Latest news with #Sotogrande
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright's £1,300 a night luxurious Spanish holiday resort hidden away in the countryside with baby daughter Palma
With suites costing £1,350 a night and everything you could need within its grounds, it's no wonder Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright chose a reclusive hotel hidden away in the Spanish countryside for their first holiday with baby daughter Palma. The new parents, who welcomed baby Palma in March, are staying at the five-star Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort Hotel in Andalusia. First opened in 1962, today Sotogrande is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in Europe. Each room at the resort has a modern, contemporary design featuring art by local artists and boasts its own private balcony or terrace. Michelle and Mark are likely to be enjoying the SO/Suite, which is an impressive 1,001 sqft room, with separate living and sleeping areas. With its king size bed and a sofa bed, a ultra-relaxing rain shower, the room looks out at the stunning Resort Gardens while daylight also floods the room with floor-to-ceiling windows. A stay in the suite will cost approximately £1,350 a night, while twin rooms at the resort are £300. Sotogrande's spa hosts an addictive view of the Mediterranean Sea and features a Hammam, sauna and indoor pool. Its wellness centre offers a state-of-the-art gym, a 'Beauty Grooming Boutique' and treatment cabins. With three restaurants and multiple bars on-site, the resort also offers numerous activities within its grounds, such as their Beach Club that offers a coastal experience, an infinity bar, shopping boutiques, horse riding and polo, racquet and cycling. In a message to guests on their website, the hotel says: 'We're bringing it back with local craftsmanship, contemporary art, and handpicked décor. 'This is a modern luxury retreat with a very special local energy.' Sotogrande is also home to two nine-hole courses, with its third currently being transformed into a state-of-the-art golfing academy, as well as an infinity pool, numerous drinking and eating establishments and a spa with everything you could want. MailOnline's Sam Lawley previously visited the Spanish resort for a game of golf on its impressive course. He said: 'Despite the lofty expectations, Sotogrande provided surprises around every corner and the blending of gentle tree-lined undulations with towering, intimidating mountains meant that the view from every tee was unique. 'The water is fun, the fairways are like carpets and the greens are a rollercoaster ride. It is everything you could ask for in a course. 'At €400 a round, it is not somewhere you can go every summer, but even if you play it just once, the picture postcard images will stay in your head for a long time.' Michelle Keegan looked sensational as she shared snaps from the retreat to Instagram on Thursday. Michelle also took the opportunity to share Palma's sweet nickname with followers as she captioned the post: 'Princess P's first family holiday'. The actress, who celebrated her birthday earlier this week, looked sensational in a skimpy black bikini as she gazed adoringly at her first child while shielding her from the sun beneath an umbrella. Michelle later slipped into a crochet dress while teasing a glimpse of her swimwear beneath. Beaming for the camera Michelle wore shades and a straw hat as she pushed Palma in her pram. Earlier in the week, doting parents Michelle and Mark were spotted out with their daughter in Marbella as they celebrated the actress's birthday. Michelle was cradling her little girl, three months, in her arms as they strolled along together - looking every inch the picture perfect family. The couple welcomed t heir first child together on March 6 and then announced the news on their respective Instagram pages a week later. Michelle looked lovely in a white lace co-ord from her Very collection, which included a white applique shirt and a pair of matching shorts. She boosted her frame with flip flop style heels and accessorised with gold hoop earrings, wearing her brunette hair in a low ponytail. Her daughter was wearing a sweet pale yellow two-piece. Meanwhile, former TOWIE star Mark was dressed in all black for their evening out, sporting a short-sleeved shirt with linen trousers. The couple welcomed their first child together on March 6 and then announced the news on their respective Instagram pages a week later Michelle then modelled a stunning yellow dress from her own Very collection Michelle showed off the stunning SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort