Hotel Claude
Marbella, Spain[view map]
Local restaurants
Bodega la Venencia on Plaza de los Olivos (+34 952 77 99 63) does fantastic tapas. Another great tapas bar, La Taberna de Pintxo, 7 Avenida Miguel Cano (+34 952 82 93 21) charges according to the number of cocktail sticks you stack up. Zozoi on Plaza Altamirano (+34 952 85 88 68), serves modern, creative Spanish cuisine on two terraces, one at the back – quiet and romantic – and one out front in the bustling square.
Worth getting out of bed for
A few miles down the coast, Puerto Banus makes for a reliable shopping/people-watching destination, with some excellent bars and cafés looking out over the inevitable harbour-load of serious yachts. Beside the port entrance, Salduba Pub (+34 952 81 10 92) is an alfresco drinking institution, and Pizzeria Picasso on the main street (+34 952 81 36 69) vies with Aretusa (+34 952 81 28 98) on the First Quay for the title of 'finest Italian in town'.