Gecko Towers
As Don Henley and the late, Glenn Frey, lyricists for The Eagles, wrote in their tour de force, “Hotel California”, recorded in 1976: “You can check out any time you like, But you can never leave.” This is how I feel about the Marbella region.
In a Marbella supermarket, a family from the UK was settling in to enjoy their holiday at a local hotel, buying sun cream, flip-flops and bottles of water. Queuing up to pay an item dropped from the conveyor onto the floor and they thank me for picking it up. I smile and say it was no problem. “You are English!” They exclaimed. “Do you live here?” “Yes” I said proudly. “Bet you never want to leave.” As I agreed that they were right, why would I? They too smiled.
I have written before about what its really like to live here – see here – So what’s it really like to live in Marbella? There is very little that you could possibly want that is not easily accessible from this blessed corner of Europe, that others before me have christened the “California of Europe”.
It’s easy to see why! The combination of the iris blue sky, the deeper blue/green sea, stretches of golden sand, the majestic tree clad mountains and a lot of green land interspersed with housing developments. Did you notice I didn’t mention the climate? It could easily be several parts of the Southern Californian coast. Again, the local towns are all very different but most have an old heart with has cool flower-laden courtyards with equally cooling drinks and local gastronomy. Is this Santa Barbara or is it San Bernabe (Marbella’s patron Saint)?
It’s very easy to see why this region is so special and I have pondered this question before – see here – Why is Marbella such an awesome location?
Despite living in this wonderful environment, occasionally, it is really nice to get away. August is a very busy time for the Costa del Sol when those who don’t get to spend all year here descend in numbers to “our” beaches, “our” roads and “our” chiringuitos. We benevolently allow them to revel in this paradise confident in the knowledge that by September all will have been reset and we can continue as we were. Frankly, its a good time to be away as the heat can really hit and no matter how good your air-con is – which personally I don’t like – it can get very hot.
Slightly counter-culture, we recently worked with a Swedish client on their purchase of a fabulous house in one of Nueva Andalucia’s premier streets. Their logic ran along the following lines. They and their family fell deeply in love with Marbella following their first holiday here since the Pandemic bit. They were the first client since the hiatus of the last couple of years to adopt that simple philosophy: “We love it so much, so we decided to stay!” I suspect they wont be the last.
So whether its in the height of August – when our Spanish friends head to their family pueblos for the duration – or at other times during the year – which tend to coincide with the Half-term holidays of English and Scandinavian schools – if a vacation is sought where do we go? This is the Marbella Dilemma.
I know it may sound very spoilt but we are blessed with the finest of environment that present us with difficulties when seeking great alternatives for vacations. For us, London, in the height of Summer is when the beautiful city, is at its best. We also have the draw of three adult offspring who sweetly welcome us like tourists to the city we lived in for several decades.
Could we go for a “beach’ holiday? Bali, Mauritius or The Seychelles perhaps, for a few days. Yes, but we’d need diversions. The Greek Islands – certainly – but there are a lot of fine examples of Roman antiquity in Malaga and along the Costas del Sol and de la Luz. European cites, certainly Florence or Paris for a long weekend. The Côte d’Azur is, of course, divine and very pretty and very similar in many ways – substantially different in others – to the Costa del Sol. So you see my problem?
We could ski in Austria, France, Italy or Switzerland. It would take us a day to get there, a day to get acquainted and while it may not have pistes of the same variety or quality a two hour journey from home and we have Sierra Nevada which is quite sufficient for my level of ability on skis.
We could ride and round up cattle on a Dude Ranch in New Mexico – in fact that is one of the holidays that really appeals to me – but the research I have done seems to require that you spend at least two days trekking to get to the ranch – following an eleven hour flight to the mid-west from Malaga with a couple of changes – and once there you will be required to prove your ability on a horse.
Mrs W is an excellent rider who keeps her grey PRE (pure raza espanola) at an excellent local stable and rides virtually daily. My experience, on the other hand, has largely involved me being a “passenger” on a docile horse, I could hardly say I am a rider. Adding “Cattle Wrangler” to my CV might be an enjoyable challenge – anyone else seen “City Slickers” with Billy Crystal?
A lovely Hotel in Mallorca, Marrakech or Delhi? A visit to the Taj Mahal appeals as that would be a unique experience, otherwise we really do have an abundance of amazing hotels that we could stay at for a couple of nights in and be back in our own bed by day three. They range from elegant Spa hotels, to those trimming the edge of blue sea water in the Tarifa area and those lost Paradors high in the mountains offering scenery and history. New hotels are continually being developed by way of renovation of existing structures. The new Club Med in Marbella and the new Hard Rock in Puerto Banus spring to mind. Other flagships include the new Ikos Andalucia, the Las Dunas Hotel and the Kempinski in Estepona and the yet to be finished €200m, W Hotel situated to the East of Marbella.
And there’s always the Taj Mahal or Mumbai City indian restaurants in Neuva Andalucia – many say there’s none better!
I hope you get my point. Please do not feel sorry for us. We have an abundance of riches – and not simply of the financial kind – here in the Marbella region. Bet you are tempted to take a look…..you’d get the warmest welcome.
Should you be interested in discussing the legal process involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Our multi-disciplinary team of bi-lingual, highly experienced and wholly independent Abogados (Spanish Lawyers) and Asesores Fiscales (Tax Accountants) are ready to help you.
We are not estate agents, but we know some hard-working and reputable ones, if needed.
Please call me, Mark FR Wilkins, during usual business hours on +34 600 343 917 or, if you prefer, or e-mail me at mark@roslegal.es
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