Marbella, Costa del Sol, Spain
Marbella Club opened in 1954, when Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe turned a small group of whitewashed houses by the sea into a hideaway for his friends. What followed was the Marbella we know today. The hotel is still there, on the Golden Mile between the old town and Puerto Banús, in a garden full of bougainvillea that runs down to the beach.
The Property
There are 115 rooms and suites and 15 villas, spread across low whitewashed buildings in subtropical gardens that run down to the beach. It feels like a village rather than a big resort, and golf carts take you and your luggage to your room.
The estate has a Beach Club with a heated seawater pool, a seafront Thalasso Spa, the first padel court built in Europe and Finca Ana María, a 50,000 m² organic farm next door that grows fruit and vegetables for the kitchens. Every pool is heated to 27–29 °C all year. The hotel’s own golf resort and equestrian centre are about 20 minutes away in Benahavís, with a free shuttle when you book a tee time or a riding lesson.
For meals, there’s the Beach Club lunch buffet by the sea, The Grill for classic French cooking on a candlelit terrace, El Patio, MC Beach, El Olivar for plant-based dishes and the Summer Bar for cocktails.
Why It’s Here
If you have children, this is a hotel to visit at least once, ideally before they turn 12. That’s the age when they can still spend the whole day at the Kids Club on their own, baking with the chef, making perfume from herbs in the garden and paddling in the sea, while you have a long lunch by the beach. Few hotels in Europe do this so well, and almost none of them are also a classic grand hotel.
Because Marbella Club is also a piece of history. This is where the Marbella we know today began, in 1954, and it still feels like it: low whitewashed buildings, bougainvillea and gardens running down to the sea, more village than resort. Glamorous, but never flashy. You come for the children, and you end up falling for the place yourself.
For Families
This is where Marbella Club really stands out. The Kids Club covers 5,000 m² (more than 50,000 sq ft) in the heart of the estate, in what was once Prince Alfonso’s own residence, and it’s open every day of the year from 10am to 6pm. It’s often ranked among the best kids clubs in Europe, and it’s a big part of why families come back year after year.
Ages: 4 to 14. Children from 4 to 12 can stay on their own; under 4s need a parent with them (3-year-olds are accepted in some seasons, so ask in advance).
What they do: Perfume and candle making with herbs from the garden, cooking classes with the Wellness Chef, gardening with child-sized tools, flamenco and music, pottery and painting, science experiments, and canoeing and paddle surfing on the beach.
The space: Vegetable gardens, a kitchen, a scent lab, an adventure playground with a treehouse, an art room with pottery wheels, a dance studio and a shallow pool.
Evenings: Supervised evening activities on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 9pm (the schedule changes by season).
Sport: Golf and riding lessons can be arranged at the hotel’s golf resort and equestrian centre, there are padel lessons on site, and Puente Romano, a five-minute walk away, has tennis coaching for children.
Little ones: Certified nannies can be booked through the concierge, and highchairs and child-friendly cutlery are available on request.
Meals: Every restaurant and room service has a children’s menu, prepared with allergies in mind.
Sleeping: Extra beds for under-12s can be added to all rooms (for a fee), interconnecting rooms are available, and the villas sleep six to twelve.
The Rooms
All rooms are in low buildings spread through the gardens, each with a private terrace, so even a standard room feels more like a small house than a hotel corridor.
Rooms and suites: Every one has a private terrace. The Deluxe Beachfront Rooms look over the Mediterranean, and the Garden Suites sleep up to three, which works well for a couple with one child.
Unique and Grand Suites: One-of-a-kind spaces, the Grand Suites with generous outdoor areas.
Villas and bungalows: The original bungalows and villas, with two, three or four bedrooms, private pools and kitchens. El Cortijo, for example, has three bedrooms, sleeps up to nine and has 380 m² with its own pool and garden.
Grand Villas: Flower-filled gardens, private pools and a dedicated Villa Host.
My recommendation: With one child, a Garden Suite or interconnecting rooms. With two or more children, or with grandparents, a villa with a private pool: you get the space of a house, a kitchen for easy breakfasts and the Kids Club a short walk away.
Ideal For
Families with children from 4 to 14, who will spend their days at one of the best kids clubs in Europe.
Families with babies and toddlers, thanks to nannies, heated pools and villas with kitchens.
Multigenerational trips, with villas for six to twelve guests so grandparents, parents and children can stay together.
Couples who love classic glamour, the old-school Marbella of long lunches and candlelit dinners.
Golfers and riders, with the hotel’s own golf course and equestrian centre 20 minutes away.
Less ideal for: travelers looking for an adults-only atmosphere or a remote hideaway. Summer is lively and full of families.
Good to Know
Location: The Golden Mile, between Marbella’s old town and Puerto Banús
Nearest airport: Málaga (AGP), about 45 minutes by car
Best time to visit: May, June and September; July and August are lively and busy
Families: Kids Club for ages 4 to 14, open every day; certified nannies on request
Tip: Have a slow lunch at the beach restaurant, and visit the old town of Marbella in the evening
Book It
Marbella Club is part of Fora Reserve, so booking through me comes with extra perks, like daily breakfast for two and a hotel credit, and I’ll also ask the hotel for an upgrade and early check-in for you. Send me your dates and who’s coming, and I’ll take it from there.
