Just a kilometre away from the madding crowds of the western Costa del Sol, swing in through the gates to Finca Cortesin's 500-hectare estate and discover a very different world. If indulgent luxury coupled with genuine Andaluz allure are high on your holiday checklist, this is the hotel for you. Cortesin numbers amongst southern Europe's finest golf hotels and has hosted several international tournaments whilst being home to a Jack Nicklaus academy. The 18-hole course is a tour de force, but the hotel's design and décor, gardens and suites, spa and pools are every bit as seductive, as is the cuisine of its remarkable Rei restaurant.
Architecture commingles monastic cloisters and patios, Alhambra-like fountains, terraces and gardens with Eastern decorative elements. Doors salvaged from castles, palatial antiques from the Iberian peninsula. It feels airy, uplifting and surprisingly intimate for a hotel of this size: there are 67 suites and 8 villas, yet you're still left with the impression that it all belongs to you. Even if you've never hit a golf ball, or aren't big on spa and wellness treatments, you'll thrill to the sheer indulgence of staying here. Finca Cortesin completely merits its 5-star status and is writing a new chapter in the Costa's grande luxe hotel history.
Highs
- The stunning Rei is one of the best restaurants in southern Spain, plus there are 2 other restaurants and several bars for great food and romantic, alfresco dining, as well as food in the Club House and Beach House
- Beautifully designed and decorated suites with masses of staff; you'll be looked after like royalty. There are also 8 villas with pools, sleeping up to 10; flexible set ups for families
- Soaring views across immaculate gardens towards the Sierra Bermeja, the Mediterranean and the North African coast
- A fiendishly difficult golf course which has twice played host to the Volvo Master's championship: any golfer will relish this challenge
- A state-of-the-art spa with a huge range of body and facial treatments as well as massages and personal training
Lows
- A dress code applies to various elements of the hotel (e.g. short trousers and sports shoes are non grata in the evening). But these small formalities heighten the sense of occasion
- Expensive and rates don't include 10% tax, but you get what you pay for; past guests rave
- Not great for toddlers though a real treat for older kids and teenagers
- The Cortesin Suite is located above the bar, which is open until the early hours - expect some noise
- We've not yet experienced some latest additions such as the Yoga and Meditation Centre and the Pool 35 BBQ Restaurant and can't wait to see them for ourselves
- High chairs
- Booster seats
- Baby cots
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
On request
During high season a supervised kids club operates daily for 4-12 year olds - and is complimentary for up to 4 hours a day including refreshments (it\'s an additional [i!#rates!charge] for a full day). They get to do arts and crafts, face painting, sand sculpting, board games, Playstation, Wii, video game library and movies
Children of all ages are welcome in all the restaurants and eateries, including the Beach Club, on site, with the exception of Rei which only permits children over 10 for dinner
- Over 5s can swim in the 35m outdoor pool, the Beach Club pool and the Indoor Spa pool (the latter between 1100-1500 only)
- Beach Club with pool, complimentary shuttle bus service (open Wednesdays-Sundays during April, May, June and September, 7 days a week during July and August)
- Two tennis courts
- Two paddle courts
- Nicklaus Golf Academy
- Horse riding
- Watersports
- Boutique Resort
- 67 rooms + 16 villas
- Restaurants and bars (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pools
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
- Tennis Court
- Paddle courts
- Mini football pitch
Rooms
Cortesin's rooms are suites in the most royal sense of the word. Even Junior Suites measure in at a generous 50 sq.m., their sense of space heightened by soaring ceilings and 3m-high doors, and all but 4 have terraces where high box hedges ensure maximum privacy. Travertine marble floors are topped with handmade Portuguese rugs, and in the Junior Suites with Views, heavy curtains frame sweeping mountain vistas. Lighting has been masterfully orchestrated whilst every suite's furnishings and muted colour schemes are subtly different. Lacquered bedside tables, elegant writing desks along with stylish lamps and armchairs complete a very plush-and-pretty picture, yet bright colour and neon artworks keep it fresh.
Pampering begins on arrival - you'll find cut flowers, a bowl of fruit, handmade chocolates and a note of welcome. Further treats await in every corner: wardrobes are huge, bathrooms cavernous with his-and-hers sinks along with a separate tub and rain shower. Taps and shower fittings are all by Lefroy Brooks whilst your soap, shampoo, conditioner and body lotions are by Penhaligon. Expect the finest Egyptian cotton sheets to be adorning your kingsize bed: it will have been turned back by the time you return from dinner.
Executive Suites share the same design, but are much bigger, with a separate sitting room where you can dine à deux should this take your fancy. Some of these also have a sea view. If you're really pushing the boat out, book a Pool Suite and spend your days lounging by a private lap pool. These can join to Executive Suites for a family. Groups also love the majestic Cortesin Suite, the largest in the hotel, which has 2 double bedrooms, a kitchenette and views of the Andalucian coast (though no terrace).
Finally, there are 8 beautiful Private Villas, which overlook the golf course, and allow a more independent stay. They can be rented as 2-, 4-, or 5-bedroom villas (double/twins), and have gardens, parking and a private pool. You can self-cater or eat in Cortesin's restaurants.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Cots available
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Radio
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfast is taken at El Jardin, where you're served at a table dressed in crisp linen looking out across luxuriant gardens. Freshly squeezed juices, cold cuts and a tempting selection of hotel-baked breads are laid out before you: much more of a treat than hovering around a buffet. An order is then taken for a cooked breakfast: eggs Benedict, a full English, whatever you fancy.
Head to the Club House or Beach Club restaurant for simple lunches: salads, seafood, tapas, sandwiches. If on the golf course you can have a mid-round snack delivered to your buggy. Later, gravitate to Bar Azul for an aperitif before your evening meal - its hand-painted wallpaper and delicate chinoiserie has more than a hint of Raffles. Top-name champagnes, dozens of vodkas, gins and malt whiskies plus all the classic cocktails.
Cortesin's Rei restaurant will be first choice for dinner. The MediterrAsian flavours and presentation are immaculate whilst an open-fronted kitchen allows you to watch the chefs constructing dishes: dine at the counter-side chef's table to really become part of the action. You can choose between tasting menus of 4, 6 or 9 dishes, or an à la carte menu. Turbot with miso, wok-tossed crab, tempura of langoustine or perhaps crispy roast duck with soba noodles or a barbequed fillet of Wagyu beef. A sommelier will guide you through the encyclopedic wine list.
El Jardin is also open for fine dining in the evenings. Its cuisine is rather less elaborate, sticking to an authentic 3-course formula of Spanish classics. Here, too, presentation is picture-perfect. Our meal began with a scrummy cold almond soup with shaved truffle, caviar and slices of apple. After this innovative entrée we chose the beef chateaubriand with béarnaise sauce: it was superb. If you prefer Italian, head to Don Giovanni.
For a change of scene, you're close to one of Andalucia's prettiest hilltop villages, Casares, where there are several tapas bars. Venta Garcia is charming, an old favourite of every ex-pat for miles around and remarkably kind on your wallet.
Features include:
- Bar
- Kids' meals
- Organic produce
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Play a round on Cortesin's award-winning 18-hole golf course or improve your stroke with analysis and game tuition at the Jack Nicklaus Academy
- Laze by one of the pools, doze on your terrace or spend the day lounging on Balinese daybeds at the gorgeous Beach Club (open Easter to September inclusive)
- Try your hand at paddle tennis in the Racket Club: it's great fun and you don't need to be a super-athlete. There are also 2 tennis courts and racquets to borrow, plus a mini football pitch
- Head for the spa for an indulgent session of beauty treatments using Aura Chaké products or a range of massages, including four-hand Oriental, shiatsu, reiki, reflexology, lymphatic drainage and craneo-facial. There's also a heated pool, double-cushioned massage beds, and an amazing snow cave
- The Yoga & Meditation Centre has been added since our last visit and offers a super range of yoga styles in two studios and a private garden
- The nearby Soto Grande marina is worth a visit; settle in one of its many quayside bars and restaurants to watch the comings and goings of the swishest of yachts
- Day trip to Bolonia's stunning arc of beach on the Atlantic coast, putting time aside to visit the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudio and maybe Tarifa on the way back
- Or head to the sandy beach at Estepona
- Explore the stunning karst formations of the Torcal de Manilva and take a bath in it sulphurous springs that were first documented in Roman times
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Kitesurfing
- Museums / galleries
- Pilates
- Plantlife / flora
- Sailing
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Well being
- Wine tasting
- Yoga
Best Time to go
The hotel is open all year. Spring and autumn are the nicest months as high summer can get extremely hot. However, there are numerous pools to jump in and shady areas to hide away.
Our Top Tips
North Africa is tantalisingly close. If you're here for a couple of days, hop on a fast ferry across the Strait from Tarifa (you might see dolphins) and spend a day in Tangier. This fascinating city's medina and kasbah offer a narcotic first taste of Morocco. Haggle in the souk, wind your way through the kasbah and sip mint tea in the Petit Soco...
Location
Finca Cortesin is set on the edge of Casares, a white hilltown in southern Spain between Marbella and Sotogrande. It's 2km from sandy beaches, 15 mins' drive from Estepona and 30 minutes' drive from Marbella.
By Air
Fly into Gibraltar (40km) or Malaga Pablo Ruiz Picasso (84km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines.
From the Airport
The hotel offers a transfer service from the airports - see Rates - but most guests hire a car.
By Car
See our car rental recommendations and there is valet parking at the hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Andalucia and getting around
Airports:
- Gibraltar 40.0 km GIB
- Malaga Pablo Ruiz Picasso 84.0 km AGP
Other:
- Beach 2.0 km
- Shops 3.0 km
- Restaurant 3.0 km