Anantara Marbella Resort review: How to live like a royal in Spain's golf valley

The National

18-04-2025

It's not the Taj Mahal, but the palatial Anantara Marbella Resort, in the province of Malaga in southern Spain, has an equally touching love story. While Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned his 17th century architectural masterpiece in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Marbella resort was built in the 1990s by local millionaire and hotelier Ricardo Arranz as an homage to his wife's royal lineage. Arranz married Alicia Padierna de Villapadierna Klein, who is of Spanish nobility, in 1992. Together, the couple decided to build an opulent getaway in the mountain village of Benahavis near the resort town of Marbella, known for its beautiful beaches and golf courses. Completed in 2003, Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavis Marbella Resort, as it is officially known, is now one of the most luxurious destinations in the Costa del Sol, Spain's southern Mediterranean coast. Meant to resemble a Tuscan palace, its Italian inspirations are everywhere – from the perfectly-coned cypress trees and many sculptures that dot the property, to the 400-seater Roman amphitheatre and immaculate gardens spread across its expansive grounds. Located in the so-called 'golf valley' of Marbella, the resort is flanked by three 18-hole golf courses, with most of its 125 pet-friendly rooms and suites offering sweeping views of perfectly manicured greens. It has hosted celebrities and statesmen, from Spain's former prime ministers Felipe Gonzalez and Jose Maria Aznar to Jennifer Lopez and Michelle Obama, who was a friend of Alicia Padierna, who died in 2018 after a battle with cancer. One of the nine private villas is named Villa Obama, after the former US first lady. The National checked in to find out if this royal getaway lives up to its title. Our arrival at Anantara Marbella Resort is preceded by scenic 50-minute drive from Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport, with winding roads that dip and twist as we enter Benahavis. We are greeted by the resort's concierge, who quickly sorts out our luggage, leaving us free to admire the striking lobby. At the centre of the space is a massive multi-tiered flower arrangement that leads your eyes up the resort's four floors to the glass roof. Natural light and the smell of the blooms fill the lobby, and beyond the display are twin staircases that sweep up to the first floor. Check-in is fuss-free and we're done in minutes before being guided to a tiny lift to the room. Surrounded by rolling hills, Anantara Marbella Resort is isolated enough from the bustle of touristy Marbella, but is only a 20-minute drive from Puerto Banus, a luxury marina dotted with high-end shopping malls, restaurants and bars. The resort's inland location means it's not attached to a beach, but a free, 10-minute shuttle will take guests to the By the Sea Beach Club. Guests can take part in many activities around Marbella, from flamenco dancing to wine-tasting, but a trip to the historic cliffside city of Ronda is a must. The birthplace of Abbas Ibn Firnas, the Muslim poet, physician and inventor, it also a city where Ernest Hemingway spent many summers and wrote. The ashes of Orson Welles, considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, are also buried there. Anantara Marbella Resort has links with La Almazara, an organic olive oil farm and factory in Ronda, which offers daily experiential tours for an additional cost. Guests can also visit Reservatauro Ronda, a 200-hectare breeding farm for bulls and Andalusian horses set in a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, where biodiversity is maintained and human activity must be sustainable. Owned by former champion bullfighter Rafael Tejada, the reserve gives visitors a chance to get close to the animals and learn about them in a natural environment. I am checked into a junior suite with a 'green view', a 42-square metre room that encompasses a small living area with plush furnishing, Persian carpets and chandeliers, as well as a desk and a king-size bed. The en suite marble-heavy bathroom features a giant tub as the centrepiece with an enclosed rain shower area in one corner and a door leading to the toilet in the other. The suite is stocked with all the amenities you'd need, including a coffee machine and tea accessories. Both the suite and attached bathroom have huge windows that open on to one of the lush golf courses and the beautiful mountains beyond. As a luxury brand, it's hard to fault the service at Anantara, whether it's in Sri Lanka or Amsterdam. In Marbella too, there's plenty of Spanish warmth to bask in, with staff quick on their feet and attentive, especially during the busy breakfast service. Marbella is a golfer's paradise and there are plenty of options, whether you're a pro or an amateur. During our stay, the resort was filled with lines of golf carts zipping around each day. Although not part of Anantara, the Villa Padierna Racquet Club is within the property, with 15 padel courts, two tennis courts and two croquet courts, only 50 metres from the beach. The 2,000-square metre Anantara Spa features Roman baths, a hammam and saunas, as well as landscaped gardens to wind down in. Here, you can enjoy treatments and fitness activities, get nutrition advice and take part in aqua therapies. There's also a temperature-controlled indoor pool with massage jets, as well as a plunge pool and an aromatic relaxation area. The Anantara Marbella Resort is sometimes described as a 'museum hotel' because it houses more than 1,200 paintings and sculptures. The private collection of Arranz and his late wife includes European portraits, mainly from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the majority by Spanish artists. Besides the beach club, there are eight restaurants to choose from at Anantara Marbella Resort. La Loggia, where we ate our breakfasts, serves Malagan fare for lunch and Italian for dinner. La Veranda is a more formal dining spot, featuring classic local dishes with modern twists dreamt up by the resort's head chef, Jose Carlos Delgado Serrano. As a nod to Marbella's Arab lineage, and for Anantara's many Middle Eastern guests, there's Ola Beirut, which serves Lebanese cuisine but with a Spanish touch. For pre-dinner catch-ups or afternoon tea, there's the sophisticated Eddy's Bar. Hole 55 is perfect for breakfast or snacks and desserts, La Pergola in the pool garden for light lunches and Irene's Health Kitchen within the spa for healthy fare and detox drinks. There's also an outpost of 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant. The Japanese fusion eaterie's Abu Dhabi branch earned a Michelin star in 2023. Designer Dining by Anantara, a bespoke dining experience at all their resorts around the world, is available upon request. For our visit, Anantara Marbella Resort put together a dining experience inspired by Pablo Picasso's favourite dishes. It is set in one of the resort's private dining rooms, decorated in shades of blue, from flowers to tableware – the Malaga-born artist's favourite colour. We are served ajoblanco, a chilled white soup made with almonds, and atun encebollado, or tuna cooked in an onion stew. Picasso preferred a specific part of the fish close to the neck, the chef tells us, as he regales us with stories of the artist's taste in food and wine. Between courses, a flamenco dancer entertains us. The weather in Marbella, even during the so-called off season in February, is perfect for outdoor activities. Golfers are spoilt for choice within the resort. That proves a sour point for me when I am woken up at 7am on the morning after we land by a lawnmower preparing the grass for a group of golfers. Having slept with my windows open (always a joy after living in the Gulf for years) the hum of the mower and chatter of the golfers only a few metres away ensures it is time to get up. Anantara properties are known for their spas, and the one at Anantara Marbella Resort is among the biggest I've seen. Make sure you make time to check out all their offerings, even if you're not getting a treatment. Puerto Banus is excellent for shopping, and if you're a fan of Spanish fashion and lifestyle brand Zara, it's much cheaper here than anywhere else. Pricing is dependent on the dates and the season, with deluxe rooms starting at approximately €395 (Dh1,594) per night. Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is at noon. This review was conducted at the invitation of the resort and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future