Marbella is the best-known town on the Costa del Sol, and there’s far more to it than yachts and expensive watches. Deciding where to stay in Marbella matters, because the municipality has a whitewashed Old Town with orange trees, a long seafront promenade and around 27 kilometres of coastline, from the dunes at Cabopino in the east to San Pedro de Alcántara in the west, with La Concha mountain rising above it all.
Because Marbella is so spread out, your choice of base makes a big difference. Some areas are made for walking and town life, others for luxury, nightlife or peace and quiet with a car. Here are my six suggested areas, with three hotels in each at different price levels.
Contents
Where to Stay in Marbella: The Best Areas
- Casco Antiguo (Old Town) - best area for first-time visitors
- Town centre & the promenade - best area for the beach and town life on foot
- Golden Mile - best area for luxury and peace by the beach
- Puerto Banús - best area for nightlife and glamour
- San Pedro de Alcántara - best area for families and a local feel
- Elviria & Cabopino - best area for peace, nature and a driving holiday
Below, I go through the areas one at a time with a map, transport, price level and three hotels in each. The prices come from a search for a weekend in November for two people. In July and August you can often expect to pay double, especially on the Golden Mile and in Puerto Banús.
1. Casco Antiguo (Old Town) - best area for first-time visitors 🍊
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying in the historic centre. From Plaza de los Naranjos it’s about a 5-minute walk to Avenida del Mar and 10 minutes to the beach.
- 🚶 Transport: The streets are narrow and you walk everywhere. The town’s bus station is about 1.5 kilometres north-west of the Old Town, up the hill, so take a taxi from there if you have suitcases.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: About 45 minutes on the Avanza bus direct to Marbella bus station from around €6.50 (around £5.50), or about 40 minutes by taxi for around €70 to €100 (around £60 to £85).
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly €92 to €280 (around £75 to £235) per night when I searched.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and full of people until late in the evening. Keep an eye on your bag in the busiest squares in high season.
Casco Antiguo is Marbella’s Old Town, and it’s where the town began. The Moors built a castle here in the 10th century and later a town wall with three gates, and the town surrendered to Ferdinand the Catholic on 11 June 1485. In the 16th century, part of the old medina was demolished to make room for a large square, which today is Plaza de los Naranjos, with orange trees, the town hall and restaurants with tables out on the square.
Around the square, narrow lanes wind between white houses with flowerpots on the walls. Walk up to the Iglesia de la Encarnación church and on to the remains of the town wall, and pop into the Museo del Grabado, a small museum of Spanish prints with works by Picasso, Miró and Dalí, among others. Admission costs about €3 (around £2.50), and the museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
See hotels in Marbella’s Old Town here.
I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to Marbella, or if you’d rather have the feel of an Andalusian town than a beach resort. You can walk down to the beach in 10 minutes, and in the evening you can eat tapas in the little squares without having to think about taxis or parking.
The downside is that the hotels here are small boutique hotels and guesthouses in old buildings, so there’s almost never a pool, and some places don’t have a lift either. Cars can’t drive into most of the streets, and parking is expensive and awkward, so if you have a hire car, you should choose a different area. The restaurants on Plaza de los Naranjos itself are also pricey for what you get, so walk a couple of streets away before you sit down.
Hotels in Casco Antiguo
La Fonda Heritage Hotel - five-star palace hotel with a rooftop bar in the heart of the Old Town
La Fonda Heritage is on Plaza Santo Cristo in the upper part of the Old Town and is a member of Relais & Châteaux. The hotel has a restaurant, rooftop bar, lift and rooms in an old palace, but there’s no pool, and valet parking costs €45 (around £40) a day. Some guests feel the price is high for the facilities.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The hotel is beautiful, and the staff go the extra mile to make sure you have a great stay.”
See photos and book La Fonda Heritage Hotel here.
La Morada Mas Hermosa - small, top-rated hotel on one of the prettiest streets
La Morada Mas Hermosa is on Calle Ancha, one of the flower-decked streets of the Old Town, and has one of the highest review scores in the whole of Marbella. It’s a small hotel with just a few rooms and a continental breakfast, and the price was far below La Fonda’s. There’s no lift, and some guests mention noise from the street in the evening.
