Nine-course tasting breakfasts and Michelin-starred chefs. Chic low-lit libraries straight out of an interiors catalogue. A guest book featuring everyone from Walt Disney to Penélope Cruz.
These are just some of the highlights of a stay at El Fuerte, a 66-year-old iconic seaside hotel right on Marbella’s beachfront — and the latest in a string of chic new properties helping to redefine the Golden Mile’s Brits-abroad stereotype thanks to a five-star, £30 million makeover. No package holidays here. Instead, think £350 helicopter rides, glamorous old world lounge areas and private terraces with hot tubs featuring the best views in town.
From the couples massages at the Clarins spa to the hotel’s own beach bar Soleo, here’s what to expect.
Where is it?
Right behind the promenade in the heart of Marbella, just 30 seconds from the beach. The old town and its labyrinth of charming cobbled streets is just a five-minute walk away.
Style
Terracotta hues and cool ceramics. Emerald green tiles and brushed brass features. Bold marble bathrooms and bright modern libraries.
It’s not your classic Marbs beach break. But that’s exactly the point. The vibe at El Fuerte is Mediterranean chic but with plenty of the old world glamour of its 1950s, Audrey Hepburn-era roots.
The landmark property dates back to 1957 but completed a whopping 15-month, £26.5 million renovation last year (Roman, Phoenician and Islamic artefacts were unearthed during excavations to construct the spa) thanks to award-winning Chilean designer Jaime Beriestain — and the result is contemporary yet elegant with an Andalusian twist. Think cool Spanish tiling, floor to ceiling plants and bold modern art lining the corridors.
Staff will bring a coral-coloured beach towel to your lounger and umbrellas come in an elegant white and burgundy stripe.
Which room?
Each of El Fuerte’s 266 rooms features the hotel’s signature colour scheme, cool contemporary lighting and all the essentials from a coffee maker and complimentary beauty products to minibar featuring drinks, snacks and recyclable El Fuerte water bottles. Expect quilt bedding, Nordic-style duvets and a pillow menu in the bedroom.
All rooms come with walk-in showers and outdoor terraces and most come with view out over the Mediterranean, with sexy, characterful details such as little marble dining tables for pre-dinner sundowners and — if you’re lucky — sleek outdoor hot tubs overlooking the sea.
Choose a double room with a lounge and a freestanding bathtub beneath the TV if you’re after some extra space. La Dama Master Suite is one of 78 top-tier rooms with daily spa access and arguably the best room in the hotel, with a full-facing sea view, large dining table and 29 square-metre terrace featuring a private alfresco hot tub.
Pets are allowed on request.
Food and drink
There are three restaurants to choose from: Middle Eastern fine-dining inspired by an Arab souk at Le Marché; trendy, Mediterranean inspired cuisine at Levante; and locally-sourced fine-dining at Edge, glass-wrapped rooftop restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Paco Pérez with 360-degree views over the sea and old town.
The hotel also boasts its own laid-back beach club, Soleo, serving Tommy’s margaritas, beef tartare starters and giant Caesar salads in sleek wooden bowls bigger than your head.
Breakfast, too, is a three-option affair, with the choice of a buffet (highlights include crepes made to order, handmade pastries and the best selection of gluten and lactose-free dishes I’ve seen at a hotel breakfast), a la carte menu (highlights include a lobster roll chia, mushroom fritters and Malaga sausage tartar) and even a nine-course tasting menu, featuring everything from oysters and waffle benedictine to sweet potato omlette and local cheeses — the most decadent hotel breakfast I’ve come across.
Ensure you leave time to make an occasion of it, though be wary of feasting if you plan to do anything other than lounge by the pool all day.
Facilities
There are two glistening swimming pools surrounded by palms and sun-loungers, multiple sun terraces with views of the ocean, and plenty of comfy hangout spaces including a chic downstairs library and a rooftop serving cocktails that turns into Edge restaurant at night. You won’t find a better view in town.
There’s also a sixth-floor gym with smart Technogym kit, but the hotel’s Spa by Clarins is, in most guests’ opinion, the real highlight, with an extensive treatments list plus a hydrotherapy circuit featuring everything from a dynamic pool with jets to a steam room and ice fountain. Treatments range from couples massages, detox facials and lymphatic drainage massages designed to eliminate toxins. There’s also an energising facial specifically designed for men’s skin.
The hotel also offers a wide variety of experiences, from private dining and cooking classes to helicopter rides and excursions to Tangier, Seville and the Alhambra. Just ask the smartly-dressed staff reception for details.
What to Instagram
The view from the rooftop, palm trees swaying in the breeze and El Fuerte’s signature white and burgundy paraols framing the pool below.
Best for?
Well-to-do couples looking for a (chic) beach break just three hours from London. English, Irish, Dutch and American guests are common here, and you’ll hear many Spanish-speaking voices at breakfast too.
How to get there
Flights from London to Málaga are just under three hours, then it’s a 40-minute cab at the other end.
