Going south from Malaga, past Marbella to Sotogrande, the Costa del Sol is packed with luxury resorts and one of the best selections of championship golf courses in the world – and with over 300 days of sunshine each year, the region offers year-round golf with temperatures ranging between 15ºC and 20ºC in winter and 25ºC and 35ºC in summer.
Finca Cortesin Hotel
About 30 minutes from Marbella, Finca Cortesin is arguably Spain‘s premier golf resort. This 5-star hotel is the epitome of luxury and is just a few minutes walk from the beautiful coastline. Its world-class facilities include the boutique Hotel Cortesin, the state-of-the-art Jack Nicklaus Academy, a beach club, excellent dining and an award-winning spa featuring Spain’s only snow cave.
The main attraction at the resort is the championship-level golf course, designed by Cabell Robinson, which hosted the 2023 Solheim Cup when Team Europe retained the trophy. The winding, highly manicured layout weaves through a valley of olive trees and the views of the Casares Mountains and the coast are stunning.
A stay at Finca Cortesin can also include golf at La Hacienda Links Course, one of the only coastal links courses in southern Europe. This 18-hole course is not just superb in quality but has awesome views of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar and North Africa.
Two more excellent courses open to guests are Sotogrande Golf Club and La Reserva Golf Club. Sotogrande is a beautiful layout with elevated tees and panoramic views across Sotogrande out to the Mediterranean and was the former home of the European Tour Qualifying Finals. La Reserva is another gem with sweeping fairways and large undulating greens. It has plenty of water features, stunning panoramic views and is a must-play course for any golfer visiting southern Spain.
La Zambra Resort
Located between Malaga and Marbella, steps from the postcard-white village of Mijas, La Zambra Resort is a 5-star Andalusian luxury escape. Guests can enjoy one of the Costa del Sol’s premier spa and wellness centres, three stunning pools, excellent cuisine at a choice of four restaurants and the private terraces which adorn every room. Guests also get direct access to Los Olivos and Los Lagos, two great golf courses located next to the La Zambra Hotel, designed by renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones.
The Robert Trent Jones-designed Los Naranjos is a fantastic and challenging layout beautifully nestled among orange groves, while Marbella Golf Country Club, another Trent Jones classic, is pure Costa del Sol golf, with mountain views, rolling terrain and manicured greens set around peaceful olive groves.
SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort Hotel
This luxury 5-star hotel is part of La Reserva Club Sotogrande, the chic and exclusive lifestyle community set in the Andalusian hills close to the beaches and cultural hotspots of Marbella and Malaga. Guests have access to one of Europe’s finest residential clubs, La Reserva Club with its elite amenities including a luxurious inland beach club complete with a magnificent freshwater sandy lagoon, a dazzling variety of water sports, an equestrian centre, a racquet club and two excellent restaurants.
The hotel itself merges the history and feel of its Andalusian heritage with the high-fashion and contemporary lifestyle-led approach of the SO/ brand. The rooms and suites, all featuring terraces or balconies, are located around beautifully landscaped gardens in the form of cottages and lofts. There are four restaurants, two stylish bars, three pools, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and the SO/ Spa and Health Club.
Guests have access to some of Spain’s best golf courses. As well as the previously mentioned La Hacienda Links Course, Sotogrande Golf Club and La Reserva Golf Club, close by is arguably Spain’s most famous golf course, Real Club Valderrama, host of the 1997 Ryder Cup designed by Robert Trent Jones. One of Europe’s best layouts, it’s always in immaculate condition and provides a challenging round, but with six tee boxes at each hole, all levels of golfer are catered for.