From one review: “Everything was perfect, there wasn’t a single thing to complain about during my stay here.”
See photos and book La Morada Mas Hermosa here.
Casa Postigos - newly refurbished guesthouse with a lift in the northern part of the Old Town
Casa Postigos is on Calle Postigos, a few minutes’ walk north of Plaza de los Naranjos. The rooms are new and modern, there’s a lift, and it’s adapted for wheelchair users, which is rare in the Old Town. It was the cheapest of the three, but there are no communal areas to speak of, and several guests say it’s hard to park in the area.
One guest highlights: “We had a wonderful stay! The room was beautifully decorated, everything was new, spacious and spotless.”
See photos and book Casa Postigos here.
2. Centre & Beachfront Promenade - Best Area for the Beach and City Life on Foot 🏖️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re right in the centre, between the Old Town and the sea. From Paseo Marítimo it’s a 5 to 15-minute walk up to Plaza de los Naranjos.
- 🚌 Transport: You can get to most places on foot along the promenade. City buses run along Avenida Ricardo Soriano towards Puerto Banús and San Pedro, and there are taxis waiting by the Alameda park.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: Around 45 minutes on the Avanza bus to the bus station and 5 minutes by taxi down to the beach, or around 40 minutes by taxi all the way.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€€. The three hotels below cost around 70 to 235 euros (around £60 to £195) per night when I searched.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and well lit, and the promenade is busy with people out walking until late in the evening. Watch out for bikes and e-scooters on the promenade.
Between the Old Town and the sea lies Marbella’s modern centre, with the Alameda park, the shopping streets around Avenida Ricardo Soriano and Paseo Marítimo, the palm-lined beachfront promenade with its cafés and beach bars. From the Alameda park, Avenida del Mar leads down to the water, and along it stands a row of bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí, which you can see for free at any time of day or night.
The town beaches, Playa de la Venus and Playa de la Fontanilla, are right in front of the hotels, and there are several seafood restaurants by the small marina. The promenade carries on west along the entire Golden Mile, so you can walk to Puerto Banús in around an hour and a half or cycle there. If you’re arriving by bus from the airport, Avanza runs directly to Marbella in around 45 minutes, and I’ve gathered all the other options in my guide to getting from Málaga Airport.
See hotels in Marbella’s centre here.
I’d stay here if you want both the beach and the town without needing a car. You get beach life during the day, the Old Town five minutes up the road in the evening and the widest choice of hotels in every price range. It’s also the most practical choice if you’re coming by bus from the airport, and if you want to go on a day trip, the city buses and taxis are just around the corner.
The downside is that the town beaches are narrow and get very crowded in July and August. Many of the buildings along the seafront are large 1970s apartment blocks, so it isn’t pretty everywhere, and the traffic on Avenida Ricardo Soriano is noisy. Choose a hotel close to the promenade rather than on the main road.
Hotels in the Centre and by the Beachfront Promenade
Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella - adults-only hotel right on the beach with a rooftop bar
Amàre is on Avenida Severo Ochoa at the eastern end of the centre, right on the beach and a few minutes from the Old Town. There’s a pool, spa, beach club and the Belvue rooftop bar, and the hotel only accepts guests over 18. Parking costs 18 euros (around £15) per day, and some guests feel the sunloungers at the beach club are due for replacement.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “It’s a wonderful hotel right by the beach.”
See photos and book Amàre Beach Hotel here.
Hotel El Faro Marbella - classic town hotel with a roof terrace and pool 150 metres from the beach
Hotel El Faro is on Calle Virgen del Pilar between the lighthouse and Avenida Ricardo Soriano, around 150 metres from the beach. There’s an outdoor pool, a large terrace, a bar and a breakfast buffet, and parking costs 15 euros (around £13) per day, with a limited number of spaces. Several guests mention that the lift up to the fifth floor is slow.
From one review: “The place was very clean, and the location is perfect.”
See photos and book Hotel El Faro here.
