Marbella Club Review: An Iconic Resort on the Spanish Coast Is Better Than Ever at Age 70 — Here’s What It’s Like to Stay

"The Marbella Club, a Leading Hotel of the World member, is one of those European grand dame hotels that has been a beachfront favorite of Brits for years and is only just now starting to get recognized by Americans as a worthy destination on par with Amalfi Coast and Mykonos. At least, that’s how it seemed to me: No one I spoke to here before our trip had heard of it, and there were almost no American accents once we arrived, even though it was spring break in New York. But I suspect this open secret won’t last long, and at 70 years young, the resort is more than ready to increase its fame and desirability as a luxe beach destination that’s not Italy or Greece. And while I won’t try to pretend there are zero crowds, Marbella Club’s vibe is decidedly different than other European enclaves for wealthy people to frolic in the sand. Yes, you’ll want to pack your nicest caftans and wedge-heeled espadrilles, and you can’t help but notice the Loewe and Louis Vuitton outlets in the shopping arcade by the entrance, but once you’re ensconced inside the private, 10-acre wonderland, you’ll instantly feel at home. That’s because the staff is genuinely kind and bend over backward to make you (and your kids, if you have them) feel at home. This attitude goes back to the hotel’s beginnings as a coastal farm escape for Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who converted farm buildings into a clubhouse with rooms to host his friends (who happened to be royalty and celebrities) in 1953. Things kept expanding, with more bungalows, gardens, and pools being added as more and more people looked for an escape where they could truly let their hair down. Fast-forward to 2011, when the Shamoon family bought the hotel. Under the leadership of daughter Jennica Shamoon Arazi, who has ensured that the familial spirit of Marbella Club continues, the hotel has continued to expand and flourish. Recently, it acquired the adjacent estate, which is slowly being incorporated into the hotel with a five-year plan of expansion. Arazi has also guaranteed that Marbella Club is a place where all guests, especially families of all ages, can feel at ease knowing their every need and desire will be fulfilled. From baby gear to babysitting to a sprawling kids club, from an impressive wellness program to championship golfing to backgammon at the cozy bar, every age group is considered here. Our days here consisted of flitting between the various pools and the beach, trying out the multiple restaurants, and simply wandering the gorgeous botanic gardens that make up the grounds between the mountain and the Mediterranean. These gardens are filled with palm trees, olive trees, fig trees, dozens of tomato varieties, colorful bougainvillea, and drooping angel’s trumpet flowers, as well as fountains and painted tiles dotted along the terracotta-tiled walkways and staircases. When we needed adult time, we sent the kids off to the sprawling kids club in what used to be Prince Alfonso’s estate, visited the exceptional Thalasso spa for some seawater therapy, or signed up for a private Pilates session, as wellness is also a focus here. And while sometimes family and wellness might seem like an oxymoron, Marbella Club manages to do both exceptionally well. La Concha mountain towers over the resort, providing a stunning backdrop across from the ocean. The wide swath of beach has a begging-to-be-photographed pier and direct access to the Marbella promenade. The kids club is over-the-top — in a good way. The myriad of drinking and dining outlets each has its own vibe. When we first walked into our MC Suite, my kids squealed with excitement at the table laden with welcoming fruit and snacks, the doors to our spacious patio with loungers, a couch, a table with chairs, and the L-shaped couch perfect for relaxing on. I squealed at the wrought iron canopied bed, the extra-large marble bathroom with double vanity sinks, a deep tub, and a separate rainfall shower. Since there were four of us, a cot was added to the living room, without feeling too much in the way or blocking the seating area, alongside a crib with the sweetest little plush flower rattle. The hotel has 132 rooms of various sizes and configurations, and many suites can be connected to a deluxe room for even more space. In addition to Junior, Garden, and MC suites, there’s also a roster of one-of-a-kind Unique Suites and Grand Suites, plus several stand-alone villas and bungalows. Like mine, the palette is mostly neutral, with a lot of rattan, linen, whitewashed wood, and terracotta, punctuated with botanical patterns. This being Andalusia, there’s a hint of Moorish shapes, hand-painted tiles, and textured fabrics. There are eight food and beverage outlets at the resort, with El Patio being at the literal and figurative center of it all. The courtyard restaurant has plenty of seating outside and in, depending on the weather and your mood. Outside, surrounded by dangling vines, lush plants, and fragrant flowers, is more lively during the day, while dinner indoors is often accompanied by live music to enjoy as you either sit around the beautiful circular bar, ogle the many historic photos of the hotel’s famous visitors throughout the decades, or just