This is the place that made the Costa del Sol a hot spot for the jet set. Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, an old school playboy, put down his roots in Marbella in the 1950s and bought an old finca right on the Mediterranean. The throngs of guests grew from summer to summer, giving rise to the legendary Marbella Club where the parties didn’t end until the sun came up. The club has now turned into a magnificent hotel with a Thalasso spa. Although the club’s golf course is 20 minutes away, the design by Dave Thomas more than makes up for the drive. Long distances between the playing groups and views of Gibraltar provide for a relaxing round of golf. Back at the hotel, care is taken to preserve Alfonso’s vision of luxury: “Privacy with gardens,” was the motto of the bon vivant. At the hotel’s Beach Club, guests can take a dip in the heated seawater pool or swim in the ocean and then enjoy champagne and oysters at the buffet.
