Last updated on January 09th, 2022
Marbella means sunshine and beaches – and fine hotels. The sublime Marbella Club Hotel Golf Resort & Spa is justly famous while Gran Melia Don Pepe is superbly indulgent. For adults only luxury, Amàre Beach Hotel is ideal. Intimate boutique luxury is on offer at Nobu Hotel Marbella, while The Oasis by Don Carlos Resort pampers guests’ every whim. Browse our selections for the finest Old City hotels and those in Puerto Banos. Marbella’s delights await you.
Don’t know in which area to stay ? Check out our guide of best areas to stay in Marbella Spain.
Best Area to Stay in Marbella For First Time Visit ?
For your first visit to Marbella, we’d advise choosing between the desirable Old Town, with its ancient pedestrianised streets and atmospheric restaurants and bars, the seafront hotels with easy access to the sea or the upmarket attractions of Puerto Banus with its exclusive shopping and Marina. Whatever your choice, the magnificence of Marbella awaits you. Read more.
What is the most expensive hotel in Marbella Spain ?
With decades of heritage and experience, Marbella Club Hotel Golf Resort & Spa has long been the finest Marbella can offer. This is a hotel that invites guests to indulge in the exclusive luxuryof a private Andalusian village. Quietly deluxe accommodation makes its own sophisticated statement while impeccable service is designed to pamper.
What are The Best (Luxury) Hotels in Marbella ?
1. Marbella Club Hotel · Golf Resort & Spa – Beachfront
Classic luxury chic that’s been the very best of Marbella hotels for many decades is the hallmark of the Marbella Club Hotel. Accommodation is stylish as befits a hotel that’s been a destination for the jet set since the 1950s. There’s a wide range of gourmet restaurants with classic indoor/outdoor dining at The Grill and legendary breakfasts in the Winter Garden. Comprehensive wellness facilities complete a perfect picture. Best for a sensational stay, steeped in history.
2. Gran Meliá Don Pepe – Seafront
Since the 1970s, the five star Gran Meliá Don Pepe has been a landmark among hotels on the Paseo Maritimo. Swimming pools are set in tropical gardens and there’s direct access to a private beach club. Luxury accommodation decor is pure white to contrast with the blue of the Mediterranean which forms the direct view from some rooms. A la carte cuisine is served in the T-Bone Grill while Bardot is the hotel’s poolside cocktail bar. Best for beachside indulgence.
3. Puente Romano Marbella – Beachfront
Set directly on the seafront around large swimming pools, Puente Romano Marbella offers luxury village style accommodation that’s personal, intimate and cosseting. Decor mixes Mediterranean shades with bold artworks. Japan meets Peru at Nobu, while among the many other culinary options is The Sea Grill, which allows diners to enjoy the finest seafood with uninterrupted outdoor sea views. Best for sophistication, taken for granted.
4. Vincci Selección Estrella del Mar – Beachfront
Highly contemporary architecture inspired by the Orient awaits guests at the luxury Vincci Selección Estrella del Mar. There’s three adult swimming pools and one specifically for children, all adjacent to the beach. Luxury boutique style accommodation features decor in muted tones with rugs from Spain over traditional tiled floors. There’s a full range of treatments, including a hammam, while Baraka serves the best of Mediterranean cuisine. Best for a new take on the finest of luxury in Marbella Spain.
With views over the surrounding Sierra Blanca Mountains and ideally located close to the area’s finest golf courses, The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa is an oasis of luxury for the discerning traveller. Set in lush gardens around a swimming pool, the hotel’s architecture is in the Moorish style of Spain. Luxury accommodation to guest rooms feature contemporary muted tones matched with traditional wood shutters. Among the dining options are Sunsa, serving modern Mediterranean cuisine. Best for golf and mountain lovers.
6. Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella – Adults Only – Beachfront
An adults only minimalist symphony in white, the Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella’s walls reflect panoramic views of sky and sea, just five minutes from Marbella’s ancient Old Town. Luxury accommodation is in 236 deluxe rooms, while there’s a sparkling swimming pool and the beach directly adjacent. Among the restaurants is Hayaca featuring South American cuisine served in a romantic indoor/outdoor setting. Regular party nights ensure there’s no let up in entertainment. Best for adults only contemporary escapes.
7. Hotel Fuerte Marbella – Beachfront
Luxury accommodation at Hotel Fuerte Marbella features far-reaching sea views over the Mediterranean in a garden setting directly on the beach. One of the two swimming pools is covered and heated in the winter months for all year enjoyment. There’s all day dining at Restaurante El Olivo, while in the summer months Terraza del Mar serves outdoor dishes around the pool. There’s live entertainment and a special child-focused club area. Best for beach loving families.
With its own golf course, by an award-winning designer, the luxurious Rio Real Golf Hotel provides intimate boutique style luxury with just 30 rooms in a deluxe homely style, set around a swimming pool. Views are towards the mountains and down to the Mediterranean, while dining choices are from a modern Mediterranean menu at the hotel’s Rio Real Restaurant. The hotel also offers its own tennis courts for guests. Best for golf and tennis lovers.
What are The Best Boutique Hotels in Marbella ?
Pampering is the key to luxury at The Oasis by Don Carlos Resort, with indoor and outdoor pools and an award winning spa experience available. This adults only boutique retreat features stylish accommodation in highly contemporary style aimed at creating a deluxe home from home ambience. Among the dining options is Thai cuisine at Ombú Restaurant, in the hotel’s own tropical gardens, while more casual dining is available at the hotel’s exclusive Don Carlos Beach Club.
Contemporary chic comes to Marbella. Designed for an exclusive boutique experience, Nobu Hotel Marbella’s luxury accommodation features marble floors, pale wood and cool, neutral tones while terraces overlook La Plaza, the centre of Marbella’s top end social scene. A dip in the private pool prepares guests for dining at Nobu’s renowned restaurant or an evening at La Suite, Marbella’s hottest club. The Six Senses Spa offers a wide range of treatments.
Intimate and inviting, Hotel Claude Marbella is set in a 17th century townhouse that once served as an artists’ club. There are just seven luxury guest rooms and suites arranged around a galleried patio, so typical of Spain. Decor is in warm colours with luxurious fabrics and feature pieces such as chandeliers and carved wooden doors. A cosy lounge is available to guests while a rooftop terrace looks out over Marbella Spain.
An Asian-inspired privately run retreat behind 200 year old walls in the atmospheric heart of Marbella’s Old Town, La Villa Marbella is a boutique destination hotel like no other. Some of the luxury accommodation features the exposed stone that’s part of this building’s heritage while a private terraces has sweeping views over the Old Town itself and towards the impressive Sierra Blanca mountains. Marbella’s beaches are just a few minutes’ walk away down pedestrian only streets.
In a quiet residential area, just a ten minute walk from the seafront, Jazmines & Moras Boutique Villa offers sparkling white decor and striking art work in just six luxury guest rooms set over three floors of a Marbella villa with sea views from the terrace. This family run retreat is set in in its own gardens with swimming pool, offering a personalised boutique experience. Just adjacent is the Río Real golf course while Marbella’s renowned Opium Beach Club is a near neighbour.
With just 11 luxury rooms and top suites, traditionally furnished in neutral tones punctuated by Mediterranean accents, Hotel The Touch Puerto Banus offers a quietly deluxe boutique hotel experience, all a short distance from the sea front. Set in its own grounds, there’s a real grandeur to this boutique hotel’s architectural presence, with a pool and secluded sun patio exclusively for guests’ use. The hotel’s restaurant offers a modern take on Mediterranean cuisine.
What are The Best Hotels near Puerto Banus ?
The heart of Puerto Banus is its renowned marina, one of the most exclusive in Europe. This is the place to see the yachts of the ultra rich who have made Marbella their playground. Surrounding it and tiered above the Marina is an Andalusian style village, of contemporary build with an old-style air. Browsing the upmarket boutiques is a delightful pastime and there are numerous restaurants and bars. Puerto Banus also has its own popular beaches.
1. Gran Hotel Guadalpin Banus – Beachfront
A five star tropical style resort set directly on the beach, Gran Hotel Guadalpin Banus offers deluxe accommodation just a 15 minute walk from central Puerto Banus. The hotel is arranged around a central pool area, with many of the luxury rooms having direct sea views. Dining is in a choice of restaurants offering fresh Mediterranean cuisine. There’s a gym and sauna, while spa facilities are also offered.
Within easy walking distance of the beach and directly adjacent to the exclusive Puerto Banus Marina, Melia Marbella Banus offers extensive gardens and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools suitable for adults and children alike. Guest accommodation has bright colour tones against sparkling white decor with cool tiled floors and terraces. Among the many dining options is the D.O.M. Restaurant serving traditional Malaga cuisine.
With contemporary design to luxury guest accommodation, H10 Andalucía Plaza is a large adults only retreat designed in a welcoming traditional style. The hotel’s guest rooms are designed in a cool, neutral style with some bold accents. The hotel offers its guests a wide range of dining options, with both interior and al fresco options. There’s a large pool and patio area while the beachfront is a short distance away.
4. Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach – Seafront
With easy access to the beachfront, Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach’s cool white architecture is arranged around a large pool area set in the hotel’s own palm-fringed gardens. Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach’s 172 guest rooms feature cool stone floors and Mediterranean accents against sparkling white decor with bold feature artworks. Restaurants serve the finest of Andalusian cooking in stylish surroundings. Spa treatments are available.
Best Value Hotels in Marbella City Centre
Typically Spanish narrow streets comprise Marbella’s city centre, with names such as Pasaje (walkway), Panaderia (bakery), Viento (wind) or more atmospherically, Los Caballeros (Knight Street). Avenida Ricardo Soriano is a must for its shops, cafes and restaurants. For many visitors, though, all that matters is the world famous Paseo Maritimo which stretches for a long distance along the coast. For lovers of greenery, the Parque de la Alameda with its collection of lush tropical plants, shouldn’t be missed.
Good Value Accommodation
- Senator Marbella Spa Hotel – Best Sea Views
- Hotel Fuerte Marbella – Beach
- La Morada Mas Hermosa – Good Value / Budget
- Hotel El Faro Marbella – Good Value / Affordable
What’s the Top Accommodation in Old Town ?
Marbella’s Old Town is a strollers’ delight, filled with suprises at every meandering corner, whether it’s a small neighbourhood bar or an outdoor restaurant in a square. The narrow streets are pedestrianised and at the heart of the Old Town is the beautiful Plaza de los Naranjos – literally “Square of the Oranges” – surrounded by delightful Castilian Renaissance architecture. Art lovers can indulge their love of Picasso, Dali and Miro at the extraordinary Museum of Contemporary Spanish Engravings.
Finest Hotels in Old Town area
- Hotel Claude Marbella – Boutique Hotel
- Puerta De Aduares – Aparthotel
- Hotel San Cristóbal – Affordable
What’s the Best Marbella Beach Hotel ?
Locals recommend Bounty Beach, also known as Playa del Cable, with its plentiful shade and relaxed atmosphere as a real favourite. Those looking for a high octane party experience should head to Nikki Beach, long the destination of the rich and famous. By contrast, the long stretch of sand at Rio Real Beach is popular with families for its easy access to central Marbella. A short drive takes visitors to the quieter surroundings of Hermosa Beach.
Outstanding Hotels near the Beach
- Gran Meliá Don Pepe – Luxury
- Marbella Club Hotel · Golf Resort & Spa – Top Luxury
- Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella – Adults Only – Top Rated
