Iberostar Selection​ Marbella Coral Beach

The Alhambra Buffet puts on live-cooking stations and themed nights, from gazpacho and sea bass to sushi and homemade pastries. Down by the water, Chambao by the Sea serves fresh local seafood. When you just want a coffee, a cocktail or a snack, the Tartesos and Lobby bars keep the hours easy, often with live saxophone or violin in the background.

Pick the room that sets the tone for your stay. Sharing Pool Doubles step straight onto a heated pool, Sharing Jacuzzi rooms put a semi-private whirlpool within reach, and Wellness Doubles fold in spa access plus a yoga set. For the ultimate, the Sea-View Penthouse pairs a private rooftop hot tub with uninterrupted Mediterranean horizon.

Days here move at your speed. Hire a bike for a spin along the seafront, join a seasonal yoga or Pilates class, or work out at the 24-hour fitness centre. Come evening, the mood turns low-key: live music drifts through the bars and the social spaces fill up gently, in keeping with the hotel's calm, grown-up feel.

SPA Sensations is designed for slowing down, featuring a sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpool, and a hydrotherapy circuit, along with treatment cabins for massages and facials. Golfers are well placed too. La Dama de Noche sits two kilometres away, and the wider Costa del Golf spreads out from there, at its best through spring and autumn.