The origin of Marbella glamour.
Marbella’s fashionable reputation and desirable Bohemian lifestyle can be attributed to the inception of the Marbella Club Hotel by Spanish aristocrat Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
The origin of Marbella’s glamour can be attributed to its rich history, Mediterranean lifestyle, and the vision of visionaries like Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Today, Marbella remains a beacon of luxury and sophistication, continuing to captivate the world with its timeless charm and glamorous allure.
Prince Alfonso’s father was smitten by the Finca Santa Margarita, situated just outside the quaint village of Marbella when he stopped for a picnic while waiting for his Rolls-Royce to be fixed. The subsequent year, Prince Alfonso was sent to purchase the farmhouse and 180,000m2 of land as a private getaway for his family. These vacations, shared with esteemed family and friends – including European nobility- proved so popular that Prince Alfonso decided to transform the location into a luxurious hotel where guests could indulge in the paradisiacal Mediterranean shores.
Prince Alfonso’s father was smitten by the Finca Santa Margarita, situated just outside the quaint village of Marbella when he stopped for a picnic while waiting for his Rolls-Royce to be fixed. The subsequent year, Prince Alfonso was sent to purchase the farmhouse and 180,000m2 of land as a private getaway for his family. These vacations, shared with esteemed family and friends – including European nobility- proved so popular that Prince Alfonso decided to transform the location into a luxurious hotel where guests could indulge in the paradisiacal Mediterranean shores.
A Global Reputation.
This was centered around a clientele that included Hollywood icons such as James Stewart, Merle Oberon, Ava Gardner, Kim Novak, Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and European nobility, the Bismarcks, Metternichs, Fürstenbergs, and Bourbons. In addition, prominent names like the Rothschilds, Oppenheimers, Agnelli family, Aristotle Onassis, and Stavros Niarchos were also part of the mix.
Marbella experienced a rapid transformation during those exciting times, evolving from a modest fishing village with a population of approximately 1,000 to a trendy destination for the jet set that rivaled the Cote D’Azur. Wealthy individuals were drawn to the area, eager to possess a slice of paradise near the now-famous Marbella Club Hotel. This gave birth to the Golden Mile, officially known as Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe. LuxuryForSale.Properties takes pride in being situated beside the iconic hotel at the heart of the most desirable addresses in Marbella.
With the inauguration of a sophisticated marina named Puerto Banús, Marbella’s reputation was further established in the following decade. Wealthy golfers and vacationers joined the international elite for chic leisure in the sun, solidifying the town’s status as a destination of choice. The marina provided a means of visiting Marbella by boat, sparking a portside romance that continues today. Current generations of celebrities and international sports stars frequent its fashionable beach clubs, exceptional dining establishments, luxury boutiques, and lively nightlife.
Marbella has transformed into an elegant seaside resort town, surrounded by green residential areas that line stunning golf courses. The location, encircled by breathtaking sea and mountain vistas, and basking in the Mediterranean sunshine, continues to hold a distinct allure – particularly on the Marbella Golden Mile, where it originated sixty years ago.
Setting.
The Golden Mile runs from the western edge of Marbella to the Puerto Banus marina complex. They were traversing a moderate swath of shoreline and reaching the first hills of the coastal plain. Private estates, well-known resort hotels, magnificent beach clubs, exclusive restaurants, boutiques, delicatessens, and nightclubs are on the seafront midway between Marbella and Puerto Banus.
Turning from the palm-lined avenue toward the slope leads to a prestigious residential area that runs a few kilometers inland towards the distinct outlines of La Concha Mountain. Despite being only a few minutes away from central Marbella’s shops, services, and social scene, this is a peaceful and quiet zone where flora provides privacy to massive estates and opulent developments: Santa Petronilla, Santa Margarita, Casablanca, Las Cañas, Marbella Club, Las Torres, Los Verdiales, Puente Romano, UNO Marbella and Rio Verde on the shore, and Las Lomas del Marbella Club, Cascada de Camojan, Marbella Hill Club, Sierra Blanca, El Vicario, Rocio from Nagüeles, Rio Verde, La Carolina, Altos Reales and La Virginia on the hillside.
Icons of Luxurious living
With such a history, it’s no surprise that establishments surround the Golden Mine. That has become a landmark in its own right. The Marbella Club and Puente Romano have thrived, with amenities such as a beautiful beach club and a private tennis center featuring George Benson and Blondie performances each summer; golf clubs, racket clubs and gyms, shops, delicatessens, and beautiful restaurants and cafés along the fashionable avenue, famous for its parks and lush greenery.
The nightlife establishments, such as Olivia Valère and James Hewitt’s The Polo House, are as discrete as one would expect. Such establishments cater to an international audience, and celebrities from Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone to football stars are there.
Olivia Valère, in particular, has become a vital element of the contemporary Marbella nightlife scene. We offer various restaurants, lounge bars, and nightclub ambiances within a single, Marrakech-inspired venue.
