Fancy a trip to a champagne spray party? An afternoon on a Sheikh’s yacht or, if you’re less lucky, a trip to the bottom of the sea in a set of concrete boots courtesy of one of the super-rich baddies who make it their home? No matter what course your holiday takes, it’s bound to be an exciting and ‘oh so glamorous’ one when you hop on a plane and visit the most infamous of the Costas: Marbella and the uber glamorous Puerto Banus.
Here at DLUXE we like to research our intended destinations very closely – you’d expect nothing less, right? Well, rather than hitting the guide books (*yawn*), we popped on ‘The Business’ – y’know, the one with Danny Dyer running around Marbella in tiny Tacchini tennis shorts and Fred Perry? It certainly got us, er, inspired. So, with images of Danny ingrained in our minds, we put on our best Mockney accent and packed for our long weekend of cocktails and capers on Marbella’s Golden Mile.
Having flown from East Midlands Airport, we started our trip with a delicious slice of 5-Star super luxury sandwiched in the shape of the Marbella Club Hotel. Situated directly on the Golden Mile (the place to be in Marbella) between Old Marbella town and the fashionable Puerto Banus, The Marbella Club Hotel – originally a traditional Spanish Finca with olive groves and vineyards – has been the Playboy’s choice since it was first established by Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe in 1946. Over the decades, it has been the meeting place for the international jet-set with aristocrats, stars of the entertainment world, business leaders and famous figures from all over the world rubbing shoulders. In fact, a quick glance through the hotel’s guidebook (that’s how swishy it is) reveals images of a young Bardot partying at the beach club and former guests including Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn. Nowadays, you’re more likely to be staying alongside David Beckham, Zidane and Pierce Brosnan as well as visiting Euro Royalty, I’m sure we even spotted a couple of Dames by the pool…
With a first class reputation and celebrity heritage, it’s no wonder The Marbella Club Hotel takes its place amongst “The Leading Small Hotels of the World” – the benchmark of the world’s most incredible and luxurious hotels. Within the Hotel’s stunning jasmine scented, sub-tropical gardens there are 121 rooms and suites as well as 14 Andalusian style private villas, all with private gardens and pools. There’s a luxury beach front Thalasso Spa, six stunning restaurants (dress smartly), a private 18-hole Golf course, riding stables and two outdoor pools with classic teak loungers, thick cushions and the softest of beach towels! It really does provide for every whim, fancy and predilection.
If this is Old Money, head into Puerto Banus (3km along the coastline) and you instantly become immersed in a world of New Money Bentleys, Porsches, designer labels, luxurious yachts and beautiful people. This probably is the capital of people watching – or rather money watching – as you see the uber rich strut, preen and parade along the promenade in Lambos and Laboutins. Venture one street behind, however, and it’s very much the domain of the stag and hen do’s with dance bars, dealers and the destitute getting down and dirty – just how we like it!
And it is this contradiction that makes us love Marbella so much. The beauty and vulgarity that so much wealth can bring is jaw dropping. The darker underbelly that has financed much of Marbella’s good fortune is just a chance encounter away and is kinda exciting and glamorous too. But what’s so surprising is that luxury on this kind of scale is just three hours away from our doorstep – it feels like a different world and we loved it. Like Danny Dyer said, it’s The Business.
Prices start from £800 for Deluxe Double rooms and continues to rise in price for the suites and villas at The Marbella Club Hotel. Flights are available daily to Malaga from East Midlands Airport from just £21.99.
For more information on the Marbella Club Hotel, visit www.marbellaclub.com or www.lhw.com.
