Vida Imobiliária spoke with Mercan Properties and AHM – Ace Hospitality Management about the Moxy Alfragide Lisboa, the group’s first hotel in Greater Lisbon.

Mercan Properties debuted this year in Greater Lisbon with the opening of Moxy Alfragide Lisboa, a €63 million investment. The hotel, with 218 rooms of various types, is the fourth unit of the Marriott brand developed by the group and managed by AHM – Ace Hospitality Management. Vida Imobiliária spoke with Jordi Vilanova, President of Mercan Properties, and Mariano Faz, CEO of AHM, to understand the objectives, strategy, and impact of this new project.

For Jordi Vilanova, the choice of Alfragide was not a coincidence, but the result of a careful analysis of the city’s evolution and the area’s potential. “Each project we envision aims to be unique, to offer excellent services and have a positive impact on the local community. To achieve this, the location is a determining factor for the implementation of a successful development,” explains the President of Mercan Properties, emphasizing that Alfragide “is rapidly becoming one of the most dynamic business hubs in the capital, with notable results, such as its increasingly modern and innovative infrastructure.”

A focus on the corporate and MICE segment

The new hotel unit places a strong bet on the corporate and MICE segment, one of the group’s strategic pillars. “We are making a strategic bet on the MICE sector in the Alfragide area because we believe it complements in a very relevant way the existing offering in Lisbon,” explains Mariano Faz, CEO of AHM. He believes that, although Lisbon is already a consolidated destination, “Alfragide offers very clear competitive advantages: proximity to the airport, easy access to Lisbon, Cascais, and Sintra, as well as an increasingly central and dynamic location.”

According to AHM’s CEO, the project also stands out for the “generosity of its spaces,” which meet the demands of business travelers. “The meeting rooms are large and spacious, and there are parking spots that include space for buses,” he says, adding that the Moxy Alfragide Lisbon “also offers a differentiated gastronomic component to cater to all tastes,” allowing for an integrated experience at the hotel itself, “something highly valued by the incentives segment.”

With a contemporary design and a relaxed atmosphere, the hotel aims to attract both corporate and leisure audiences. “We bring together all the elements to attract this market: strategic location, infrastructure designed for groups, and an integrated hospitality and leisure offering,” summarizes Mariano Faz.

The €63 million investment is, according to Jordi Vilanova, “the result of the trust of 180 international investors” who believe in the destination’s potential. “During the process, we generated 400 jobs, of which 80 remain active. We believe these numbers are much more than statistics: they create a positive impact and added value for Amadora, enabling new opportunities for young people, families, and the local population who directly benefit from this new development,” states the President of Mercan Properties.

He also highlights that “the impact of Moxy Alfragide Lisboa goes far beyond the hotel itself: it will have multiplier effects throughout the region, bringing visitors who will consume, enjoy, and appreciate the destination.”

The connection to Marriott International, Mercan’s strategic partner, is pointed out by Mariano Faz as one of the decisive factors for the operation’s success. “Marriott’s involvement is crucial for the success of this project. Having a brand with such scale, prestige, and international recognition trusting our management and the chosen location is, in itself, a seal of credibility and added value,” he states. Marriott “will be decisive in positioning the hotel and the chosen area, elevating the destination to a more competitive and attractive level, both for corporate and leisure clients.” Furthermore, “the strength of its loyalty program ensures a consistent demand from international clients, channeling demand to Lisbon that might otherwise disperse to other destinations.”

Mercan plans to open 15 more hotels in Portugal by 2030

With Moxy Alfragide Lisboa, the Canadian group Mercan reaches the milestone of 15 hotels opened in Portugal in a decade of activity. “Over the past 10 years, we have opened 15 hotels from north to south of the country, from Amarante to Matosinhos, Porto, Évora, Beja, the Alentejo Coast, and the Algarve. By 2030, we plan to open 15 more hotels in Portugal, two of which are already in development in the Lisbon region,” reveals the group’s President.

In 2025, the year in which the group celebrates ten years of presence in the country, Mercan Properties consolidates its position as “the only multi-brand hospitality operator in Portugal,” according to Jordi Vilanova, reinforcing a strategy of sustained investment, with strong economic and territorial impact.