Despite this, the Golden Mile is a tranquil neighborhood with ample space and vegetation. This provides seclusion and diversion to residents and visitors alike. Yachts moored off the shore complete a zone dedicated to the art of affluent living, which has contributed to Marbella’s spectacular reputation.
‘Millionaire’s Mile’ in Marbella.
Those few fortunate enough to own a house near the Puente Romano are part of a privileged group in Marbella’s Millionaire’s Row. Private domains in peaceful, hidden residential lanes nestled between the Golden Mile and the sandy coasts of the Mediterranean are here, surrounded by lush foliage. Some of the properties stretch from the road to the sea. Their costs range from more than ten million euros to more than sixty million, placing them in a category on the international stage.
Privacy, security, and discretion are the watchwords in this location. Stunning homes with exclusive beach access are among the grandeur of subtropical landscapes. The presence of the Puente Romano and Marbella Club as neighbors only enhances the property’s attraction. Fine restaurants, racket clubs, and beach clubs are on your doorstep. The other facilities of the Golden Mile are close by, with Marbella’s shopping, nightlife, and professional services only a few minutes away. The nearest golf course, Dama de Noche, is only five minutes away. The fact that your yacht may be ‘parked’ within sight of your home contributes to this being one of those fantasy places that appeal to the residential A-list.
Marbella Club Hotel.
Prince Max von Hohenloe and his son Alfonso arrived in Marbella sixty years ago. The city was a tiny fishing and agricultural village at the time. Land sloping down to the Mediterranean is unsuitable for farming and sold at rock-bottom prices. They purchased a sizeable coastal parcel with magnificent views. They built a home where the family entertained a diverse range of guests, some of whom moved in and stayed for extended periods.
So Prince Alfonso transformed the property into a little Mediterranean paradise for a select group of clients. Thus, the Marbella Club Hotel started, and a little colony of cottages (quite good places) and larger villas built up around it over time.
The term “legendary” is too many. But what about a site where princes, princesses, dukes, kings, world champions in various sports, film stars, bullfighters, and other celebrities have stayed to enjoy the beach, sunshine, and exciting company?
Even though the company isn’t as sparkling as it once was, the bar at the Marbella Club is still a place where the elite congregate to enjoy a drink and a conversation with one another. People speak in varied tones in this place. “Luxury” does not have to imply grandeur. A site with pleasant materials maintained throughout time, created for unassuming comfort, and the kind of service that makes you feel at home will do.
The catering and other amenities of the five-star Marbella Club Hotel are available to the area’s villas and bungalows. Many of these properties have direct access to the Marbella Beach Club through the gardens. The Beach Club, which has its dock for convenient access to your powerboat, deserves its chapter, but suffice it to say that it will exceed all your ideas of what a Mediterranean beach club should be.
Land prices in the Marbella Club Hotel neighborhood are the highest in Marbella due to its history. Seafront location and convenient access to both Puerto Banus and Marbella town center; there are few properties for sale here, but those cost between one and two million euros.
The houses are often modest older villas with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and staff quarters. When we say “older,” we don’t imply “fixer-upper.” These houses were well-built, to begin with, and have been well-cared for by their owners. Although their electronics and plumbing have evolved, they have a traditional air. Santa Margarita, Las Torres, and Santa Petronila are among the beachside urbanizations.
Puente Romano Hotel offers luxury in a historical setting.
Building on the success of the iconic Marbella Club Hotel, a favorite of the international jet set since the 1950s and 1960s, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe began work on a project that would result in the 1974 launch of a magnificent apartment complex. Puente Romano Hotel is located on a gorgeous, beachfront strip of land next to the Marbella Club along the mediterranean beacho of the Golden Mile, near a Roman bridge relic of the Via Augusta, which connected Cádiz with Rome about 2,000 years ago.
A well-liked location.
The bridge is now by the soft-edged, white-plastered Andalusia architecture. That made the Puente Romano a favorite with those who spent an entire season in Marbella. Mr. Mouaffak Al Midani was one of them. He bought the complex in 1979 and turned it into a beautiful five-star resort hotel, converting the vast private flats into premium hotel suites.
With a long list of celebrity guests and the honor of hosting events such as Bjorn Borg’s wedding party in 1980. The Puente Romano established an international reputation that rivaled even the venerable Marbella Club Hotel.
The hotel’s location in the middle of the Golden Mile, along an entire length of property that leads straight to sandy beaches, ensured its long-term appeal.
Many celebrities have stayed here. This is because the beautiful Puente Romano Tennis Club has hosted international tournaments and concerts by Blondie, Ray Charles, and the Gypsy Kings, to name a few.
The facilities expanded further in the 1980s and 1990s, with more opulent apartments, new restaurants, and a spectacular beach club that ranks as one of the most elite in Marbella.
Following the Shamoon family’s sale of Puente Romano in 1994, new catering, conferencing, and banqueting facilities were to meet the increased demand for sophisticated locations to host spectacular events, launches, and parties. More recently, an extensive makeover has modernized the décor and services while maintaining loyalty to the sensual Moorish-inspired architecture that lends the Puente Romano, and indeed the Marbella Club, its exquisite character.
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