Hostal El Caprichito Marbella - budget hostal with a lift and shared terrace
El Caprichito is on Calle San Cristóbal just east of the Old Town, around 270 metres from the beach. The rooms are simple but nice, there’s a lift and a shared roof terrace, and children aren’t accepted. There’s no parking, and some guests mention noise from other guests in the evening.
One guest highlights: “A fantastic place to stay, a fantastic location and beautiful rooms.”
See photos and book Hostal El Caprichito here.
3. Golden Mile - best area for luxury and peace by the beach ✨
- 📍 Distance to the centre: The Golden Mile starts about 1 kilometre west of Marbella’s centre and stretches almost all the way to Puerto Banús.
- 🚕 Transport: Local buses run along the main road between the centre and Puerto Banús, but most people take a taxi. On foot, you follow the seafront promenade into town.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: About 45 minutes by taxi or hire car, or take the bus to Marbella bus station and then a 10-minute taxi from there.
- 💰 Price level: €€€ to €€€€€. The three hotels below were around 124 to 614 euros (around £105 to £515) per night when I searched, and in summer the best resorts cost far more.
- 👮 Safety: Very safe, with gated villa estates, security guards and hotels with their own security. In the evening it’s quiet and dark along the main road.
The Golden Mile, or Milla de Oro, is the stretch of coast between Marbella and Puerto Banús, and it’s where Marbella’s reputation as a luxury destination was born. Prince Alfonso zu Hohenlohe and a handful of other families helped turn Marbella into a resort in the 1950s and 1960s, and his Marbella Club still sits on the beach here. Along the road behind the palm trees you’ll find large villas, five-star resorts and Marbella’s grand mosque with its white minaret.
This isn’t a neighbourhood you wander around to see the sights. You stay here for the garden, the pool and the beach right outside your hotel, and in the evening you take a taxi into the Old Town or out to Puerto Banús. The beaches are wider and quieter than in town, and the promenade along the water is perfect for a morning run. Many of the hotels have their own beach club with sunloungers, a restaurant and service right on the sand.
See hotels on the Golden Mile here.
I’d stay here if you want to treat yourselves and spend most of your time by the pool and on the beach, or if you’re a couple on honeymoon or celebrating a milestone birthday. It’s also a good compromise between the town and Puerto Banús, as you’re close to both.
The downside is the price, and I’ll be honest. The Golden Mile is the most expensive place to stay in Marbella, and even drinks and lunch on the beach cost noticeably more than in town. There also aren’t many cheap restaurants within walking distance, so you end up spending money on taxis every evening, and budget hotels are practically non-existent.
Hotels on the Golden Mile
Marbella Club Hotel - the legendary luxury hotel where it all began
Marbella Club sits right on the beach on Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, and its garden of bungalows and villas runs all the way down to the water. There are two pools, a thalasso spa and a beach club, and parking is free for guests. It was the most expensive hotel in this entire guide, and some guests mention poor soundproofing between the rooms.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Fantastic hotel, lovely staff and good service.”
See photos and book Marbella Club Hotel here.
Eurostars Ocean Marbella - modern four-star hotel with a year-round pool
Eurostars Ocean is in the western part of the Golden Mile on the way towards Puerto Banús and has one of the highest review scores along the stretch. There’s an outdoor pool open all year, a spa, a restaurant and a breakfast buffet with vegan and gluten-free options. The hotel isn’t on the beach but about an eight-minute walk from it, and parking costs 20 euros (around £17) per night.
From one review: “So clean and spacious.”
See photos and book Eurostars Ocean Marbella here.
NH Collection Marbella - the cheapest proper hotel at the start of the Golden Mile
NH Collection is on Avenida Conde de Rudi at the eastern end of the Golden Mile, about a five-minute walk from the beach and close enough to the centre to walk into town. There’s an outdoor pool open all year, a sauna, a gym and a restaurant, and parking costs 19 euros (around £16) per day. Several guests mention thin walls, so ask for a quiet room.
One guest highlights: “The staff were very helpful and the hotel was clean.”
See photos and book NH Collection Marbella here.
4. Puerto Banús - best area for nightlife and glamour 🛥️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: About 6 kilometres west of Marbella’s centre. It takes 10 to 15 minutes by taxi to the Old Town.
- 🚌 Transport: The local buses run into Marbella and on to San Pedro, and there are always taxis waiting at the marina. You can walk all the way into town along the seafront.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: About 45 to 50 minutes by taxi or hire car, or take the bus to Marbella and a short taxi ride from there.
- 💰 Price level: €€€ to €€€€€. The three hotels below cost around 110 to 302 euros (roughly £90 to £255) per night when I searched, and prices shoot up in summer.
- 👮 Safety: Safe, but busy and lively until late at night. Watch out for pickpockets in the crowds around the marina and the nightclubs.
Puerto Banús is Marbella’s famous marina, opened by the developer José Banús in 1970, and it’s still where the big yachts moor up. The quayside is lined with designer shops, cocktail bars and restaurants, and in the evening supercars cruise slowly past so everyone can see them. Behind the marina you’ll find the large El Corte Inglés shopping centre and the Playa de Puerto Banús beach.
It’s Marbella’s nightlife that draws people here. The bars and nightclubs around the marina stay open until the early hours in the summer season, and this is where stag and hen parties and groups of friends end up. If you want to get out on the water, you can go on a dolphin-watching boat trip from Puerto Banús for around 51 to 60 euros (about £45 to £50). Behind the marina lies Nueva Andalucía, known as the Golf Valley because several of the Costa del Sol’s best-known golf courses are here.
See hotels in Puerto Banús here.
I’d stay here if you’re a group of friends who want to go out, or if you’d like to be right in the middle of the glamour, watching the people and the cars. You’ve got the beach, the bars and the shopping within a few minutes’ walk, and you won’t have to hunt for a taxi home at four in the morning.
The downside is that Puerto Banús is expensive, and often more expensive than it deserves to be. A cocktail on the quayside can cost the same as a whole meal in San Pedro, and many of the restaurants live off tourists who only come once. The hotels are also close to the motorway and the nightlife, so sleeping can be difficult, and if you want peace and quiet, you should stay somewhere else.
Hotels in Puerto Banús
ME by Meliá Marbella - five-star design hotel 100 metres from the marina
ME Marbella is on Calle Mario Vargas Llosa at the eastern end of Puerto Banús, about 100 metres from the marina and 50 metres from the beach. There are three outdoor pools, a heated indoor pool, a restaurant and a bar, and the rooms are large and modern. Parking in the garage costs 20 euros (around £17) per night, which several guests feel is expensive.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “One of the nicest hotels in the area with spacious and very well-designed rooms.”
See photos and book ME by Meliá Marbella here.
Occidental Puerto Banús - four-star hotel with a children’s pool close to the marina
Occidental is on Avenida Rotary Internacional, about 300 metres from the marina and just over 500 metres from the beach. There are two pools, one for adults and one for children, a garden, a gym and a breakfast buffet, so it works well for families too. Parking costs 25 euros (around £21) per day, and some guests mention traffic noise from the motorway.
From one review: “A good hotel to stay at in Puerto Banús.”
See photos and book Occidental Puerto Banús here.
Benabola Hotel & Suites - apartments with kitchens right by the beach
Benabola is in an apartment complex right by Playa de Nueva Andalucía beach, about 300 metres from the marina. You stay in suites and apartments with kitchens, there are pools in the complex, and breakfast is served. It was the cheapest of the three, but parking costs 25 euros (around £21) per day, and several guests mention noise from other guests at night.
One guest highlights: “Good location, good apartment and good facilities.”
See photos and book Benabola Hotel & Suites here.
5. San Pedro de Alcántara - best area for families and local atmosphere 👨👩👧
- 📍 Distance to the centre: About 10 kilometres west of Marbella’s centre and 3 kilometres from Puerto Banús. San Pedro is a town in its own right but belongs to the municipality of Marbella.
