Finca Cortesin

Style

Andalucian Alcazar

Setting

Sun, sea and sierras

It may boast one of Spain’s best golf courses, but Finca Cortesin, near Estepona on the Costa del Sol, certainly isn’t the sort of bland hotel frequented by old men in lemon slacks and Pringle sweaters. Designed with a nod to the Iberian peninsula’s thrilling history, it incorporates both Moorish and Castilian elements, and effortlessly manages that hard-to-pull-off trick of being glamorous and comfortable at the same time. It’s a genuine destination stay.

Facilities

Rooms

67, including 61 suites and eight private villas.

Checkout

Noon; earliest check-in, 3pm. Late check-out, early check-in can be arranged (subject to availability).

More Details

Rates include à la carte breakfast, welcome drink and tapas, fruit plate in your room, golf-shoe cleaning, spa access, beach club access (Easter to September), early check-in or late check-out (subject to availability).

Also

The breezy Moroccan- and -Indian-themed chill-out areas are brilliantly laid-back spots for a cocktail or two. The resort runs daily transfers to the beach club.

Hotel Closed

The hotel is closed from early January to the end of February.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Golf

Laundry

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Private beach club, spa, gym, two tennis and two paddle-tennis courts, yoga, golf course, golf academy, free WiFi, laundry service, valet parking. In rooms: free WiFi, flatscreen TVs, air-conditioning, minibar, free bottled water, Penhaligon’s toiletries. iPod docks and DVD players are available on request. Freshly picked flowers await in your room on arrival.

Our Favourite Rooms

We love the spacious Junior Suites in the Andalucian-inspired building that wraps around the cloistered courtyard. They come with their own entrance hallways, and are an intriguing blend of Asian-themed decor, Provençal furnishings and comfortable Spanish style. Executive Suite 73, which overlooks the pool, gardens and sea, also makes a great choice. It has its own kitchen – ideal for entertaining.

Poolside

There are three pools – one indoor, two outdoor – at the hotel. The two open to the elements are both lined with beautiful blue-green mosaic tiles. The heated, art deco-style indoor pool is found in the spa, and offers views of the coast. The hotel also has its own Beach Club 1km away (open Easter to September, Wednesday to Saturday and daily in July and September), with an infinity pool, beachside restaurant and plenty of sun loungers to sprawl out on. The cocktails are pretty potent, too.

Spa

The spice-hued spa is a sizeable 2,200sq m in size. We like the rustic detailing: the potted ferns, the mirrors made of driftwood and the conch shells, but we like the treatments even more. In 11 treatment rooms (and one couples suite with a Roman bath) staff administer facials, body scrubs and wraps, mani-pedis and a range of massages, and generally ensure that guests are in a state of bliss. There's a steam bath and sauna, and a quirky snow cave, where guests cool off amid an arctic setting. In four Thai treatment rooms, shiatsu is carried out, and there's a small gym and salon too. Guests can request personal-training sessions too, plus tennis classes.

Packing Tips

Don’t forget your golf clubs – you’re right next to one of Southern Europe’s finest courses.

Also

Yogis and zen-seekers should make a beeline for the Arani yoga and meditation center for Kundalini, Ashtanga and power yoga classes, mat pilates sessions, guided meditations and sound baths. There's also children’s yoga for ages six and up.

Children

Children are welcome at the hotel. Cots and extra beds can be added to rooms, free for under-12s and €185 a night for over-13s. Babysitting is available from €50 an hour.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Book early and secure the chef’s table right next to the open kitchen at Rei so you can watch Señor Olarra in action.

Dress Code

In the formal surroundings of Rei – think antique wood tables and white tablecloths – you should be dressed to the nines. Jeans, shirts and summer dresses perfectly suit the more relaxed mood in El Jardin.

Hotel Restaurant

There are three main restaurants. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, El Jardín is the hotel's rustic mainstay, where fish is a star of the show. In Rei watch chef Luis Olarra combine Japanese traditions with Mediterranean ingredients to form fabulous evening meals. It's open from mid-March to 31 October, and over Christmas and New Year's Eve. Italian eatery Don Giovanni is open for dinner Thursday to Sunday. Additionally, the Club House is open for breakfast or a casual lunch, where there are international and local favourites; you won’t go hungry at the Beach Club, either, where there is a moreish Mediterranean menu on offer (open Wednesday till Sunday in April, May June and September; all week through July and August). The Pool 35 bar serves super-fresh delicacies from the Josper and Monolith Kamado grills, along with light bites at lunchtime, summer only.

Hotel Bar

Though some of its furniture errs slightly towards the uninspiring, the Blue Bar, situated in the hotel lounge, is still a lovely place for an ice-cold cocktail or two. The mesmerising blue hand-painted wallpaper certainly demands your attention – out of the corners of your eyes, it seems to be jumping off the walls. Drinks can also be taken on the outdoor terraces or in the pool areas.

Last Orders

Breakfast at El Jardín is 7am–11.30am; lunch is available at Pool 35 1pm–4.30pm (4pm at El Jardín; 6pm at the Club House and Beach Club). Dinner is from 7.30pm to 11pm at El Jardín daily, at Don Giovanni Thursday to Sunday and at Rei Tuesday to Saturday.

Room Service

A selection of sandwiches, soups, hot and cold starters, and mains are available to order round the clock.

Planes

Fly to Málaga Airport, which is an hour's drive from Finca Cortesin. You can pick up a taxi from outside the airport, or hire a car from one of the airport’s several rental companies. You can also fly into Gibraltar, which is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Private Mercedes transfers can be booked with the hotel for between €205 and €230 each way.

Trains

The nearest train station, 90km away, is Málaga (Maria Zambrano) Station. The station is served by Renfe and offers connections with Barcelona and Madrid. Car hire options at the station include Hertz and Alamo.

Automobiles

With buses few and far between, having your own wheels offers the best means of exploring this beautiful part of the coast. The hotel is just off the AP-7. Take exit 153 after Estepona, and at the roundabout follow the A-7 in the Algeciras-Cadiz direction. At the fourth roundabout, turn right and follow the road for about 2km in the direction of Casares. The entrance to the hotel’s golf club should be on your right. The hotel has free covered parking.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Set between Marbella and Sotogrande, the hotel is home to one of Spain's finest golf courses, so perfect your swing under the sun; if you need some help, the Jack Nicklaus Academy and swing analysis ought to do the trick. Days can also be idled away on the tennis or paddle courts on site. The Beach Club, at Bahia de Casares, is another jewel in the hotel's Moorish crown, boasting an infinity pool, Balinese sun loungers, a restaurant serving seafood and tapas, and a bar with stellar cocktails.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .