CRISTIANO RONALDO plans to work on expanding his hotel empire upon his return to the UK, SunSport can reveal.
The 36-year-old is opening his first hotel in Manchester in 18 months and sources say he wants to “quickly expand” his portfolio of properties.
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A friend said he was “impressed” by the success of former Man Utd teammates Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
And he could now face the Class of 92 with his own hotel empire.
Our source said: “Football comes first for Cristiano – he always has.
“But he’s now getting to that point in his career where he’s looking beyond the game and what’s to come.
“The incredible opportunities that exist off the pitch here in the UK are a key part of why he wanted to come back.
“He will be very involved in his hotel project in Manchester and will look to open more sites once the first one is operational.
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“Ronaldo has global appeal so his hotels are likely to be a huge hit and he wants them to be the envy of the world.
“He saw how successful Ryan, Gary and Paul were and was really impressed.
“But he has big plans himself, so the Class of 92 may be looking over their shoulders.”
Earlier this year, planning chiefs in Manchester gave Ronaldo the go-ahead to open a new luxury hotel with a rooftop bar overlooking the city’s Piccadilly Gardens area.
Portuguese hotel group Pestana is building the 150-room ‘upscale lifestyle’ hotel on the corner of Piccadilly and Newton Street.
The Manc building will become the seventh Pestana-branded hotel in the world and they all bear Ronaldo’s iconic “CR7†initials, alluding to the jersey number he has worn throughout his footballing career.
The £ 27million project involves the demolition of 67 Piccadilly, an empty and unsightly building that has been covered in scaffolding and billboards for almost 20 years.
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A new 11-story tower, featuring a ground-floor bar, cafe, basement gym and rooftop terrace, is proposed to take its place.
The vacant upper floors of the Halls building next door at 69-75.
Piccadilly, home to the Piccadilly Tavern, would be expanded to accommodate part of the hotel.
Pestana says the redevelopment would represent an “important step towards realizing the full regenerative potential of the North Quarter”, while meeting growing demand from Manchester’s hotel sector.
Ronaldo also has a hair transplant clinic in Marbella as he expands his ever growing business portfolio and ten more in Portugal.
In total, this part of his business empire is now valued at £ 85million by Forbes.
This is just the latest in a long line of business ventures for Ronaldo – who even owns his underwear line.
Ronaldo’s luxury hotels
Ronaldo has opened four hotels since the start of its partnership with the Pestana group in 2015.
The soccer hero has locations in Madeira, Lisbon, New York and Madrid, with hotels in Marrakech and Paris set to open shortly.
Ronaldo’s seventh venue will be in Manchester, just like the number he wore on his first stint at Old Trafford.
Madeira
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Ronaldo’s first hotel – in Funchal, his hometown on Madeira Island – opened in 2016.
If Covid allows, fans can stay at the four-star hotel in Portugal from £ 117 per night, with stunning sea views included.
Lisbon
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CR7 opened its second hotel in the Portuguese capital later in 2016, located in the historic Baixa Pombalina district.
The refurbished building is also modestly priced, with rooms starting at £ 115 per night.
new York
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Ronaldo’s hotel empire expanded outside of Portugal in 2020 when he opened a cosmopolitan venue in midtown Manhattan, New York.
The Times Square hotel is described as ‘modern’ and ‘comfortable’ – with prices starting at £ 70 per night.
Madrid
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Man Utd’s new signing opened his fourth hotel in June, Gran Via in Madrid – the city where he spent nine years of his professional career.
The venue is described as a ‘lifestyle hotel’ for ‘city travelers’, who will have to shell out £ 79 per night to take advantage of the facilities.
Marrakech
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Ronaldo’s fifth hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, was slated to open in 2019, but has yet to welcome visitors to the luxurious venue.
Prices for this magnificent hotel have yet to be released, but it is said to have 168 rooms, two restaurants, a business center, and a spa.
Paris
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The former Juventus star’s sixth hotel in Paris is expected to have 210 rooms – making it his largest to date – and is located on the Left Bank.
Ronaldo said: “It makes perfect sense that the Pestana CR7 brand is based in Paris, one of the most visited cities in the world.”
Manchester
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Ronaldo’s seventh site is set to open in 2023 after the footballer was given permission to build a new 11-story tower.
The hotel will have 150 rooms, a lounge bar on the ground floor and a roof terrace, open to the public and guests.
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