From the large image window within the foyer to the swaying raffia lampshades and the sail-shaped awnings, every part at this new resort speaks to the ocean. The Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol opened its doorways in February of this yr and has shortly established itself as one in every of the locations to remain on a shoreline that has no scarcity of upscale golf resorts.
The setting is magical; the primary hub of the resort perches excessive above the Mediterranean, whereas 47 personal visitor villas tumble down the hillside in the direction of to sea. Look proper and there’s the rugged twin-peaks of Gibraltar. Past that, the hazy, blue-tinged mountains of North Africa.
When you like your luxurious loud then this isn’t the place for you. The design is pared-back and a masterclass in understated fashion. Cream partitions, billowing linen drapes, jute rugs and heat wooden create a impartial canvas for the showstopping view. Visitor rooms are elegant and spacious with marble loos and terraces overlooking the sea, pool or golf course.
Bigger suites are nearer to the ocean, some with two or three bedrooms and personal plunge swimming pools whereas the prime quality villas have as much as 5 bedrooms, personal gardens, pool and 180-degree views of the coast.
On the centre of the resort is the palm tree lined pool, surrounded on two sides by the predominant resort constructing and overlooking the golf course and the ocean. It’s the primary hub of the resort and the laid-back vibe makes it simple to go an entire day right here, perhaps taking a break for lunch at poolside Umbra restaurant, which serves recent seasonal salads or regionally caught fish like Cadiz tuna and fire-roasted sardines. It’s child-friendly spot too, with a graduated shallow finish excellent for little ones to play in with out being out of their depth.
The show-stopper restaurant is Dalmar, a superbly designed house with a subtle mid-century really feel and an open-air terrace. It’s overseen by Michelin-star chef Benito Gómez, and it can’t be lengthy till this restaurant has its personal star. Elevated Andalusian delicacies is served by a pitch-perfect group – we had been there with two kids beneath 10 who couldn’t have been made to really feel extra welcome. The cookery and the expertise had been flawless.
The resort’s predominant all-day eating restaurant is El Faro, referencing the Carbonera Lighthouse seen from the open-air terrace. It’s an awesome spot for a relaxed, sunny breakfast of Iberico ham, freshly cooked eggs and native cheeses. We liked that the wait workers would present a takeaway field if you had any leftover croissants or pastries so you would save them for a mid-morning snack. It’s these little touches that depart an impression.
The spa and wellness centre wasn’t totally open after we visited, however count on a thermal circuit with saunas, steam room, Turkish tub and chilly plunge pool, plus a hydrotherapy circuit with indoor/out of doors swimming pools, jacuzzi, chilly plunge, snow fountain and volcano pool.
Therapies embrace Rasul mud rituals and hammam scrubs, and I had one of many very finest deep tissue massages in a protracted profession of attempting to relieve shoulder rigidity. There are additionally Bastien Gonzalez mani/pedi remedies, a yoga studio and a well-equipped fitness center.
A path winds down the hill via the resort to the personal seaside membership the place you possibly can nab a lounger for the day and take lunch or a cocktail on the cool Sal Verde seaside bar. It’s a steep stroll again up the hill so you may choose to name one of many resort’s golf buggies to select you up.
Extra providers embrace a youngsters’ membership with a splash pool, costumes, puzzles and storytime for little ones whereas tweens and youths will little question respect the Nintendo Change, PS5, arcade video games, ping pong and karaoke.
Proper subsequent door to the resort is La Hacienda Golf, previously referred to as Alcadeisa Hyperlinks. Two 18-hole layouts, the Hyperlinks and Heathland course, make up one of the vital spectacular golf locations within the area. La Hacienda’s signature Hyperlinks Course is one in every of solely a handful of links-style layouts in southern Europe and pays homage to the good Californian designs similar to Pebble Seaside and Cypress Level.
It initially opened in 1992 as a Peter Alliss and Clive Clark design. In 2021 it was considerably upgraded and renovated by acclaimed American architect Kurtis Bowman, which concerned the remodelling of all tees, greens complexes and bunkers together with the redesign of a sequence of holes – within the course of, creating one of many largest putting-surface areas in Spain.
It’s a difficult course with large fairways, quick, double greens, giant, strategically situated bunkers and delicate slopes that descend in the direction of the ocean, working alongside nearly two kilometres of shoreline, with many holes bordering the seaside. The midway home, Calma Bar, is maybe one of probably the most architecturally putting in golf.
The Heathland Course was designed by revered former Ryder Cup participant turned architect, Dave Thomas. It’s the right foil to the difficult Hyperlinks course, winding via various terrain; some holes are in a valley with lakes and slim fairways whereas quite a few plateaus reward distinctive views over the encompassing panorama and sea. The Heathland course supplies an excellent check to golfers of all skills and course conditioning on each the Hyperlinks and Heathland is phenomenal.
The La Hacienda complicated consists of a 72-bay driving vary, two chipping areas, bunkers and two placing greens. There’s additionally a brief recreation space with a number of par-three holes. Golfers ought to permit time to correctly expertise the membership home, constructed round a central courtyard full with tinkling fountain and views over the course to the ocean past. The Sal Verde restaurant throughout the clubhouse is an elegantly trendy gastronomic vacation spot in its personal proper and an ideal spot for lunch or a chilly, post-round drink.
Though this area of the Costa del Sol is definitely much less constructed up than the stretch round Malaga, there is not any scarcity of glorious golf programs close by do you have to want to enterprise past the resort; San Roque Golf Membership, Sotogrande and Valderrama are all a brief drive away.
It is usually price heading out to discover this lovely nook of Spain. The harbour cities of Sotogrande and Estepona are not far, or the resort can prepare boat journeys, horseback adventures and e-bike excursions, or you possibly can rent a Mini Moke to go to the close by village of Castellar de la Frontera, one of many prettiest of the Pueblos Blancos.
How do I get to Fairmont La Hacienda?
The Fairmont La Hacienda relies on the southern shoreline of Spain, on the Costa del Sol. The cities of Sotogrande and San Roque are inside a brief drive, whereas Algeciras is barely 20km to the southwest. Cadiz and Malaga are each round 120km from the resort. Additionally to the south is Gibraltar, with the border simply 15km south of the Fairmont La Hacienda.
Due to its location within the south of Spain, and with it being inside 15km of the Spanish border with Gibraltar, the closest airport to the resort is Gibraltar Airport. Malaga Airport, which serviced 25 million passengers in 2025, is 120km to the northeast, and simply over an hour’s drive from Fairmont La Hacienda.
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