Sentidos en Rio Real  - Marbella, Spain 

If you want a Costa del Sol hotel with a golf course, you can't do much better. We booked a 5 day break with my wife's parents to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary, plus to get my father in law the opportunity to play golf in Spain. The hotel, and the golf course couldn't have been better. Firstly, the hotel. It is tucked away about 3 km from the main Costa motorway on a development of apartments and villas surrounding the golf course. It is relatively small - 30 or so rooms, and when we were there was only about 60% full being right at the start of the season. It is built into the valley side so the rooms are actually below the lobby level which took a little getting used to. The property is designed to resemble a grand hacienda and it works really well with high ceilings, plush furnishings and black and white photos of the rich and famous at play around Marbella. The guest rooms are very well fitted out - including iPod docks, and spacious with very nice bathrooms with a separate wet room style shower and Molton Brown products. We booked two of the basic rooms and they were more than adequate, both with balconies overlooking the 11th fairway. The hotel restaurant was excellent, with a good menu and great wine list (for Spanish wine fans), and there are a couple of nice bars, one serving snacks & beers for the golfers. Breakfast was also in the main restaurant and gave a good selection of hot & cold options. There is also a spa which my mother in law reported back gave excellent manicures, and a sun terrace with plunge pool. The staff are friendly and attentive and arranged various specials for us - such as champagne and flowers in my wife's parents room on arrival. Yes - they can be a bit laid back at times - but hey, its southern Spain! They were also very helpful at getting specific tee times on the course for us as my father in law has agnina and needs to manage his meals and excercise carefully. On the golf side, my wife and I are both relative beginners so were a bit daunted by playing with serious golfers - despite being club members at home, but we should not have worried. Everyone was friendly and there were actually a few worse golfers than us to be seen! (Also a lot of much better ones....). The course is known as one of the longest and tightest of the regular courses in the area, ie not championship standard, and provides a very good test, with the Rio and its ravine running through the front 9, and water on the back 9. The condition was excellent, and the whole place is very well managed with regard to booking tee times, scheduling starts and chasing up slow players to let others through. Overall, a great break and a very nice small, luxury hotel with a very good golf course, plus, if you want it, access to dozens of other courses nearby. Downsides? Malaga airport - worst we have flown into for many a year - hopefully its new terminal will improve things.

I have recently had the outmost pleasure of staying at your fine establishment. Just last month, my lovely husband and I stayed at the Rio Real and had one of the best vacations of our lives!!!! First I must say how thrilling it was to be picked up from the airport in a Mercedes-Benz. Next was the hotel. Very gorgeous, and for such a small hotel, it was huge! I was very delighted by the exclusivity of the hotel. With only 29 rooms, it made for perfect quiet getaway. My husband and I are at the age now when we want to go on vacation and want to relax. This brings me to my next compliment. When we arrived at the hotel we were immediately shown the gorgeous pool and the spa. Oooh I could go on and on how great the spa was. Petite Serenite. I want to go back there right now just thinking about it. Very, very, very nice! My husband was overwhelmed with the beautiful golf course that he was there daily. I couldn't take him away for there because it was so breath taking that it motivated me to go play with him. Also while my husband enjoyed basking in the sun at the pool, I did manage to squeeze in a game of tennis on your beautiful court. Your food was exceptional! I loved the nice selection of southern Spanish cuisine. My favorite dish was the Pasta Negra with Shrimp. Mmmmm. Our stay was incredible and expect more guest soon, because I am defiantly referring you to my family, friends and clients. Thank you again for the wonderful stay.