Squatters at Bellevue in Alcudia, Mallorca

Squatters in the Neptuno II block. | Fernando Fernández

Andrew EdeAlcudia13/02/2025 09:35
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Bellevue in Puerto Alcudia dates from the early seventies. The site was known as the Bellavista Urbanisation, a holiday village to dominate the City of Lakes project that involved the reclaiming of Albufera wetland. The City of Lakes was Europe's largest holiday zone and Bellavista was the largest complex in Europe. There were twenty blocks with over 2,000 apartments and studios. The intention was that they should all be sold as time shares. This was before the first bankruptcy resulted in a change. The three Siesta blocks were spun off as part of the settlement. They have nothing to do with Bellevue, other than the fact that they share the same urbanisation.

Neptuno II at Bellevue in Alcudia, Mallorca
Neptuno II entrance. Photos: Fernando Fernández.

Eventually, Bellevue was classified as tourist accommodation under the keys' system as opposed to the stars - tourist apartments (more than 1,400 in seventeen blocks) rather than a hotel. There was to be another bankruptcy, that of Hotetur in 2012, by when BlueBay were already on the scene in managing a complex that has always posed challenges. Its scale is one, its security is another.

There are no obstacles to prevent public access to the complex. That squatters are currently in Neptuno II comes as zero surprise. The only surprise is that a significant occupation hadn't happened previously. The squatters who have moved in have put padlocks on their apartments or have changed the locks. "We are not here for fun," says one of them. There are different nationalities and people of different ages.

Collapsed ceiling at Bellevue in Alcudia, Mallorca
Collapsed ceiling in one of the corridors.
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Woman entering the Neptuno II block at Bellevue in Alcudia

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There have been attempts to tamper with the water network. "We don't have any and there are small children here. Thank goodness there is electricity, otherwise it would be impossible to live with our children. The building is in bad shape, but it is what it is, we have nowhere else to go." There is dampness, cold and dirt; part of a corridor ceiling has collapsed; windows are broken and a lift has been blocked.

Squatted apartment at Bellevue in Alcudia, Mallorca
A squatted apartment.

Another says they don't know anything about the hotel director or indeed anyone else, the management of Bellevue having descended into confusion, as the Iberostar division, O7 Hotels, was meant to be managing it under a 15-year agreement signed just over a year ago. BlueBay have seemingly taken the management back - for now, at any rate. However, they know enough of the management to explain that they have been told they will have to leave before the start of the season.

But as one of them points out: "We are here because there are no flats to live in. It is impossible to pay the rents." They intend to stay and so wait to see what intervention there may be to attempt to remove them.