- 🚌 Transport: Local buses run from Bulevar de San Pedro to Puerto Banús and Marbella, and a taxi to Puerto Banús takes less than 10 minutes. This is also where you head up the A-397 mountain road towards Ronda.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: About 50 minutes by taxi or hire car, and if you take a taxi, expect to pay a little more than the fare to Marbella.
- 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three hotels below cost around 69 to 113 euros (around £60 to £95) per night when I searched.
- 👮 Safety: Calm and safe, with lots of families out in the streets in the evening. Outside the summer holidays, it’s quiet after midnight.
San Pedro de Alcántara was founded in the second half of the 19th century, when the Marqués del Duero bought land here and built an agricultural colony with sugar cane plantations and sugar mills. Today it’s an ordinary Spanish town where people actually live, with a small church square, tapas bars, a weekly market and prices that make sense. In the middle of town is Bulevar de San Pedro, a long park with playgrounds, fountains and a wave-shaped footbridge, built on top of the old main road.
From the centre, it’s about a 15-minute walk down to the beach and the seafront promenade, which continues east to Puerto Banús. Along the coast there are also Roman remains, including the Las Bóvedas baths at Guadalmina. San Pedro is also a good base for day trips to the west. Ronda is about an hour’s drive up in the mountains, and if you don’t have a car, you can take a day trip to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas from Marbella for around 69 euros (around £60). Gibraltar, where entry to the nature reserve on the Rock costs extra, is also about an hour’s drive away, and you’ll find more ideas in my guide to things to do in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol.
See hotels in San Pedro de Alcántara here.
I’d stay here if you’re a family with children, or if you want Marbella for less and don’t need to be near Plaza de los Naranjos.
The downside is that there isn’t much to see in San Pedro itself, and the beach is some way from the town centre. There are no proper luxury hotels in town either, so if you want a five-star resort, look at the Golden Mile instead.
Hotels in San Pedro de Alcántara
Paloma Blanca Boutique Hotel - boutique hotel with a saltwater pool two minutes from the beach
Paloma Blanca is in Cortijo Blanco between San Pedro and Puerto Banús, about a two-minute walk from the beach. It’s a small hotel with an outdoor saltwater pool, a restaurant, a bar and a gym, and private parking costs 10 euros (around £8) per day. It was the most expensive of the three, and some guests find the sun loungers by the pool uncomfortable.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Lovely little hotel. Extremely clean.”
See photos and book Paloma Blanca Boutique Hotel here.
NH San Pedro de Alcántara - practical chain hotel in the middle of town
NH San Pedro is on Calle Jerez right by Bulevar de San Pedro, so you have shops, restaurants and buses just outside the door. The breakfast buffet includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and public parking nearby costs 16 euros (around £13) per day. There’s no pool, the beach is about 1.3 kilometres away, and some guests can hear the neighbouring rooms.
From a review: “Good value for money and a good location.”
See photos and book NH San Pedro de Alcántara here.
Hostal Alisol Boutique San Pedro - cheap and spotless guesthouse in the centre
Hostal Alisol Boutique is on Calle Diecinueve de Octubre in the middle of San Pedro, a few minutes’ walk from Bulevar de San Pedro. The rooms are simple and modern, there’s a sun terrace, and the price was the lowest in this entire guide. There’s no pool and only street parking, and several guests mention thin walls.
One guest highlights: “Spotlessly clean throughout.”
See photos and book Hostal Alisol Boutique San Pedro here.
6. Elviria & Cabopino - best area for peace, nature and a road trip 🌿
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Elviria is about 10 kilometres east of Marbella’s centre, and Cabopino is a further 3 kilometres to the east.
- 🚗 Transport: You’ll need a car here. Buses run along the main road towards Marbella and Fuengirola, but it’s a long way from the hotels to the bus stops.
- ✈️ Time from Málaga Airport: Around 30 minutes by car or taxi, making it the area in this guide closest to the airport.
- 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly €77 to €303 (around £65 to £255) per night when I searched.
- 👮 Safety: Very quiet and safe. In the evening the residential areas are dark and quiet, so bring a torch if you’re walking back from the beach.
