Located in the best seafront spot in Marbella’s old town, the iconic establishment will from this month undergo an ambitious renovation project, which will turn it into a leading luxury destination in the capital of the Western Costa del Sol.
17th of January 2022. The whole world knows it as “El Fuerte” and for this reason, the Luque García family have decided to use this name to rename what is considered to be the flagship of the Fuerte Group Hotels, the hotel which witnessed the foundation of the group in 1957, when tourism on the Costa del Sol was something legendary. Nevertheless, its privileged location shows the visionary character of this well-known hotelier family’s patriarch, who was before his time and intuitively realised that being close to the sea would be one of the most in-demand attractions for tourists from around the world.
And he was right. One of the biggest attractions of the Fuerte Marbella is its location in the best seafront spot in the old town of Marbella, allowing visitors who stay there to lull into a deep sleep with the sound of the Mediterranean all through the night. But this unique hotel, renamed “El Fuerte Marbella” is much more than that, especially for Marbellans, who have grown up visiting its facilities to celebrate their most intimate events, attending all kinds of business meetings or running alongside it while enjoying the promenade walks.
That’s why to coincide with the next International Tourism Trade Fair by FITUR, Fuerte Group Hotels has decided to today announce the upcoming renovation of, now known as, “El Fuerte Marbella”. This announcement has been very well received by this municipality of Malaga, which sees the conversion of the hotel into a 5-star establishment as a great contribution to the improvement of the quality of hotels on offer in Marbella, a destination that is striving to recover the glamour that made it the nerve centre of the European and North American jet set lifestyle in the 80s.
According to José Luque Garcia, general director of Fuerte Group Hotels, “the complete remodelling of El Fuerte Marbella, and its elevation to the 5-star category, will attract a clientele with high purchasing power to the centre of Marbella, and its old town, which will generate benefits for all of the complementary offers of the area, and which will result in the creation of new jobs, both in the hotel and other businesses in Marbella”.
El Fuerte Marbella: timeless classic luxury
With an important investment and a building work which will last approximately 13 months (expected re-opening in March 2023), the new “El Fuerte Marbella” will be remodelled under the auspices of the prestigious Chilean interior designer, Jaime Beriestain, who is renowned in the tourism sector, having participated in the design of numerous international luxury hotel chains, such as Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Hilton and Waldorf Astoria, among many others.
The new “El Fuerte Marbella” is built around the old San Luis Castle, which was declared a Site of Cultural Interest, and will be transformed into a beautiful 251 room building, whose interior will denote an unmistakable style between classic, timeless and absolutely charming. To achieve this, Beriestain has chosen a range of colours that combine pastel pink and jade green with beige tones, which bring a more informal and casual character, characteristic of coastal locations; and adds touches of orange to create vibrant and alluring spaces.
With respect to materials, sustainability is a must, and he uses natural stones, wicker and straw, mixing them with geometric shapes and patterns that add dynamism to the whole look. The result is a wonderful urban hotel next to the beach, which combines 65 years of history and service experience that has been converted into its trademark; with a new tailor-made look, in which luxury is a synonym of natural, elegance and meditation. A location that will transform you through its authenticity.
Committed to gastronomy and wellness tourism:
The resurgence of “El Fuerte Marbella” envisages the creation of a new image, but also the incorporation of new luxury services that a great number of tourists who visit Marbella demand, due to either leisure or business trips. To achieve this, Fuerte Group Hotels wants to count on the best brands on the market, investing in an internationally prestigious gastronomic offer, endorsed by awards like Michelin stars, still to be finalised; and for an offer of the highest standard beauty and sports equipment services that will shape a spectacular wellness centre on the ground floor; and modern gym with sea views, in a privileged location on the hotel’s 5th floor.
Marbella: top-quality destination
The ultimate goal of this spectacular renovation project is to create an accommodation option of the highest quality, that provides value for tourists who, attracted by Marbella’s micro-climate, choose to visit this destination throughout almost the entire year; and that, during the coldest months of the year, can substitute the experience of sun and sand for any one of an infinite number of sensations generated by extremely high-quality gastronomic products and for the option of wellness leisure to help reconnect with one’s self.
This is the new “El Fuerte Marbella”, an authentic oasis of tranquillity, emerging from the first hotel that was opened in the old town of Marbella, where famous celebrity visitors like Walt Disney and his dog Pluto or the great Lola Flores, amongst many other guests, are still remembered; and that will begin this new lease of life surrounded by a natural, elegant and charming environment, achieved thanks to a mix of the classical with the contemporary, the traditional and the modern. We look forward to seeing you from Spring 2023.
