The Fuerte Marbella Hotel (popularly known as ‘El Fuerte’) is a true Marbella icon; one that is as well-loved as the very best beach club, restaurants, and cobblestoned hideaways of the city centre. Arguably its strongest selling point is its location – smack bang on the beach frontline of historical Marbella, with a view to the sea and to the Old Town. Imagine getting up early, walking across the road and enjoying a hearty breakfast at Plaza de Los Naranjos, returning to the Fuerte’s poolside area, just a stone’s throw away from the sea. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” goes the saying, but for the Fuerte Group, innovation was necessary if it was to progress in line with its new purposes. The Fuerte Marbella will undergo a period of renovation (for approximately 13 months), opening as a five-star hotel in March 2023.

Embracing Marbella’s Golden Era

The Fuerte Marbella has been a choice venue for discerning tourists and locals seeking a special spot in which to celebrate parties, weekends, and summer holidays. The Fuerte Group deemed 2022 to be the perfect year in which to carry out the work required to upgrade it to a five-star resort. The renovation is symbolic of Marbella’s effort to reinvent itself as a glamorous destination, one that once attracted A-listers and members of the jetset to our shores. José Luque García, General Director of the Fuerte Group, told the press that the new, five-star hotel “will attract high-end clients to the centre of Marbella and the Old Town. It will also create jobs for hotel staff and benefit various local businesses.”

A Genius At The Helm

Prestigious interior designer, Jaime Beriestain, will be in charge of the hotel’s new look. He has participated in various projects for international luxury brands like the Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Waldorf Astoria, and has been featured in magazines such as Vogue, Cote, Forbes, Vanity Fair, and The Wall Street Journal. Not only does he work on international design projects, but he has also created a wide variety of objects – including chairs, lamps, rugs, footwear, and even his own recipes!

If Looks Could Thrill

The new hotel will boast 251 rooms, with its interiors boasting a blend of classical and timeless features and the cosy ambience all Fuerte hotels are known for. Beriestain has chosen appealing colours such as baby pink, jade green and beige to lend interiors a peaceful, informal air. Meanwhile, splashes of orange lend vibrancy and seduction to common areas.

Sustainable Choices

Sustainability is the buzzword in construction and design as a whole and the new hotel will very much be a bastion of this tendency. Chosen materials include natural stone, straw, and wicker. Eye-catching features, meanwhile, will include geometric shapes and prints that add dynamism to the overall look. The spirit of the new hotel will be urban and beachy. The aim is to pay homage to a venue that boasts a 65-year history while expressing values such as a love of nature, authenticity, and elegance.

New Spaces To Enjoy

The Fuerte Group plans to improve the resort’s gastronomic offering, choosing culinary brands with a Michelin-starred tradition. There will also be new health and fitness and beauty installations on the ground floor, as well as a modern gym with sea views on the fifth floor. The design team is working hard to completely convert the Hotel into an oasis of calm, all the while retaining the charm that attracted celebrities the calibre of Walt Disney and Lola Flores to our shores.