Cristiano Ronaldo is a true symbol of success, in football and in business. Last night, the Portuguese player took one more step in football history by winning the FIFA award for the best player in the world for the fifth time, defeating Leonel Messi and Neymar Jr. one more time. But even when he’s not scoring goals, Ronaldo is making money. His brands CR7 Footwear and CR7 Underwear are a huge success worldwide, and last year he entered the hospitality business, opening the first two Pestana CR7 hotels. But the Pestana Hotel Group history goes back a long way, and CovetED takes you on a journey through the years of the strong Portuguese chain.

Image Credit: Sapo 24

⇒ Related Article: CR7: CRISTIANO RONALDO MANSION IN MADRID ⇐

Over 40 years ago, back in 1972, the Pestana Hotel Group started by opening its first facility: the Pestana Carlton Madeira, in the sunny Portuguese island where Cristiano Ronaldo would be born 13 years later. In 1992, in the first breakthrough into new territories, the Pestana Group inaugurated hotels in Algarve, a popular Summer destination in the south of Portugal, the first buildings outside of Madeira and one of the core destinations of the group. Later, hotels in Mozambique and in Rio de Janeiro followed and, in 1999, the group began the expansion towards Latin America.

Pestana Carlton Madeira (above) and Pestana Algarve Race Hotel & Resort (below)

In 2001, the Pestana Group opened its first luxury hotel, the Pestana Palace Lisboa, member of The Leading Hotels of The World. In 2002, it reached 5,000 rooms and 1 billion of accumulated revenues and won the concession of the Pousadas de Portugal from the Portuguese Government in the following year. Later, the Pestana Group would reach the 10,000 rooms mark under its direct management. Walking towards new goals, in 2010 the group opened the first hotel in a European capital outside of Portugal, in London, followed by Berlin and Barcelona. In the following year, it crossed the Atlantic and entered Miami, USA.

Pestana Palace Lisboa (above and below)

In 2014, the Pestana Group reached the Iberian Leadership in the number of rooms with the Leading Hotels of the World status, and the milestone of 3 million overnight stays per year. In the same year, it reached 25 million overnight stays in their hotels since the beginning of the Pestana Hotel Group and launched the Pestana Collection, which concentrates their luxury hotels. In 2015, it ensured more than 5,000 jobs and announces the 100 hotels mark over the next two years.

Pestana Barcelona (above), Pestana Berlin (middle) and Pestana Miami (below)

In 2016, the best football player in the world joined this journey of global success. Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels would open Pestana CR7 Funchal (in the player’s birthplace) and Pestana CR7 Lisboa (in the player’s home country capital) that same year. Soon, the Pestana CR7 Hotels will enter new flights, opening its first international ventures: Pestana CR7 Madrid and Pestana CR7 New York.

Cristiano Ronaldo during the inauguration of the first Pestana CR7 hotel. Image Credit: Goal.com

Pestana CR7 Funchal (above) and Pestana CR7 Lisboa (below)

⇒ Related Article: THE TOP10 MOST EXTRAVAGANT HOMES OF FOOTBALLERS ⇐

♦♦ Feel free to share your thoughts about this article and come celebrate design with us! For more trends and information, follow and subscribe to CovetED Magazine! Follow us on our social networks: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Google Plus | LinkedIn ♦♦

Source: Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels