Finca Cortesin

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

Kids

Families are welcome and there's heaps for them to do but note that Cortesin's spa and golf course are very grown-up focused, so it's not ideal for the little'uns. Teenagers, on the other hand, are made much more welcome and Finca Cortesin would be a great special treat for older kids. Baby cots and extra beds are available (for a fairly hefty supplement) in all rooms.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms can fit 1 rollaway bed and 1 baby cot except the Junior Suites, which just have rooom for a baby cot. The Family Suites and Cortesin Suite have 2 bedrooms and space for an additional rollaway bed. Pool Suites and Executive Suites can interconnect to sleep up to 5. The Private Villas are probably best for larger families, each sleeps up to 10 and has a private pool plus extensive gardens and self-catering facilities.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 55 minutes (Malaga), 30 minutes (Marbella, Gibraltar)
• Shops: 5 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

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