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Perhaps more than any other Spanish destination, Marbella has a reputation that precedes it. Yup, there’s a big old elephant in the room, and its tan is a suspicious shade of mahogany.
But for proof that Marbz isn’t just brash Brits loudly demanding ketchup with their calamari, head to Kimpton Los Monteros. This sprawling, beautifully designed demi-resort of a hotel sits just 500 metres from the Mediterranean and offers so much to do within its whitewashed walls that venturing beyond them (during a short stay, at least) feels basically unnecessary.
That reputation for superficiality however, is not completely undeserved, and upon arrival it quickly becomes clear that the hotel attracts a particular clientele – the smell of cigar smoke is never far away and there’s enough lip filler on show to re-grout the pool.
The appeal to image-conscious travellers is hardly surprising, given that Kimpton Los Monteros has glamour in its bones. After opening in 1962, the hotel quickly became a magnet for both figurative and literal royalty – were you to stroll through the lobby in the mid-’70s you may well have spotted Sean Connery sharing a plate of croquettas with the King of Spain. Damn good croquettas they’d have been too – original restaurant El Corzo was the first hotel restaurant in Spain to win a Michelin star.
As ageing icons of the jetset tend to, Kimpton Los Monteros withdrew from public life in 2022, re-emerging after some extensive cosmetic work in early 2025 to stake a claim as one of the Costa del Sol’s most refined places to stay.
Why stay at Kimpton Los Monteros?
In short, because it offers everything you’d expect of a five-star hotel dealing to a fashion-focused crowd in a part of the world where the very concept of luxury is held to a higher standard. The bathrobes are kitten-soft. The lobby smells like that guy you dreamt about. There are actual sweets at the breakfast buffet. But let’s not pigeonhole the place – there’s plenty on offer here for people who’d sooner do the Macarena butt naked than post a poolside cocktail selfie. Even – yes – children.
For families looking to cling onto a bit of pre-kids class rather than go full Center Parcs, Kimpton Los Monteros offers lots to distract children from the borderline abusive boredom of having to stay in a five-star hotel. This includes a dedicated kids club, where cheery staff will keep little ones occupied between 10am and 6pm with things like making slime, face-painting and everything else you can’t be bothered doing at home during the school holidays. And if playing The Floor is Lava isn’t their bag, the dreamy, 20-metre pool certainly ought to be. Need to bribe them into 10 more minutes of cannonballs while you work on your tan? The poolside bar offers eight different flavours of ice cream.
What are the rooms like at Kimpton Los Monteros?
The hotel’s 195 rooms include 60 suites and 70 duplex rooms. Mine was one of the latter, and featured an impressively comfortable sofa bed on the lower floor for my son, separated from my room by a small flight of stairs, giving us just enough space so that we were never under each others’ feet.
As in the hotel’s common areas, thoughtful, playful design abounds, with modernist furniture, bright tiling in the bathroom, fun, geometric patterns on headboards and actual, editioned artwork on the walls. Boutique touches extend to the toiletries, with a full arsenal of Diptyque products ensuring I arrived at breakfast each morning smelling like a Parisian gent.
What is the food like at Kimpton Los Monteros?
Plentiful, varied and generally of a very high standard. For casual bites, try trad tapas dishes by the pool from Azul bar or solid Mexican fare at Escondido – the rooftop terrace that also hosts a daily social hour when wine is on the house. Don’t sleep on the cocktails, though – the house list leans heavily on tequila and mezcal, but staff are just as happy to shake up a classic. In some style, too – they didn’t even flinch as I reeled off my unreasonably detailed specification of how I like my gin sour. Elsewhere, there’s the oddly named Rachel’s Eco Love for wellness bowls and brunch dishes (especially good for those with allergies) and Jara for contemporary Mediterranean with a side of live flamenco music.
If you try just one of the on-site options, though, make it La Cabane – a beach-side club-slash-selfie-studio under the banner of uber-brand Dolce&Gabanna, which is a three-minute golf buggy ride from the hotel lobby. Dinner here starts with a giant platter of ice-packed seafood being plonked next to your table for your perusal and ends with velvety tiramisu served in an actual moka pot. Prices are blow-out spenny, but gazing out at the sea while you tuck into expertly prepared seafood is the memory you’ll sigh over the next time you’re putting the bins out on a rainy Tuesday.
What is the service like at Kimpton Los Monteros?
Friendly and five-star slick – for the most part. However, there were a couple of occasions when things I asked for were just plain forgotten, which should simply never happen at a hotel that ranks itself among the best in the country.
What are the facilities like at Kimpton Los Monteros?
How long have you got? There’s a small, functional gym, but you’d do better to give the treadmill a swerve and book onto an outdoor class – pilates, yoga and barre sessions take place regularly both in the rooftop bar space and on the greenery-fringed sundeck.
For something sportier still, there’s the racquet club – featuring both hard and clay tennis courts plus spaces for padel and beach volleyball. Court time and lessons cost extra for hotel guests, but there’s a free padel session every Thursday – head along to finally discover why all your mates are obsessed with this fast-paced tennis/squash hybrid.
There’s also the aforementioned La Cabane – a beach club in name only as it features not a single grain of sand. It opened in summer 2026 and is free for hotel guests to use, providing they book ahead. Fair warning, though, that children are very much not welcome here – better to leave them at the kids club while you bob around in your best bikini.
There’s an on-site spa, too, where you can indulge in all the usual stress-zapping treatments, or simply take some quiet time in the child-free saltwater pool.
What’s the area like around Kimpton Los Monteros?
There’s a nice-enough public beach a 10-minute stroll away, but otherwise it’s back-to-back massive luxury villas, a couple of golf courses and not much else. Marbella proper is less than 15 minutes in a cab, and has a charming old town, several beaches and a Burger King with a sea view. I dragged the family out once and we all agreed to stay in our Kimpton bubble for the rest of the trip.
Why you should book a stay at Kimpton Los Monteros
It could be that you’ve always wondered what people with 100 times as many Instagram followers as you do on holiday. Or maybe that you’ve earned a proper helping of luxury and convinced the kids that full-blown resort holidays aren’t all that. Either way, aside from a few minor shortcomings, there’s little to criticise about this sleek, genuinely vibey hotel, which clearly knows its audience and does a fine job of giving the perma-tanned people what they want. Marbz die-hards will love it, and even I can admit that it won me over.
DETAILS
Address: Calle del Lince, Marbella (Málaga) 29603
Closest transport: Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport is 35 minutes by car
Price: Ranging from £150-350 off peak, £500-800 during peak season