Andorra Retenders Casamanya Hotel Renovation Amid Cost Overruns

The Andorran Council of Ministers has approved a new tender for the second phase of renovations at the former Casamanya hotel in Ordino, incorporating minor adjustments to lower costs and boosting the budget allocation after the initial bids exceeded available funds.

Environment Minister and government spokesperson Guillem Casal confirmed on Wednesday that moving his ministry to the site "will be very complicated" during the current legislative term. Speaking after the ministers' meeting, he explained that the retendering became possible once the 2026 Budget entered into force, despite earlier indications it would not happen until next year. The original plan targeted the start of phase two works by late 2025 to enable the relocation before the legislature ends, but the failed first tender in July disrupted that schedule.

To address the high bids, the government introduced changes such as scaled-back vegetation in the adjacent square with smaller plants, revised architectural elements, and new materials for interior and exterior joinery and furniture. Casal avoided disclosing the updated budget figure to prevent influencing submissions.

The second phase, the most expensive part of the project, covers demolition of non-structural elements, interior reforms, ground-floor expansion, facade upgrades for energy efficiency and accessibility, and landscaping the roof of an adjacent parking structure with native plants. The five-storey building, unused for over 20 years, will house the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry alongside offices for Ordino parish council and the Quart neighbourhood.

Phase one works remain underway without major delays and are expected to last one and a half years from award. Casal indicated the ministry move might not occur until 2027 at the earliest, framing the effort within the government's strategy to repurpose emblematic cultural heritage buildings for public use—similar to the former Rosaleda hotel in Encamp, now the Culture Ministry, and the old Ràdio Andorra site hosting Andorra Turisme.