LUXURY TRAVEL 63
SERVICE AND FACILITIES
Manager Stelian and his switched-on multilingual team take wonderful care of guests , offering lists of favourite local restaurants , rustling up glasses of wine and organising guided hikes , tapas tours , Ronda wine tastings , airport transfers , sailing excursions , beach club access , trips to Seville or Granada , and anything else you might fancy . In summer , everyone congregates on the rambling rooftop terrace , between rust-red roofs and church spires . Though there ’ s no restaurant , you can order room-service meals via tablet , and an honesty bar is set up in the lounge every afternoon .
• Bar • Fitness centre • Laundry
• Restaurant • Room service • Sauna
• Spa • Wi-Fi
ROOMS
From Seville ’ s rich tile-making tradition ( the Maestranza room ) to Almería ’ s cactistudded landscapes ( Indalo ) and the glinting marshes of Huelva ( Marismas ), each of the seven innovatively designed rooms evokes a different Andalucian province , skilfully blending contemporary style with original architectural features . All rooms have full-sized Molton Brown toiletries , tile-walled statement bathrooms , rainfall showers , Krups coffee-makers , kettles , glass-bottled water , slippers and bathrobes , and Smeg-style fridges stocked with local products . Top-category rooms have extra touches like pyjamas or beach bags . Indalo ( an entry-level Chic room ) is the only one with its own balcony .
In the showstopper Alhambra-themed suite , terracotta floors and wooden shutters mingle with a rosy-pink velvet bedhead , lattice-like woodwork with mirrors , forestgreen scallop chairs , a lamp with metallic golden legs , and statement wallpaper inspired by the Granada palace ’ s famous gardens .
FOOD AND DRINK
Served up on the rooftop or in the groundfloor Café Claude , the excellent à la carte breakfasts start with a spread of fruit , fresh pastries , yogurt , granola , coffee and just-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice . Then there ’ s a choice of creative madeto-order tostadas , such as rustic artisanal bread topped with halloumi and za ’ atar or a spiced garlic-parsley omelette . Later on , you can help yourself to a G & T or a glass of wine from the honesty bar in the lobby . Courtesy of an in-house chef , room-service
menus include grilled halloumi salads , local cheese platters , burgers , pizzas and pastas – perfect on the roof after a long day at the beach .
VALUE FOR MONEY
Doubles from € 238 (£ 208 ) in low season and from € 333 (£ 290 ) in high season ; breakfast included . Free Wi-Fi .
ACCESS FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES ?
There is one adapted room ( Banús , a Chic Superior ), along with a lift to the first floor ; the rooftop terrace is stair-access only .
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ?
As this is a small intimate hotel , it ’ s best to check with the team directly if you ’ re travelling as a family . The Indalo and
Calle San Francisco 5 , 29601 Marbella , Málaga , Spain . | 00 34 952 90 08 40 hotelclaudemarbella . com
Banús rooms can be set up to interconnect through a private balcony , and extra beds and babysitters are easily arranged on request .
Issue 57 2023 THE ART OF LUXURY