Pull up to The Marbella Club with my family of four was like coming to grandma’s house after a long day of travel. We were welcomed with open arms – even the overtired children – given refreshing drinks and told to relax while everything was taken care of. Except in this case, grandma has great taste and money to burn.

A member of the world’s leading hotels, the Marbella Club is one of the European grand dame hotels that has been the British beachside favorite for years and is only now beginning to be recognized by Americans as a worthy destination on a par with the 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 old, the resort is more than ready to increase its fame and desirability as a luxury beach destination that isn’t Italy or Greece.

And while I won’t try to pretend there aren’t any crowds, the vibe of the Marbella Club is quite different from other European enclaves for rich people to play in the sand. Yes, you’ll want to pack your finest kaftans and wedge-heeled espadrilles, and you can’t help but notice the Loewe and Louis Vuitton stores in the shopping mall at the entrance, but once you’re tucked into the private, 10-acre wonderland, you will immediately feel at home. That’s because the staff are genuinely kind and bend over backwards to make you (and your kids, if you have them) feel at home.

This attitude dates back to the hotel’s beginnings as a coastal estate escape for Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who converted farm buildings into a clubhouse with rooms for his friends (who happened to be royalty and celebrities) in 1953. Things continued to expand, with more bungalows, gardens and pools being added as more and more people looked for an escape where they could really 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 family spirit of the Marbella Club continues, the hotel has continued to expand and prosper. It recently acquired the adjacent property, which is slowly being incorporated into the hotel with a five-year expansion plan.

Arazi has also ensured that Marbella Club is a place where all guests, especially families of all ages, can feel comfortable knowing that their every need and desire will be met. From baby equipment to babysitting to a sprawling kids club, from an impressive wellness program to championship golf to backgammon in the cozy bar, all age groups are catered for here.

Our days here consisted of flitting between the various pools and the beach, trying the many restaurants and simply wandering the wonderful botanical garden that forms the base between the mountain and the Mediterranean. These gardens are filled with palm trees, olive trees, fig trees, dozens of tomato varieties, colorful bougainvillea and hanging angel’s trumpet flowers, as well as fountains and painted tiles dotted along the terracotta-tiled walkways and staircase.

When we needed adult time, we sent the kids 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 well-being is also a focus here. And while family and wellness can sometimes seem like an oxymoron, Marbella Club manages to do both exceptionally well.

Here is my review of Marbella Club.

The rooms

When we first walked into our MC suite, my kids squealed with excitement at the table filled with welcoming fruit and snacks, the doors to our spacious patio with sun loungers, a couch, a table with chairs, and the L-shaped sofa perfect for relaxing on. I raved about the wrought iron bed, the oversized marble bathroom with double sinks, a deep soaking tub, and a separate rain shower.

As there were four of us, a cot was added to the living room, without it feeling too much in the way or blocking the seating area, along with a cot with the cutest little plush flower rattle.

The hotel has 132 rooms in 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 is also a list of unique suites and master suites, plus several detached villas and bungalows.

Like mine, the palette is mostly neutral, with lots of rattan, linen, whitewashed wood and terracotta, with botanical patterns. This being Andalucia, there is a hint of Moorish forms, hand-painted tiles and textured fabrics.

Food and drink

There are eight food and beverage outlets at the resort, with El Patio being the literal and figurative center of it all. The courtyard restaurant has plenty of seating outside and inside, depending on the weather and your mood. Outside, surrounded by dangling vines, lush plants and fragrant flowers, it is more lively during the day, while dining indoors is often accompanied by live music to be enjoyed as you either sit around the beautiful round bar, look at the many historical photos of the hotel’s famous visitors through the decades, or simply enjoy your Mediterranean-inspired meal with dishes such as Galician mussels in lemon confit with red chilli and wood-fired lamb chops with pomegranate, coriander and horseradish.

