s and is one of the most prestigious holiday establishments in Europe.  For decades, personalities from the worlds of politics, business, sports and society have stayed in this hotel, surrounded by some 65,000 square metres of gardens.

Vegetation enveloping the establishment includes more than 2,000 palm trees, an infinite number of tropical plants and a multitude of exotic birds.

The oasis from which the hotel gets its name is on the sea-shore, by the Maspalomas natural sand dune park.

RIU has made the establishment its flagship on Spanish soil, and for its singular nature and privileged location, it was awarded 'Grand Palace' status, so far the only establishment in the chain to hold it.

The RIU Hotels chain, specialising in sun and sand holiday tourism, currently operates 94 hotels, 60 of them in Spain including 36 in the Canaries, where it is the leading provider of hotel accomodation.

A recent survey by magazine 'Actualidad Económica' called the chain the "tourist enterprise most admired in Spain" and the "fifth best managed" company overall in the country.