Hotel Fuerte Miramar
Marbella
You are definitely spoilt for choice in and around Marbella where large beach hotels are concerned. Over the years, we have visited many of these hotels and have discarded quite a few as they failed to impress us. They simply were not the kind of fun, original, fantastic hotels we wanted to include on this site.
However, we did invite Fuerte Miramar to join our site because we feel that this hotel is a cut above the rest.
This hotel, with its super friendly staff, is spacious, clean and tidy but above all, absolutely stunning.
As at the Fuerte Hotel in Conil de la Frontera, all meals are served buffet-style, which has its advantages and disadvantages. But, this said, the food is very tasty. In the morning, chefs are stationed at the hot plates to cook your egg, fresh, to your choice, and the children are served freshly baked pancakes. With a generous helping of smiles and giggles on top: party time! You have the option to eat inside or outside by the pool, which we absolutely loved by the way. It has a fun design and is more than spacious enough. Ideal for children and there is always someone from the hotel on hand to keep an eye on things and to hand you a huge bath sheet. Step through the "garden gate" and you walk straight onto the promenade so you can instantly find yourself a nice spot on the gorgeous beach. The beach itself is very child-friendly, the sea slopes off gently here and there are very few waves.
You can have lunch at the hotel's grill restaurant which we did several times and which is an absolute must. The restaurant is situated on the beach, right in front of the hotel. The food is great, the service relaxed, there are no airs and graces and the whole thing has a nice beach atmosphere. It is pure bliss to spend a few hours at this restaurant, enjoying a chilled bottle of rosé while the children are playing in the sand just a few metres away.
Of course, there is also a Kids' Club at this hotel. The girls who run the club are very friendly, giving your children plenty of attention and keeping them entertained by playing fun games with them.
In short, Fuerte Miramar is a large family-friendly hotel with something for the whole family and with all the facilities that make this a truly family-friendly hotel. On top of this, from the front of the hotel you can quite simply wander into the wonderfully charming, old city centre of Marbella with its little alleyways and quirky little shops.
Cons:
• Buffet-style breakfast and dinner. Particularly where dinner is concerned, it would be nice to have something a little bit different now and again. But not to worry, there is a great choice of good restaurants within a short walking distance, on the promenade for instance. However, do make sure you also visit one of the many tiny restaurants in the old city centre. They are dotted all over the city, each and everyone is well worth a visit!
• There is a separate lift to the car park which will make you break out in a sweat, especially in the summer, because it is so stifling and claustrophobic. You can, however, also take the stairs or go around the back of the hotel.
Pros:
• Very generous, mouthwatering breakfast buffet. The children also get plenty of attention, with the staff always ready to joke around with them. Pancakes available!
• Extremely friendly and helpful staff.
• Fantastic swimming pool.
• The beach is just a garden gate away.
• Good grill beach restaurant for a truly authentic beach lunch.
• Kids' Club available.
• Hotel car parking provided for hotel guests.
• Opposite the charming, old city centre of Marbella.
Hotel Fuerte Miramar
facilities
Hotel
- On the beach the hotel has a restaurant for lunch. Furthermore the restaurant in the hotel serves a buffet for both breakfast and dinner.
- Bar.
- Swimming pool.
- Garden and terrace.
- Relax in the Spa of the hotel.
- Gym.
- Internet connection (wifi) in every room (not free of charge).
- Children are welcome.
- Rooms with wheelchair access.
- Lift.
- Pets are welcome (only on request).
- You can book a range of different excursions at the hotel.
- Hotel has its own car park.
- Hotel is on the Beach, at close distance to the old centre of Marbella.
Rooms
Every room has air conditioning, heating, TV, telephone, internet connection (Wi-Fi), mini bar and a safe. The rooms with seaviews have their own balcony / terrace.
Fully-equipped bathrooms.
Hotel has 226 rooms, including 30 double rooms with full seaview, 167 double rooms with lateral seaview, 15 standard double rooms, 7 single rooms and 7 junior suites (with seaview).
Hotel Fuerte Miramar
surrounding area
Marbella
Marbella’s old town is definitely worth a visit. One of the highlights of your visit will be having a nice outdoor dinner on the Plaza de los Naranjos, the main square, lined with orange trees. After dinner you can stroll through Marbella’s narrow streets and past its many squares.
The finest beaches on the Costa del Sol are those at Marbella, including Babaloo Beach (Puerto Banus) and Victor’s Beach Marbella).
Active/Golf
The hotel can sort out your green fees and golf lessons at several golf courses in the area. There are over 25 golf courses in Marbella and Estepona, and over 40 on the whole Costa del Sol. Other options include walks, an excursion in a 4x4, treks by bike or on horseback.
Family
A wide choice of beaches makes Marbella a suitable destination for families.
Close to Estepona (30 km; 25min) you will find the safari park Selwo Aventura, with about 200 different animal species. Some animals can be seen from a 4x4 safari bus, or you can go on an adventurous walk over the park’s wire bridges.