There are two pools at the resort, and each has its own restaurant. The beachside family pool is home to the lively Beach Club, with a Miami-esque color palette of coral and mint, lots of seashell details and palapa-style ceilings. The menu is light, with a long raw bar menu and lots of seafood dishes, as well as starters like gazpacho, zucchini salad and fish tacos. Combine with fruity cocktails such as a piña colada or Minty Matcha.

Meanwhile, the quieter garden pool at the center of the resort has El Olivar, a health-focused patio with a variety of juices, salads and bowls. If you are on the beach, MC Beach is a typical Malaga chiriniguito — a seafood beach shack serving dishes like seafood paella, shrimp and catch of the day. There are no less than 12 pineapple and coconut cocktails, along with a host of other drinks from classics to Marbella Club creations.

The Grill is the upscale restaurant with mandatory reservations, where the son of the resort’s original grill master is now behind the fire. The patio is accented with decades-old drop lights, and we saw the most magnificent rainbow the night we ate there. Choose from a dozen cuts of beef, along with lamb, veal, duck, fish and lobster thermidor.

After dinner, retreat to Rudi’s, the cozy 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.

Activities and experiences

In addition to the wide beach with cabanas, three outdoor pools satisfy bathing and sunbathing needs. For those looking for more active pursuits, there are tennis and paddle courts, a Pilates reformer studio offering private sessions and water sports ranging from SUP to bike surfing to eFoils, or you can charter the resort’s 65-foot sailboat.

The resort recently expanded to the adjacent plot, now home to Finca Ana Maria. Over the next five years, the goal is to nurture 10 different gardens on the property, including an acacia maze, a story tree and a mandala-shaped garden with over 300 varieties of fruit and vegetables. At the moment it is a lovely place for a walk, filled with wild rabbits and lots 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 horticulturist Alejandro Orioli takes guests through 100 heirloom varieties of tomatoes, followed by a tomato-inspired tasting menu.

Guests can also use the Marbella Club Equestrian Center and an 18-hole golf course designed by Dave Thomas off campus.

Spa

Technically, there is a fourth pool at the resort: the indoor thalassotherapy pool filled with mineral-rich seawater. My husband and I really enjoyed trying out the different 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 also a nutrition component if desired, with a special health-focused chef available for personalized menus.

Family friendly offers

It’s refreshing to be at an elegant, iconic, unabashedly family resort, without compromise at either end of the age spectrum. Marbella Club’s kids’ club is legendary, and for good reason. Not only is the 53,000-square-foot kids’ club huge, it has a great location, located in the original owner’s sprawling mansion, with multiple rooms for different ages and activities (like an art studio, puzzle and game room, and aroma workshop) and plenty 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 DIY fragrance. The youngest set are also looked after, with a dedicated room in the Kids Club (adult supervision required), all the baby gear you can think of provided, plus two hours of babysitting per day included. (Yes, this is how my husband and I went to the spa!)

Availability and durability

This sprawling resort is walkable. However, the staff is happy to take guests everywhere by golf cart. There are two dedicated rooms for the disabled; others can be adapted with handrails and ramps on request.

In March 2024, Marbella Club achieved the respected Butterfly Mark certification from Positive Luxury after a three-year process led by sustainability director Leigh Barrett. Examples of sustainability initiatives include switching to 100 percent renewable energy, which led to a 64 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2022 to 2023; programs to reduce food waste; and a partnership with the local Foundation for Marine Biodiversity, FAMM, to support a project aimed at conserving indigenous seahorse populations and promoting the rewilding of the Andalusian coast.

Place

Marbella Club is tucked away between La Concha Mountain and the Mediterranean Sea, in the heart of the city’s elegant area, and approximately 10 minutes’ drive from Marbella’s Old Town. It also has direct access to the Marbella Promenade, the 12 km long promenade that runs along the coast and is ideal for a walk, jog or bike ride.

It is between two airports: Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, one of the largest airports in Spain, is a 40-minute drive to the east, while Gibraltar International Airport is about an hour away to the southwest.