Hotel He completed the ensemble with black Birkenstock sandals and a chain necklace. The outing came as Michelle shared a rare sneak peek of her baby daughter, she uploaded an adorable black and white photo of Palma's feet, she wrote: 'Yep... my toes.' Michelle and Mark have been enjoying their time as parents and have been sharing small glimpses of Palma on their social media accounts. It's believed the couple chose the name Palma because of their strong links to Mallorca, which has been their go-to holiday destination for years and the setting for their pregnancy reveal photoshoot. Michelle married Mark in May 2015 and the couple live together in a £3.5 million Essex mansion they built from scratch. Chatting with his best friend and fellow dad Olly Murs on his Heart Breakfast show, TOWIE star Mark recalled the moment he first held his newborn daughter in his arms. Mark fought back emotions as he said: 'Mate, it's actually hard to put into words. 'It's the biggest achievement of my life it's all I think about but obviously, hats go off to my wife she is an absolute superhuman, a superhero for bringing this baby into the world.' Sharing his appreciation for Michelle, he added: 'It makes you realise what our mums did for us and makes me have so much more respect than I already had and what women had to go through. 'It's the best feeling in the world. I wake up every morning just so excited to see her face.' Recalling the first moment he held Palma, he continued: 'That moment when I held her in my arms, it gets me emotional now thinking about it.' Mark added: 'I suppose everything else goes out the window and its made me realise what life is all about and my little baby Palma I love you so much and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol, Spain hotel review
Sitting on a quiet hillside in the southern Costa del Sol region of Spain, Fairmont La Hacienda is a newly built hotel set within the La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, one of the area's premier golfing destinations, overlooking the calm Mediterranean coastline. Perched on the edge of the public four-kilometre La Alcaidesa beach, where the hotel's private beach club serves cocktails, meals and sharing dishes. The majority of the surrounding hillside is covered with rugged greenery, coastal apartments and gated communities, like the Palm Springs-esque Sotogrande, making for a tranquil stay in this small pocket of the southern shoreline. A half-hour drive along the coast is the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, where you will find the likes of Marks & Spencer and Costa Coffee basking in the Iberian sunshine, as well as designer boutiques and historical landmarks. The Rock of Gibraltar juts up from the sea like a cathedral's spire; its powerful presence is hard to ignore, and guests can position themselves with a view of the dramatic monolith at dinner. The vibe When you enter the lobby at Fairmont La Hacienda, you are met with an uninterrupted view of the sparkling Alborán Sea through a giant glass window. The hotel's muted tones, organic textures and jute textiles don't try to compete with the picture-perfect views, but offer a calm backdrop, enhanced by locally-crafted art. Overall, the energy is calming; this is a hotel in which to relax and unwind, featuring soft lighting throughout and plush pool loungers to sink into after a few glasses of Cava. The service The staff are still getting into their groove here – the hotel has been open for less than a year – but the commitment to its success shines through from upper management to the bell staff. Dropped napkins are replaced in the blink of an eye, water glasses are replenished, and you are never sitting long trying to catch the attention of the friendly waiting staff. You won't find the hotel's senior leadership tucked away in offices behind closed doors either; staff float around the hotel, making sure guests always have what they need. Bed and bath There are 153 rooms in the main building and 47 whitewashed villas in the Andalusian-style village closer to the golf course. The rooms are all designed relatively similarly, with soft and creamy interiors, organic textures and wooden furniture contrasted by plush pillows and feather-stuffed duvets. What sets these spaces apart is the attention to detail. Warm LED strips tucked into corners made showering that little bit more luxurious, while buttons next to the light switches signal 'Do Not Disturb' or 'Service', foregoing those tatty paper signs often found in hotel rooms. The villas all have generously-sized living spaces, small seating areas, and lounger-lined terraces