Los Monteros: Marbella hotel’s golden return
There’s a stretch of Marbella’s Golden Mile that doesn’t get shouted about much, a quieter eastern pocket, closer to the Sierra Blanca foothills than the beach clubs of Puerto Banús, and it’s here that one of the Costa del Sol’s most storied hotels has just staged a comeback.
Los Monteros first opened in 1962 and quickly became a fixture of Marbella’s golden age; it was the first hotel in Spain to win a Michelin star, and its tennis courts once hosted international competitions.
It closed in late 2022 for a full refurbishment and reopened in February 2025 under IHG’s Kimpton brand, backed by owners Bain Capital and Stoneweg.
The result is a hotel that trades on nostalgia without feeling stuck in it, and, notably for families, one that’s built its new identity around having genuine space to spread out.
The redesign was split between two studios.
El Equipo Creativo, the Barcelona-based team behind Kimpton’s first Spanish hotel, handled all the public spaces, drawing on Andalusia’s landscape and light: terracotta, geometric pattern, and greenery threaded through the corridors and gardens.
Cristina Carulla Studio took the 195 rooms and 60-odd suites, leaning into natural materials and colour rather than the neutral-luxury look so many refurbished resorts default to.
It’s a genuinely big property, three buildings, more than 5,000 square metres of outdoor grounds, gardens and patios that make it feel more like a village than a single hotel block. That scale matters for families: there’s room for kids to disappear off and explore without anyone tripping over a stroller in a corridor.
The location is the quiet sell. It’s on the Golden Mile, but the calmer end of it, about 500 metres from the sea, away from the density of central Marbella and Puerto Banús, while still close enough for a day trip into the old town when everyone wants a change of scene. For parents who want resort-level facilities without the nightlife-adjacent buzz, that’s the appeal.
The hotel’s kids’ club is branded Little Monteros, pitched as a space for creative, imagination-led activities rather than a glorified babysitting room.
Beyond the club itself, there’s a separate babysitting service for evenings when parents want the beach club or rooftop to themselves, and kids can be folded into more grown-up-feeling activities too, including tennis lessons and cooking classes. Book one of the suites, and Kids Club access is bundled in as one of several perks, alongside things like airport transfers and spa discounts.
For sportier families, this is arguably the headline act. The Los Monteros Racket Club occupies ground that once hosted proper international tennis fixtures back in the hotel’s original heyday, and it’s been rebuilt with real ambition: Four clay courts (using an innovative textile-membrane surface (‘Top Clay’), three hard courts, six glass padel courts and a beach volleyball court.
There’s structured coaching through the in-house Set Academy for kids and adults wanting lessons, and more relaxed ‘mix-in’ padel sessions if you’d rather turn up and get matched into a game, a nice option for families who want to play together without a rigid lesson structure.
Los Monteros has plenty to tempt families away from the courts. A short walk from the hotel, La Cabane by Dolce & Gabbana brings its unmistakable design to the beach club, while back at the resort, chef José Carlos García oversees Jara and Escondido, the rooftop spot for Mexican-inspired food, cocktails and sea views from the infinity pool.
Azul Lounge Bar preserves a name from the hotel’s earlier days. There are outdoor pools for sunny afternoons and a renovated heated indoor pool for cooler ones; parents can also escape to the Spa by Maison CODAGE Paris or the fitness centre. Golfers have nearby courses to explore, including Santa Clara Golf and Marbella Golf & Country Club. Dogs stay without an accommodation charge, and an on-site Orlebar Brown boutique can rescue an underpacked holiday wardrobe.
Los Monteros works because no one has to agree on what a holiday should look like, with enough going on that each member of the family gets their own version of Marbella.
With Marbella’s old town in one direction and the dunes of Cabopino in the other, the hotel feels like a particularly comfortable base for letting everyone follow their own idea of a holiday, then finding each other again at dinner.
Fact File
The beach-club shortcut: La Cabane is around a ten-minute walk from the hotel, with a golf buggy service from the reception. Book its cabanas separately if that’s the day you have in mind; the hotel also puts you close to the sands of Las Adelfas, Los Monteros, so every beach day needn’t be a beach-club day.
Swap glamour for dunes: For a change of scene, head to Artola Cabopino. Its protected dunes and coastal walkways make the outing feel like a small adventure, with Cabopino’s beach and marina nearby for lunch.
An old-town escape valve: If the children need to run around between sightseeing and supper, Parque Arroyo de la Represa has a playground, ponds and sports areas close to Marbella’s old-town streets.
The cooler-day plan: The hotel’s indoor pool is heated to 33°C, a useful detail if you’re travelling outside the hottest months.
Bring the dog: Pets stay without an accommodation charge, though you’ll want to check beach access rules before planning a day on the sand with one.