|
THE Costa del Golf has for years been crying out for a five star boutique hotel with quality golf attached and finally there is one. It’s in an idyllic setting, what’s more, a short drive from the main road but only a hop and a jump from Marbella.
Make a note of the name: it is Sentidos en Rio Real. If you’re searching for a holiday venue that’s rather special and away from the madding crowds then look no further. The golf course is a beauty, a state of the art spa was on schedule to open in July, along with a new golf academy, and there’s all manner of appealing activities available for non-golfers. It’s also romantic in extremis and so tailor made for couples with something to celebrate.
The hotel has just been accepted as a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a first for the region, and it’s easy to see why. It is refined, luxurious, tranquil and with all of the accoutrements that elevate a fine hotel into the realms of the memorable: the cuisine would stop a gourmet in his tracks; the accommodations are the equal of any and the service is, quite simply, exemplary. Top marks all round, then.
In truth the building, like the golf course, has been in situ for some years, no different to most of those along the coast: unprepossessing but adequate for the market it was attracting. The turning point came two years ago when Pro Hotel International, which specialises in top drawer properties, took over its management and set about what these days is known as re-branding.
A few investment millions later it re-emerged in all its present glory with fewer rooms, a totally re-designed interior complete with new décor of impeccable taste and a dining room and menu to die for.
Now there are only 29 stylish rooms and suites, each with a spacious terrace that overlooks the golf course, and they come in three categories, the Par Superior, the Birdie Suites and the Eagle Suites. You would drool over the bathrooms, always the mark of good hotels: they have a wash basin for each guest; there’s a walk-in shower large enough for two, plus a bath and an enclosed toilet and every imaginable amenity from luxury soaps to piles of fluffy towels and bathrobes and slippers.
And that’s just the standard rooms, the Par Superior, of which there are 16. The Birdie Suites go up a couple of notches in terms of size and facilities, and the even larger Eagle Suites, designed in loft-style with open spaces, have bathrooms concealed behind translucent doors and a hydro-massage bath with views of the golf course!
And if you are the ultimate hedonist with romance in mind you’d win a heap of brownie points by booking the Albatros Suite: there’s only one, not least because its floor area covers more than 120 square yards and the terrace is large enough to stage a full-scale celebrity wedding reception… It’s not quite home from home but, heck, home was never like this!
The setting is a bit special too: the hotel is on high ground overlooking the golf course; to the north are the Sierra Blanca mountains, to the south is the Mediterranean. The brochure claims it has the finest climate in Europe, with “three Springs and a Summer.” I’ve advised the management that I’m available to test that claim…
Page [1], [2] - [next page]
|
