La Villa Marbella

If you are looking for a respite in Spain, Marbella could be the place for you. Having last visited there 10 years ago, we were anxious to see how it had changed. Going to our favorite hotel site, Booking.com we wanted a place conveniently located with some charm and personality. La Vllla Marbella filled the bill. What a beautiful find in the historic old town. A hallmark of these little old town areas in Andalusia are the multi-level homes with patios. And the crowning glory of each home is a premiere patio on the roof. The Villa had all of the above. This little boutique hotel is made up of 17 rooms spread across multiple homes.

We knew we were going to enjoy it when our taxi, meandered slowly through the narrow streets coming to a halt in front of a wall of purple bougainvillea. Looking up we saw the little potted plants under the name La Villa Marbella. The heavy Spanish wooden door opened to welcome us into a quaint home with the friendliest innkeepers, Marcos by day and Boli by night. We selected our breakfast menu for the next day and were told to come back to this location for breakfast between 8:30 and 11:30 at the rooftop breakfast patio, very civilized.

Then we were off to our room down the street in another little house called The Cottage. Upon opening the door, we saw a small kitchen followed by a cozy lounge complete with fireplace. The decorating was Asian/Moorish. Leaving the lounge we stepped into a lovely courtyard with flowers spilling over their boxes on the way up the winding stairs. And there we were at Datai, our room, with a beamed ceiling, air conditioning, a king size bed, night stands, a wardrobe and bathroom complete with a roomy shower. As we entered we looked over our shoulders and found that continuing up the stairs led to our own cozy rooftop patio with views of the local church steeple. This was a great place for a quiet read, a catch up on email or just relaxing in the great outdoors.

Morning found us returning to reception and up the winding stairs to the rooftop patio. Here we had a small feast awaiting us, fruit, cereal, croissants, warm baguettes with Spanish ham and fresh orange juice with coffee. The rooftop had an abundance of plant life with intimate tables and a cozy sofa section with material swagged across the ceiling, giving it an exotic air.

Needless to say, we felt at home here and enjoyed the convenient proximity to shops, restaurants, the beach and local activities. The staff was very attentive and most willing to help make our stay the best it could be. They were happy to look into opening times for sites, arranging transportation and suggesting great places to eat. The next time we head for the Costa del Sol, heading to La Villa Marbella will be like going to our second home.