Finca Cortesin
Hotel · Malaga ·
Luxurious resort with world-class golf, spa, and Japanese-Spanish cuisine
Luxurious resort with world-class golf, spa, and Japanese-Spanish cuisine
"Set against the reddish Sierra Bermeja near Casares, this exclusive five-star hideaway feels presidential—its manicured lawns and challenging 18-hole course (with a Jack Nicklaus training facility) complement amenities such as an on-site art gallery, a Romanesque spa with an indoor 82-foot pool, yoga shala, Bali-style outdoor pools, and 40 acres of gardens. I noted the culinary draw of Luis Olarra’s REI and the intricate tasting menu blending Japanese techniques with Spanish produce, plus elegant suites and villas styled by Anna and Cristina Calderón with Travertine marble baths and Penhaligon's toiletries; the Moroccan lounge is a standout architectural nod to the region’s past." - Marta Sader
"Javier López, the boss of the company that owns this magnificent hotel, made his money in construction and loved contemporary art so much he opened a gallery in New York (now closed) and Madrid (very much open). He also dreamed of having his own hotel to house his collection. When he finally bought Finca Cortesin 10 years ago, Marbella was having something of a The Only Way is Essex identity crisis and the Spanish recession was in full swing. It didn't look good. But now this 67-suite, three-villa property is the best on the Costa del Sol, thanks in part to the late Portuguese interior designer Duarte Pinto Coelho. There are Moroccan salons created by some of the craftspeople who restored the Alhambra, jasmine-scented courtyards, beautiful floors made with worn stone hauled from convents in Portugal and gardens linked by elegant pathways shaded in rose-covered arches. The hotel has four pools, including one at the beach club and another, adults-only, for swimming laps, a championship golf course and several restaurants. These include Japan-meets-the-Med REI, which serves Asian-fusion and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, working primarily with seafood and raw ingredients, with all produce sourced locally in line with the hotel’s ‘0km’ ethos. This is certainly one of Europe's smartest places to escape to. —Charlotte Sinclair" - Lauren Burvill
"In 2023, Finca Cortesín was named the top hotel in Spain and Portugal by Travel + Leisure readers in the World's Best Awards. Readers fell hard for its white-washed walls, colorful rooms, and gorgeous sea views — not to mention its fantastic Cabell B. Robinson–designed golf course. Here, guests can play a full 18 and then unwind in the spa, which comes with science-forward treatments like oxygenated facials." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"The international luxury marques may be piling into Spain at breakneck speed, but none has yet achieved the status of the great Finca Cortesin. With 67 suites, Bali-esque pools, a Mediterranean-facing beach club, vast spa and top-brass golf course, it’s a paradigm of perfection on the cusp of Casares, a typical whitewashed town near Marbella. Finca Cortesin is more than the sum of its parts, but each part has been created by someone of significant talent. Javier López Granados is the big-vision CEO-owner who pulls it all together; Rene Zimmer the consummate managing director, who also helms new sister property Grand Hotel Son Net in Mallorca. Architects Roger Torras and Ignacio Sierra conceived this take on a classic Andalusian finca, which gleams sparkling white against the deep-blue Med and vivid flashes of potted geraniums. The sleek public spaces, filled to the rafters with antiques, were originally curated by the late, distinguished Portuguese decorator Duarte Pinto Coelho (after his death, the baton passed to exuberant Madrid-based antiquarian Lorenzo Castillo). Landscaper Gerald Huggan planted the perfumed and palm-studded gardens, replete with jasmine and wisteria. The inviting suites are the work of interior designer sisters Ana and Cristina Calderón, who dressed high-ceilinged rooms with bright pieces, color feature walls, vibrant bouquets and paintings. To dine with Lutz Bösing, chef at El Jardín de Lutz, is to take a masterclass in classic Spanish cuisine, especially seafood such as a rich mantis shrimp cream soup with lobster and basil. From $700."
"The international luxury names may be piling into Spain at breakneck speed, but none has yet achieved the status of the great Finca Cortesin. With 67 suites, Bali-esque pools, a Mediterranean-facing beach club, a vast spa, and a top-brass golf course, it’s a paradigm of perfection on the cusp of Casares, a typical whitewashed town near Marbella. Finca Cortesin is more than the sum of its parts, but each part has been created by someone of significant talent. Javier López Granados is the big-vision CEO-owner who pulls it all together; Rene Zimmer the consummate managing director, who also helms new sister property Grand Hotel Son Net in Mallorca. Architects Roger Torras and Ignacio Sierra conceived this take on a classic Andalusian finca, which gleams sparkling white against the deep-blue Med and vivid flashes of potted geraniums. The sleek public spaces, filled to the rafters with antiques, were originally curated by the late, distinguished Portuguese decorator Duarte Pinto Coelho (after his death, the baton passed to exuberant Madrid-based antiquarian Lorenzo Castillo). Landscaper Gerald Huggan planted the perfumed and palm-studded gardens, replete with jasmine and wisteria. The inviting suites are the work of interior designer sisters Ana and Cristina Calderón, who dressed high-ceilinged rooms with bright pieces, color feature walls, vibrant bouquets, and paintings. To dine with Lutz Bösing, chef at El Jardín de Lutz, is to take a masterclass in classic Spanish cuisine, especially seafood such as a rich mantis shrimp cream soup with lobster and basil. From $700. —David Moralejo" - CNT Editors