with private pools. Also included are kitchens and kitchenettes, ideal for those who prefer to shop for local produce and cook for themselves. If you are in ultimate holiday mode, however, fridges and pantries can be stocked for you, and chefs can prepare dinners for you. Food and drink Local produce, carefully curated menus and unprocessed dishes come first here. Gourmet restaurant Dalmar is the hotel's most prized eatery, and with a changing menu every day, à la carte dinners at this restaurant won't get tiresome. At the helm of the kitchen is Chef Benito Gómez, best known for his two-Michelin-starred restaurant Bardal in Ronda. Showcased at dinner were Cantabrian anchovies served over ice, grilled turbot and oysters with spicy pepper and coriander, paired with regional wines like Forlong Burbuja Blanco with help from a sommelier. El Faro, also found in the main building, has a large terrace area where dishes such as baby squid with squid ink mayonnaise and flaky pastry with a sweet vanilla chantilly are served. Lunches at Umbra are a more laid-back affair, served from a sun-dappled spot next to the pool. Try red tuna lion tartare, ribeye steak or the Russian seafood salad. Drinks are served on the terrace by waiting staff, so you'll never have to stand and wait by the bar for your aperitif or sundowner. Facilities Before the hotel opened earlier this year, the area was known for its sweeping golf courses, many with sea views, and guests can take advantage of packages and priority tee times during their stay at one of the two 18-hole championship La Hacienda Links Resort courses, which encircle the resort. The site boasts three swimming pools: a large main outdoor pool that sits next to a heated infinity pool, and another smaller pool set inside the spa. The 1,800-square-meter spa has no shortage of facilities, from hydrotherapy and Jacuzzis, cold plunge pools, treatment rooms, wet and dry saunas and a hammam. The wellness circuit is complete with a hot shower with multiple nozzles targeting different areas of the body and cold showers that mist you rather than shock you with a downpour. Mornings in the yoga studio or fitness centre down the hall are made special by the sunrise filling the room as you look out onto the sea (although yoga can be slightly disturbed by the buzz of the workout machines next door). Accessibility There are 10 fully accessible rooms on the property, as well as accessible public toilets, large walkways and lifts. Staff can also transport guests from one end of the resort to another on golf buggies. Dogs and cats are welcome at Farimont La Hacienda, up to one pet per room and a maximum weight of 20 kg. Special cleaning fees may also apply. Check in/check out Check in after 3pm, check-out at 12pm. Family-friendly? Families can check into rooms with multiple queen beds, or splash out on a villa with separate rooms and bedrooms that are ideal for teens who want a bit more space. The hotel also has a kids' and teens' club, fitted with a shaded playground and indoor hangout area with a PlayStation, foosball and ping pong table and retro arcade machines. At a glance Best thing: Dinners at Dalmar. Perfect for: Peaceful breaks. Not right for: Party people who want to be within walking distance of buzzing nightlife. Instagram from: The terrace for views of Gibraltar Rock in the background.
Times
10-05-2025
- Times
The luxury hotel blazing a trail to a new, smarter Costa del Sol
Tell a Spaniard that you are going to Sotogrande, and they will probably ask 'which course?'. But, if there's one thing I have discovered over the past few days, it's that there's more to this quiet corner of southern Spain than golf.I am on the Costa del Sol but not in Marbella, Estepona, Malaga, Torremolinos or anywhere that bears any resemblance to the overcrowded Spanish beach resorts we all know and love. Instead, I am halfway between Sotogrande and Gibraltar, in a town called San Roque, at the new Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol. This is an area favoured by golfers, polo players and, in summer, the who's who of Spanish high society. I'm here to see the quieter side of the Costa del Sol, an area that has smartened up, ditching the package-holiday image for glamour. This part is neither glitzy and showy nor cheap and cheerful, but reminds me of a time before I'd ever heard the word overtourism. And it is this lesser-known corner of the Costa del Sol that the luxury hotel group Fairmont has chosen for its new flagship resort in Spain. I am technically not in the province of Malaga, the heart of the Costa del Sol, but Cadiz, on the border of the less visited Costa de la Luz ('Coast of the Light'). And it is the light that strikes me as I step into the hotel's grand lobby with its double-height ceiling and panoramic windows showcasing some quite spectacular views of the Mediterranean. The light, and the silence. After checking in, I stroll down to the hotel's soon-to-open beach club, and find myself all but alone, bar a couple of dog walkers spotting dolphins and soaking up the of views, I am staying in a gloriously sun-drenched Deluxe Sea View room. At 52 sq m (excluding the private terrace), it is the size of most suites but is the smallest room category at Fairmont La Hacienda. There's a tub and a rainfall shower with lush bath amenities by Le Labo, a seating area, a second outdoor seating area and a huge bed. Throughout the hotel, matt Campaspero limestone floors, walls and bathrooms, combined with natural materials such as wood, jute, linen and rattan, create a dreamlike, almost airbrushed vibe. Most of the 153 rooms overlook the neighbouring La Hacienda Links golf resort, the hotel's three swimming pools and the sea. The higher up you get, the better the panorama, which stretches all the way to Morocco on a clear day. There are also 47 villas, some of which can be broken down into individual suites, with three to nine bedrooms, alongside private pools, kitchens, dining areas, an abundance of outdoor space and the sound of the rolling waves. 'People are excited about the new hotel because there's nothing like this around here,' says María Gómez Martos, a host at Fairmont La Hacienda's superb Dalmar restaurant (more on this later), a local from the area. 'There's nothing else this beautiful.' For lunch I feast on oysters and perfectly tender grilled octopus at the poolside Umbra restaurant as the sunlight peeps through the bamboo roof and dances on the tables (mains from £21). That afternoon, I head to the gym, a light-filled space with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea. Afterwards a therapist from the spa deftly works on my muscles as I snore on a plush padded massage table. The next day, I want to see more of the local area. I travel 45 minutes inland to Alcala de los Gazules, a white hilltop village with more than two centuries of history. I meet up with Juan Pedro Romero, a historian who shows me a secret camomile-scented garden in the ruins of a 16th-century monastery and the 12th-century fortress that sits atop the city (Alcala, with its 5,000 inhabitants, was granted city status in 1876). We visit Encarna Fernández Luna at the 200-year-old bakery Horno de Luna, which has been run by five generations of matriarchs (@hornodeluna). She tells me that her recipe for aniseed-flavoured mollete flatbread originated with the Moors and was handed down by her great-grandmother. Later, I devour plates of tapas and assorted grilled meats at El Campanero (mains from £13; @restaurante_campanero).While other parts of Spain have been grappling with headline-grabbing overtourism protests, Romero insists that you won't find any 'tourists go home' graffiti in Alcala. 'People here want to show off their city,' he says. 'I love my home town and it's an honour when people come here so I can share it with them.' Ellie McDonald, a young woman from the Scottish Highlands who moved to Alcala last year and runs a relocation and translation service for people moving to Spain, agrees. 'I have the best time here and everyone is so friendly,' she says. 'I've lived all over Spain, but this village is my home.' • Discover our full guide to Spain Later, I meet up with Thomas Shield, a Londoner based in Florida-esque Sotogrande, with its mansions, palm trees, golf, polo and yacht clubs. Shield's company, The Jolly Mile, rents and sells Moke cars ( He also organises experiences for Fairmont La Hacienda's guests, as I discover when he whizzes me up to another white village, the breathtakingly beautiful Castellar de la Frontera, in an open-top electric says Sotogrande is less ostentatious than other spots on the Costa. 'It used to be all golfers and retired people, but the pandemic changed that. Lots of young professionals left the big cities and are still here,' he says. 'I'm still a Londoner but can't see myself living anywhere else.' Back at Fairmont La Hacienda, I'm ready for dinner. Dalmar by Benito Gómez, a Catalan of Andalusian descent whose Bardal restaurant in Ronda has been awarded two Michelin stars, is an upmarket affair with zero stuffiness. His dishes are playful and flavour-packed; like the red tuna from the Strait of Gibraltar punched up with wasabi from Montseny outside Barcelona, or local mushrooms cooked in rich Catalan fricando meat stew (mains from £25). • Best hotels on the Costa Brava Leaving Fairmont La Hacienda, I have not set foot in a golf buggy (other than the one the attentive, ever-present hotel staff use to ferry guests around the resort). Nor have I seen any fake tan or mega-yachts. If you're looking to unwind in beautiful natural surroundings, eat well, connect with the local culture and, yes, maybe play some golf, this new side of the Costa de Sol might surprise you. