Marbella Holidays: Style, quality, sunshine!

The south of spain needs little introduction to the sophisticated British traveller. For many years holidays to Marbella have attracted those looking for high standards, good weather, excellent golf and beaches and scenic beauty. All these criteria have been met and maintained in spite of the growth in its popularity.

Although there are hundreds of hotels in southern Spain we have limited our choice to just five. These are some of the best Marbella hotels one will find and our long standing relationship with them ensures our client satisfaction.  If you have a favourite in this area do let us know - we do work with other hotels in Marbella on a more adhoc basis.

Marbella boasts 300 days sunshine a year, though this can not be guaranteed at only two hours away from the UK it is ideal for a short break or a longer holidays in Marbella.  Many of our clients visit several times a year.  Is it the golf? With almost 40 courses to choose from, it’s possible! Is it the beaches? Well there may not be loads of beaches but they do stretch for miles and the golden sands and clear waters are very appealing.

Perhaps it’s the choice of restaurants, the chic shopping, the lovely whitewashed villages to explore in the surrounding areas or the history and culture … It’s whatever takes your fancy, there is sure to be something to please everyone. What we should say here is the term Marbella is used to describe a stretch of coast 20kms long!  All, except one of our properties is in the catchment area of the towns of Marbella or Puerto Banus.  The remaining hotel is a little further along the coast  near Estepona.

Things to do on holiday in Marbella

The area of Marbella is surrounded by beautiful countryside with classic white washed villages set on hillsides, orange and olive groves, Castillos (castles) perched precariously and everywhere spectacular scenery.  Andalucía is an extensive area but a little way out of town these pretty villages also produce much of the olive oil, almonds and citrus fruits.  Places within driving distance (or take an excursion) worth visiting are Ronda, Granada, Seville & Cordoba. The city of Malaga is also very beautiful and has many interesting monuments. It was also the birth place of Pablo Picasso and there is now a new Picasso museum with some unique pieces.

You don’t need to go far to find things to enjoy on your holiday; Marbella old town is a delightful labyrinth of narrow streets to wander around and you may end up in Plaza los Naranjos (Orange Square) where there are cafes and restaurants with tables outside under the orange trees, the perfect place to people watch.  There are other things to see in Marbella and we give more detail on our What to do page.

Puerto Banus is close by too and has a fabulous marina and an enormous range of restaurants and cafés, good shopping and many places on the seafront have music most evenings– another superb spot for people watching too!

As you go south towards Gibraltar, the empty beaches and green countryside become more noticeable. A day in tiny Gibraltar, still fiercely British, is fun – perhaps take afternoon tea at the Rock Hotel after doing some duty-free shopping.

Further on, the Atlantic coast of Spain is unspoilt and leads to Cadiz or Jerez – home of sherry and the wonderful Royal School of Equestrian Art. The historic cities of Ronda, Granada, Seville and Cordoba have attracted visitors for centuries.

Golf in Marbella

One is spoilt for choice with about 30 courses to choose from, but we mention some of the best on our What to do page, above.

What else can you do on holiday in Marbella?

You can enjoy a wide range of sporting activities – swimming, tennis, riding or hire a bicycle.  The most popular water sports are here too.  Spas also feature strongly in our Marbella hotels here.  We give you more detail on these and other pastimes on our What to do page above.

Dining in Marbella

In addition to the very good restaurants in our hotels the area in and around Marbella and Puerto Banus has literally hundreds of restaurants with cuisine that includes, American, Arabic, Argentinian, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Oriental, Portuguese and, of course, Spanish and others. Of course this is the home of the tapas bar, a great way to try lots of different dishes.

Getting around

This really does depend on how much and how far you want to travel.  If you want to relax at your Marbella hotel or on the beach then local buses or taxis would suffice for the short trips that you may make.

Taxis are white and are easily available at all hours, either by flagging them down or by ordering one from the hotel concierge.

Local buses run along the coastline to and from Marbella and operate throughout the day and well into the evening.

A hire car in this region though would make a real difference if you plan to venture beyond the immediate area, and it does give you so much freedom.  Out of town roads are good, though some in the countryside can have quite a few bends, but the condition is generally good.  In town – well, as with any busy place, park up and make the most of the local atmosphere by walking wherever you can.  If you decide to change the private transfer we include in your holiday and drive yourself from the airport, this is not difficult particularly if you take the new motorway, there is a small toll to pay though.

Transfer or Hire Car?

We have included a private transfer to your chosen Marbella hotel direct from Malaga Airport. However, you may prefer to have a hire car waiting for you when you land – we can arrange this easily for you – and as your holiday price includes a transfer, the additional cost is very reasonable. Baby seats in transfers and hire cars are required by law and are at a charge unless you are taking your own - please let us know.

Things to buy include wine, sherry, ham, ceramics, tiles, leather and basketwork.

Prestige Plus in Marbella

Private transfers unless you have opted to swop them for a hire car.

Travel guide to Southern Spain.

Welcome Fruit and Mineral Water or Wine in your room on arrival.

The support and services of our excellent local agent including being met a busy Malaga airport.

Representation
A taxi will be waiting for you on arrival at Malaga Airport and transferred directly to your chosen  hotel. Our local agent will always be available to help you in case of need and the telephone number will be on your itinerary. Plus you will receive a courtesy phone call. We do not have a representative to visit on you, as we do feel the hotel’s guest relations desks are excellent and are on hand at all times and we found that most guests are out when a representative attempted to visit in the past.