On its very impressive website, this luxury hotel calls itself a "Beach and Golf Resort Hotel," which I suspect generally means golf for the boys and sunbathing for the womenfolk. The prices quoted on the Hotel Club site are considerably cheaper than those given on the website, but do check, especially for special offers. Here is an extract from the Hotel Club* blurb: "(The Don Carlos) is located on a wide sandy beach featuring, among other facilities, a magnificent Beach Club with an impressive azure pool, waterfalls and shady palms available from April to October. The Don Carlos offers 240 beautifully-appointed rooms and suites... ...many with large terraces that have stunning views across the sea to Africa."

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Now dissociated from the Le Meridien group and no longer available through SPV's booking partner, Hotel Club, Los Monteros must still be one of the best hotels in Marbella. For the moment, its website is almost devoid of content, and you need to e-mail them to make a reservation: a provisional brochure is available here, but it is uninspiring and lacks prices (its offers used to be excellent). The ungrammatical and now obsolete Hotel Club* blurb used to read: "Surrounded by subtropical gardens and situated 5 kms from the town centre, Le Meridien Los Monteros is the pioneer of luxury in Marbella. For pure relaxation, unwind in the private La Cabane Beach Club with its pool and peaceful atmosphere. Spoilt for choices, the hotel's facilities also include an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, gym, sauna and jacuzzi."

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This hotel's suitably sumptuous website (worth looking at in its own right) says that the Gran Melía Don Pepe is "the most luxurious 5 star deluxe Hotel in Marbella, Spain," which is quite a claim. Hotel Club's prices are much the same as those given on the hotel's site, except that the former include value-added tax. The Hotel Club* blurb reads: "A grand, deluxe and completely renovated hotel, is considered one of the best recreational resorts worldwide due to its excellent service and comfortable surroundings. Its privileged location right by the sea and at 5 minutes walk from the centre of Marbella, is also at no more than 5 kms from Puerto Banus and the Marbella Casino. "

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I have seen the opinion that you must be sure to hire a car if you are staying in this luxury hotel, as it is a little far from anywhere. Unusually and as far as I can tell, you will get a better price booking directly through the hotel's website than through the Hotel Club page. Extracts from the Hotel Club* blurb: "... the guest accommodation at the property is extremely spacious whilst each room has a private terrace. The heart of the hotel and its social focus is the Roman Bridge (Puente Romano) from which the property takes its name. This ancient artefact is the only remaining structure of a road which once linked Cadiz with Rome. The Hotel Puente Romano is situated... ...in the heart of a residential area between Marbella and Puerto Banus, just 45 minutes drive from Malaga Airport."

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The only gran luxe Costa del Sol hotel not in Marbella. Its main attractions include a casino, a floor show and its gardens. The rates given on the hotel's website are slightly higher than those quoted on the relevant Hotel Club page. Extracts from the Hotel Club* blurb: "...has accommodation for 700 guests in 350 rooms... ...all have private balconies with sea views. The gardens of the hotel... ...beautiful palm trees and tropical plants, its cascades and lakes."

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If the Ritz has a sister establishment on the Costa del Sol, the Palace must have one too. The newest of the Gran Luxe hotels in this area seems (I cannot find the hotel's own site) to be very golf-oriented. An extract from the Hotel Club* blurb: "The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort is Marbella's newest gem, a paradise in the famed Valley of Golf with a golf academy and 27 championship holes. Every room at The Westin La Quinta opens to a private balcony, ideal for enjoying fairway views and Europe's warmest winter temperatures. Andalusian culture and the shopping and nightlife of Puerto Banus are within minutes of the tranquil resort, and the hotel's meeting rooms and rooftop garden accommodate small gatherings in elegant style."

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