Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz (39 years old) is part of one of the most influential family sagas in the Spanish business world. Son of Alicia Koplowitz (73) and Alberto Cortina (78), was born in an environment marked by investments, heritage and business history. grew up under … weight of a surname which has been the protagonist of some of the most important operations of recent decades, but whose trajectory has moved away from the traditional structures of his family. At 39 years old, he represents a new way of approaching business, more focused on unique projects and in sectors where strategic differentiation is more decisive than size.
Alicia Koplowitz and Alberto Cortina
In recent years, Pelayo has consolidated his own path through Ilanga Capital, his investment vehicle. The firm specializes in projects linked to luxury tourism and the rehabilitation of assets with heritage value. Its most recent operation was the purchase of the Hotel Es Molí, in Deyá, one of the most emblematic establishments in the Serra de Tramuntana. The acquisition amounts to approximately 50 million euros and was finalized after a long negotiation process. The move not only strengthens its presence in the tourism sector, but also positions it as a player with a very defined strategy at a key moment in the hotel market.
Quality and exclusivity
The Es Molí Hotel is a property with more than five centuries of history. The property preserves original features from its mill era and maintains the character that made it a landmark after its transformation into a hotel in the mid-20th century. Today it has 76 rooms, although it has a license to operate up to 86. It also houses independent villas, three restaurants, a tennis court, a wellness area and 15,000 square meters of gardens with olive and fruit trees. The private access to the sea, located in a protected natural area, is one of the elements that give it the value of “unique property” in the Spanish hotel panorama.
The acquisition is interpreted as a strategic bet by Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz. His intention is to reposition the hotel in the most demanding luxury segment, but without altering the essence of the place. The operation is part of a model based on assets different from those usual, with a historical value and a potential for long-term revaluation. Its focus is moving away from rapid expansion and aligning with a conscious wealth management. It does not seek growth based on volume, but on quality and exclusivity. The move also strengthens his family’s presence in Mallorca, which already owns other hotel assets on the island.
Those around him describe him as someone methodical, reserved and focused on work.
Besides Es Molí, Pelayo is leading several projects through Ilanga Capital. One of the most ambitious is the transformation of the former Incosol Hotel, in Marbella, an establishment closed since 2013 which will be transformed into a wellness center. The planned investment exceeds 150 million euros. The project includes a health center, a new generation spa complex and a hotel offering aimed at an international public with high purchasing power. The rehabilitation of this property marks the company’s entry into the luxury wellness sector, a growing and highly profitable market in established destinations such as the Costa del Sol.
Confidentiality
On a personal level, Pelayo maintains a low profile. He is married and has children, but avoid media exposure who accompanied other members of his family. Those around him describe him as someone methodical, reserved and focused on work. This discretion does not imply a distance from the family heritage: he remains linked to property decisions and maintains a fluid relationship with the commercial structures that his parents have built over the decades. However, his line of action has its own imprint. He prefers to manage his projects discreetly and give more visibility to professional teams than to himself.
At the same time, Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz is part of a generation that wishes to reinterpret her family’s entrepreneurial heritage. It does not compete with or reproduce the past. Its commitment consists of giving new uses to heritage assets and promoting projects that make sense in the current tourism context. The hotels it acquires or develops are located in destinations where landscape, history and tranquility continue to be the main attraction. And this balance between respect for what already exists and the vision of the future is at the heart of its proposal.
Today, with Es Molí in Mallorca and the rehabilitation of Incosol underway, Pelayo finds himself at a decisive moment in his career. It has consolidated its own management style, based on rigorous asset selection and the construction of solid long-term assets. Not looking for immediate impact nor rapid rotation operations. He prefers to consolidate projects that grow over time and which add real value to the destinations where they are implemented. This vision, together with his discretion and his ability to identify unique opportunities, make him a figure who is beginning to stand out in the Spanish tourism sector.