Nerja family launches ‘Beneste’ hotel brand to spearhead sustainable Axarquía and beyond expansion

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New Beneste Hostal set for Spring 2026 opening as group targets Frigiliana and Sierra de Cazorla for boutique growth

Eugenio Cabezas

Tuesday, 3 March 2026, 11:42

A NERJA-BASED family has officially launched a new boutique hotel brand, pledging to prove that tourism can drive local employment if managed "responsibly."

The Beneste Group has unveiled 'Beneste Hotels', an Andalusian chain originating in the Axarquía with immediate plans to expand into Jaén’s Sierra de Cazorla.

The group, which already operates the Beneste Villa Flamenca Hotel and the Casa Luque restaurant in Nerja, aims to move away from traditional mass tourism in favor of "inseparable" local experiences.

From there, the company, which is owned by a Nerja family, has a growth strategy that combines the coast and inland. Among the next steps is the opening of the Beneste Nerja Hostal, scheduled for spring 2026 and aimed at Mediterranean hostel and lifestyle tourism.

Added to this are the Beneste Frigiliana Hotel, in one of the most well-known towns in the Axarquía and the Beneste Cazorla Hotel, conceived as a rural boutique hotel next to the Carzola natural park in Jaen.

The company argues that the relationship between the hotel and its surroundings should be "inseparable" and that tourism can generate employment and development if managed responsibly.

What is the Beneste "Responsible Tourism" Model?

The Beneste Group argues that the relationship between a hotel and its surroundings should be inseparable. Unlike traditional mass-market chains, Beneste focuses on three pillars of high-impact local development:

• Environmental Sustainability: Structural use of high-tier recycling, zero-waste management, and a strict "Kilometer Zero" policy for locally sourced food and decor

• Social Integration: Active partnership with the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) in Nerja and Malaga to provide employment opportunities for marginalised groups

• Labour Market Training: In 2025, the group converted its Casa Luque restaurant into a practical culinary school, training local residents for careers in the hospitality sector

"Tourism can generate employment and development if managed responsibly. Our goal is to offer experiences connected to the landscape, gastronomy, and local life of each destination." — Beneste Group Spokesperson.

One of the group's strategic priorities is sustainability, which, according to a statement issued by the company, is a structural part of the project. The measures implemented include recycling, proper waste management and the use of locally sourced products, with the aim of minimising the environmental footprint and boosting the local economy.

Beneste actively collaborates with the Red Cross in Nerja and Malaga, participating in integration projects. In 2025, it also launched a culinary training programme that turned one of its restaurants into a practical school, facilitating the entry of several participants into the labour market.

Beneste Hotels has been created at a time when the tourism sector in Axarquía is growing rapidly, with Nerja and Frigiliana continuing to be major attractions for both national and international visitors. With this new brand, the group aims to strengthen the accommodation offering on the eastern Costa del Sol with a model based on identity, sustainability and connection with the local area.