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Isabelle Kliger was a guest of Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol, which has B&B doubles from £500 in July ( Fly to Gibraltar A Spanish classic reimagined, Kimpton Los Monteros Marbella marks the revival of one of the Costa del Sol's most distinguished hotels. First opened in 1962, Los Monteros was a luxury trailblazer, the first hotel in Spain to receive a Michelin star, for its El Corzo restaurant. It has now been fully renovated, blending a contemporary design with the historic grandeur of the building. Top-notch dining and wellness experiences include a Dolce & Gabbana beach club and Jara restaurant by the chef José Carlos García, all within an exclusive Marbella enclave. Many of the resort's 195 elegant rooms and suites have private terraces and sea views, while the Mediterranean is 500m Room-only doubles from £285 ( Fly to Malaga Looking to sleep better, eat better or get a handle on those love handles? ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea's year-round seven or 14-day programmes focusing on issues such as weight loss or longevity are just the tonic. But it's not all lasers and white coats. Guests staying in one of the 95 rooms and suites get to eat a healthy, delicious Mediterranean diet and enjoy the 40,000 sq m of facilities surrounded by lush gardens, the mountains and the sea. Whatever you do, just don't confuse it with Spain's other well-known wellness destination — SHA — which is also in the idyllic seaside town of Altea, just north of Alicante. Details Seven nights' full board from £11,570pp in May ( Fly to Alicante • More great hotels in southern Spain Barcelona's hottest opening of the year has no fewer than six eating and drinking venues — including Lora, an all-day dining grill, L'Anxova Divina tapas bar and Cosmico, a waterfront rooftop pool bar and club opening this summer — as well as three swimming pools, a spa, an 800 sq m ballroom and 471 rooms and suites. While it's a bit of a trek from central Barcelona, the exuberant energy, colourful design and proximity to the beach and the Port Forum festival area (which hosts the summer music festival Primavera Sound) are setting SLS up as the place to see and be seen this summer. Details Room-only doubles from £180 ( Fly to Barcelona Deep in Seville's ancient Jewish quarter, a 15th-century palace has been converted into a 14-room luxury boutique hotel. The painstaking restoration uncovered plenty of artefacts — some dating back to Roman times — all preserved within the medieval walls. Expect Venetian doors, 17th-century Mudejar-style ceramic tiles and a private art collection worthy of a museum, alongside a leafy garden for alfresco breakfasts, a quiet rooftop and a picturesque plunge pool. Every room is different in this building that feels more like a stately home than a hotel. Details B&B doubles from £275 ( Fly to Seville The trendy Brach hotel brand has expanded out of Paris, opening its first international outpost in Madrid. And not just anywhere in Madrid. It's on Gran Via, the Spanish capital's main thoroughfare, so you won't find a more central location than this. Brach's French identity is ever present in this chic, 57-room boutique property, which includes a patisserie and flamboyant interiors by the designer Philippe Starck. But Brach is Spanish too, from the bellota ham and padron peppers served in the Mediterranean restaurant to the eye-popping views of Madrid's rooftops from the sun-drenched terrace. Details Room-only doubles from £410 ( Fly to Madrid In July OKU Andalusia will open in a secluded spot on Spain's southern shore, between Sotogrande and San Roque, and close to the Los Alcornocales nature reserve. Marking the debut of OKU Hotels' family-friendly concept, this property is packed with fun details for the littlest travellers, from special wellness and dining experiences to a spectacular kids' club complete with an adventure playground, a wet splash zone, shallow pool and more. Meanwhile, OKU's signature bohemian flair is on display in the 255 guest rooms, the private four-bedroom villa, the beach club and its poolside DJ sessions. Details B&B doubles from £210 ( Fly to Malaga