Elviria is a leafy area of villas and holiday homes east of Marbella, with pine forest, golf courses and some of the widest sandy beaches in the municipality, including Playa de Elviria and Playa de la Víbora. In the middle of the area there’s a small shopping centre with a supermarket and a handful of restaurants, and there’s a market on Fridays. The beach bars along the seafront are more laid-back and cheaper than those on the Golden Mile.
Further east is Cabopino, with a small marina and the Dunas de Artola dunes, which are protected as a natural monument. A wooden boardwalk leads through the dunes to the old Torre de los Ladrones watchtower, and the beach in front is one of the nicest on the whole Costa del Sol. Note that part of the beach west of the breakwater is a nudist beach.
See hotels in Elviria and Cabopino here.
I’d stay here if you’re travelling by car and want peace, beaches and nature, or if you’re a family needing a flat with a kitchen and pool for a week or two. You can pick up a hire car at the airport and compare prices on car hire at Booking.com. With a car you’re also quickly in Fuengirola and Mijas, and if you’d rather stay closer to Málaga, I’ve written a guide on where to stay in Málaga.
The downside is that you depend on a car or taxi every time you want to go into Marbella, and it’s very quiet in the evenings outside high season. Many of the beach restaurants also close during the winter months, so check what’s open before you book.
Hotels in Elviria and Cabopino
Don Carlos Marbella - five-star resort with large gardens running down to the beach
Don Carlos is on Avenida Zurita with direct access to the beach at Elviria. There are several pools, including a heated main pool, plus a spa, tennis courts and a kids’ club, so it’s a good choice for families who want everything in one place. Parking costs €27.50 (around £23) a day, and some guests feel the location is too far from town.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Fantastic and luxurious, it met all our wishes for a relaxing family holiday.”
See photos and book Don Carlos Marbella here.
Ona Alanda Club Marbella - aparthotel with four pools 250 metres from the beach
Ona Alanda Club is in Elviria, about 250 metres from the beach, and has apartments with kitchenettes, three outdoor pools and an indoor pool. There’s a kids’ club, a restaurant and free parking nearby, while the private underground car park costs €20 (around £17) a day. Several guests say the décor is in need of a refresh, and the birds are quick to steal food at breakfast.
From one review: “A great place for a holiday.”
See photos and book Ona Alanda Club Marbella here.
Sercotel VIME La Reserva de Marbella - budget apartments with pools surrounded by nature near Cabopino
La Reserva de Marbella sits in the hills above Cabopino, about 2 kilometres from the beach. You stay in apartments with kitchenettes, and there are two outdoor pools, a heated indoor pool, a gym and a sauna, and the price was the lowest of the three. You’ll need a car, and several guests mention wear and damage in the apartments, especially to the doors.
One guest highlights: “Beautiful location and stunning nature.”
See photos and book Sercotel VIME La Reserva de Marbella here.
Where not to stay in Marbella?
I’d avoid hotels that call themselves Marbella but are up by the motorway or in the residential neighbourhoods north of the A-7, where it’s a long way to both the beach and the Old Town, and where there’s nowhere to walk to in the evening. Also be wary of the many golf and villa developments in the hills, which look lovely in the photos but mean you need a car for everything.
If you’re travelling with children or want a good night’s sleep, avoid staying right by the harbour in Puerto Banús, where the partying goes on late into the night in the summer months. Also check whether a flat is actually on the beach or just has "beach" in its name, as many are on the other side of the main road.
If it’s your first trip to Marbella, I’d stay in the Old Town or in the centre by the seafront promenade, where you can walk everywhere. If you want to treat yourself, the Golden Mile is the obvious choice, and if you want nightlife, stay in Puerto Banús. If you’re a family wanting more for your money, San Pedro de Alcántara is the best bet, and if you’re driving around in a hire car, Elviria and Cabopino are the quietest options.
There are no trains to Marbella, so from the airport you take a car, a taxi or the direct bus, which according to the airport’s own website runs to Marbella bus station. If you’re continuing your tour of Andalusia afterwards, I also have guides on where to stay in Granada and where to stay in Seville.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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