Close to Benalmádena (37 km; 45min) you will find the Costa del Sol’s oldest and largest amusement park: Tivoli. It offers 36 rides, beautiful gardens, and fountains.
Sealife, Andalucía's first interactive underwater park, is another option for an interesting day out.
There is also the zoo in Fuengirola (37 km; 45min), which is a small but beautifully laid-out zoo.
Torremolinos (47km; 50min) has water parks with slides over 100m long (!). As well as a beautifully laid-out zoo, which is not overly big, but interesting and fun for the kids nonetheless.
Nature
Trips by car through the hinterland of the Costa del Sol, to the Pueblos Blancos (white villages), for example, will take you through magnificent landscapes. And apart from that, you can go for walks, bike rides or treks on horseback in the adjacent Sierras.
The following villages/towns in the area are definitely worth a visit:
Málaga (59km; 45min):
The bustling port city of Málaga is Andalucía’s biggest city after Seville. It used to be an important trading port, because in the 19th century Málaga wine was exported all over Europe, until Phylloxera, the pest that had already destroyed grapevines all over Europe, reached Málaga and put an end to its wealth.
Málaga old town is the area around the cathedral. The Museo Picasso is also near the cathedral, and exhibits many of the works of this famous artist, who was born in Málaga. Further sights include the Alcazaba, one of the prime Moorish fortresses in Andalucía, and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, a 14th-century Moorish castle, which you can access through its beautiful gardens.
Also make sure you taste some of Málaga’s fine wines in a bodega, some of which also serve delicious tapas.
Ronda (61km; 1h):
Ronda has one of the most spectacular settings in all of Southern Spain. Due to this town’s unassailable location, it was one of the last standing Moorish bastions, which only fell in 1485, when it was conquered by the Christians. The town is split in two by a spectacular gorge, with the southern part being the classic Moorish pueblo blanco with cobblestone streets, small fences in front of the windows and whitewashed walls all around. The new town on the other side of the gorge contains the Plaza de Toros (bull ring), the cradle of bullfighting; it was built in 1785 and is one of Spain’s oldest. The bridge that connects the two parts of Ronda, the Puente Nuevo, spans the 100-metre-deep gorge and has become Ronda’s most famous feature, drawing in millions of visitors every year.
Gibraltar (81km; 1h10min):
The British occupied Gibraltar in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1713 Britain was granted the rock ‘forever’.
A cable car will take you from the city centre up to the Top of the Rock, Gibraltar’s highest point (450m). Halfway up the rock, at the Apes’ Den, is where the tailless monkeys of Gibraltar live. These world-famous monkeys can be rather aggressive, so hold on to your bags and cameras.
At the top of the rock you can walk to St. Michael’s Cave. Other interesting sights at the top of the rock include the Upper Galleries, tunnels in the northern part of the rock that form part of Gibraltar's defences.
From Gibraltar you can also go on a boat excursion into the bay of Algeciras to spot dolphins.
And you can, of course, head for one of these world famous cities for a day trip:
Granada (190km; 2h10min):
The Alhambra was the part of town where princes, nobility and court staff dwelled, on the hill right in the middle of Granada. The Alhambra is a huge complex, 720m in length and 220m wide. Clever use of space, light, water and decorative features are the Alhambra’s defining features.
On the hill opposite the Alhambra, the Albayzín quarter, is where Granada’s Moorish past is still most tangible. Stroll through its narrow streets, past villas with Moorish decoration and gardens, up to the Mirador de San Nicolás. This is where you will have the best views, of the roofs of Granada, with the Alhambra behind them, which makes for a stunning view, especially at sunset!
Córdoba (215km; 2h25min):
Visit the Mezquita, Córdoba's huge mosque, which has seen various different developments throughout the years to become a fascinating blend of styles and religions. And you can also go for a stroll through the districts of San Lorenzo, Judería and San Basilio, where you will encounter the most beautiful Moorish patios. Other sights include the palace/fortress Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos with magnificent gardens and fountains; various museums, such as the Museo Arqueológico, Museo Taurino, Museo de Bellas Artes; a string of great squares, such as the Plaza de la Corredera, Plaza del Potro.
Seville (255km; 2h45min):
The capital of Andalucía is a compact city with a rich past. Most of its major sights are in or near the city centre on the Guadalquivir river’s left bank. And they also know how to party and have a good time in this city of flamenco and tapas.
As you wander through the old Jewish quarter, the Barrio Santa Cruz, through a maze of white streets and patios, you should not forget to take in the imposing cathedral, the Moorish bell tower, La Giralda, and the royal palace Real Alcázar. You can unwind in the María Luisa park, where you can spend the hottest part of the day under orange trees and palm trees.
The museum Museo de Bellas Artes, one of Spain’s best museums of art, is a real must. And then there are its magnificent palaces and other sights, such as the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (bull ring); Casa de Pilatos and the Torre del Oro.