Mr & Mrs Smith

Finca Cortesin

Marbella, Spain

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.

Need to know

• Rooms 67, including 61 suites.
• Rates Double rooms from $645.58 (€515), excluding tax at 8 per cent.
  Prices have been converted from the hotel's local currency (€515), via XE.com, using today's exchange rate.
• More details Rates include breakfast.
• Facilities Spa, gym, free WiFi, laundry service, valet parking. In rooms: flatscreen TVs, air-conditioning, minibar, free bottled water, Penhaligon’s toiletries.
• 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, with an infinity pool, beachside restaurant and plenty of sun loungers to sprawl out on. The cocktails are pretty potent, too.
• Check-out Midday; earliest check-in, 3pm. A later check-out can be arranged for an additional €50.
• Children Children are welcome at the hotel. Cots are available free of charge, and extra beds for younger children can be added to rooms for €45 a night. Babysitting is available for €20 an hour.
• Also The hotel is home to one of the best spas in the region – offering heated and double-cushioned massage beds, a snow cave and a chemical-free indoor pool – which is a destination in its own right.

Food and drink at Finca Cortesin

• Hotel restaurant There are four restaurants at the hotel, ranging from the informal country kitchen-like El Jardin, serving fresh. local dishes, to the Golf Club House and Pool Bars, where you’ll find all manner of delicious, high-end snackworthy food. The indisputable star of the show, though, is Schilo Restaurant, which specialises in Asian-Arabic fusion cuisine. Chef Schilo Van Coevoden’s inspired menu – including vanilla lobster and roast suckling pig with Japanese mushrooms – is deservedly highly renowned. Michelin stars cannot be far away.
• Dress code In the formal surroundings of Schilo Restaurant – 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.
• Top table Book early and secure the chef’s table right next to the open kitchen at Schilo Restaurant. That way you can watch Señor Van Coevoden in action while you wait for each installment of your tasting menu.
• Last orders Dinner is served in the restaurants until 11pm; the last cocktails are mixed in the bars at around 2am.
• Room service Available 24 hours a day.
• Hotel bar Though some of its furniture errs slightly towards the uninspiring, the 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.

Finca Cortesin Ctra. de Casares, km2; 29690, Casares, Marbella, 29690, Casares