enjoy your Mediterranean-infused meal with dishes like Galician mussels in lemon confit with red chili and wood-fired lamb chops with pomegranate, coriander, and horseradish. There are two pools at the resort, and each one has its own restaurant. The family pool by the beach is home to the bustling Beach Club, with a Miami-esque color palette of coral and mint, lots of seashell details, and palapa-style roofs. The menu is light, with a lengthy raw bar menu and plenty of seafood dishes, as well as starters like gazpacho, zucchini salad, and fish tacos. Pair with fruity cocktails like a piña colada or Minty Matcha. Meanwhile, the quieter garden pool at the center of the resort has El Olivar, a health-focused patio spot with various juices, salads, and bowls. If you’re on the beach, MC Beach is a typical Malaga chiriniguito — a seafood beach shack serving dishes like seafood paella, shrimp fritters, and the catch of the day. There are no fewer than 12 pineapple and coconut cocktails, alongside a slew of other drinks from classics to Marbella Club creations. The Grill is the upscale restaurant with required reservations, where the original grillmaster's son at the resort is behind the fire now. The outdoor patio is accented with decades-old candle drippings, and we saw the most magnificent rainbow the night we ate there. Choose from about a dozen cuts of beef, alongside lamb, veal, duck, fish, and lobster thermidor. After dinner, retire to Rudi’s, the convivial hideaway where you can play backgammon by the fire, nibble on some tapas, and sip drinks like a Melon & Mint Martini or a Kir Royale. Aside from the wide beach with cabanas, three outdoor pools satisfy swimming and sunbathing needs. For those looking for more active pursuits, there are tennis and padel courts, a pilates reformer studio offering private sessions, and water sports rentals ranging from SUP to bike surfing to eFoils, or you can charter the resort’s 65-foot sailboat. The resort recently expanded into the adjacent lot, now home to Finca Ana Maria. Over the next five years, the goal is to nourish 10 different gardens on the property, including an acacia maze, a storytelling tree, and a mandala-shaped garden with over 300 fruit and vegetable varieties. For now, it’s a lovely place for a stroll, filled with wild rabbits and plenty of plants. This is also where the resort’s newest pool is located, for ages 16 and up. Guests can book two new culinary experiences here: the Tomato Experience, where ecologist and groundskeeper Alejandro Orioli will take guests through 100 heritage varieties of tomatoes, followed by a tomato-inspired tasting menu. Guests can also use the Marbella Club Equestrian Center and an 18-hole Dave Thomas-designed golf course off-campus. Technically, there is a fourth pool at the resort: the indoor thalassotherapy pool filled with mineral-rich seawater. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed testing out the different jetted underwater massagers, waterfalls, and bubbly things in the pool before our couple’s massage in one of the romantic, dimly lit treatment rooms. But the wellness program goes beyond just the spa here, with a variety of holistic wellness programs on offer, including fitness and personal training assessments; one-on-one pilates, aerial yoga, and meditation sessions; and even a nutrition component if desired, with a special health-focused chef available for personalized menus. It’s refreshing to be at a stylish, iconic, unabashedly family resort, with no compromises at either end of the age spectrum. Marbella Club’s kids club is legendary, and for a good reason. Not only is the 53,000-square-foot kids club massive, it’s given prime placement, located inside the original owner’s sprawling villa, with multiple rooms for various ages and activities (like an art studio, puzzle and game room and aroma workshop) and tons of outdoor space with everything from a treehouse to a suspension bridge and a pool — OK, I guess we’re up to five pools then? Programming includes everything from gardening to cooking to science experiments and a make-your-own-fragrance. The youngest set is also looked after, with a special room in the kids club (adult supervision required), all the baby gear you can think of provided, plus two hours of babysitting a day included. (Yes, this is how my husband and I went to the spa!) This sprawling resort is walkable. However, the staff will gladly take guests anywhere by golf cart. There are two dedicated accessible rooms; others can be adapted with handrails and ramps upon request. In March 2024, the Marbella Club achieved the respected Butterfly Mark certification from Positive Luxury after a three-year process led by director of sustainability Leigh Barrett. Examples of sustainability initiatives include switching to 100 percent renewable energy, which led to a 64 percent reduction in carbon emissions from 2022 to 2023; food waste reduction programs; and a partnership with the local marine biodiversity foundation, FAMM, to support a project that aims to conserve native seahorse populations and promote rewilding of the Andalusian coast." - Devorah Lev-Tov Devorah Lev-Tov Devorah Lev-Tov has been a travel, food, and drinks journalist for more than a decade, with bylines in publications like The New York Times, Vogue, and Bon Appétit, in addition to Trave