Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavis Marbella Resort

We had a lovely time at the "experience in pergola". The food and the service were amazing. Specifcally the waiter Adrian Rubio catered to us so professionallly it was a delight.

So after email communications with the hotel directly (always better?) a grande suite was booked with wrap around terrace as outside space was the priority which came with the promise of a better view… we hoped of the surrounding golf course. It was after all a special birthday holiday. On arrival late the first evening hotel was full (wedding in full swing) but we’d been upgraded! A 2 floor 1 bedroom villa how promising… uhm … with no terrace looking at a wall downstairs and a carpark from first floor. It also logistically didn’t work for 3. Back next morning to negotiate with reception. Ultimately after several conversations we were given a very lovely spacious 2 bedroom suite … with a small terrace overlooking the road. What we’d booked wasn’t available (but they’d accepted the booking!) and what we’d got was an upgrade so that was that. A view was available in next category but that would be even more money. Moral of story don’t over invest in your room or take the hotels word for it even when booking direct .. with hindsight we would have been just as happy in our normal junior suite and saved a lot(!) of money. We feel very aggrieved with how this was handled and resolved … sharp practise on the hotels part. The hotel is like 2 very different worlds. When there isn’t a wedding it’s very calm and sedate.However it is wedding venue central … 2 during the week we were there … multi day affairs with another one rocking up as we left. In wedding mode the hotel becomes very busy, loud, drinking from early morning around the pool, service to non wedding guests is definitely compromised (not just room allocation!) and the wedding disco can be enjoyed by all at dinner as well as the hotel background music! Great if you are part of the celebrations less so if you are a listening observer. Restaurants staff are lovely, very friendly and I would say overstretched. Service is definitely not 5 star. We had difficulty with our room key daily and it was quite a hike back to reception … sometimes through wedding guests at the wedding service … we did feel a bit under dressed and I think they thought our passing presence was a bit odd too. WiFi was also poor in our beautiful spacious room. The hotel is near nothing .. with a minimum taxi fare €50 round trip to other restaurants. Hence hotel food is priced accordingly … more than 5* expensive .. eg açai bowl at pool €25 … eye watering. The spa is a fab add on facility at the end of each day. We enjoyed the golf another researched reason for selecting the hotel as the birthday boy was a golfer. Our rate included extras which staff seemed unaware of … a signature 3course meal but which restaurant? … massages .. which only applied only to certain ones only identified afterwards … free soft drinks but you needed to ask for them. And guess what they were all on the first draft of the bill! .. very poor attention to detail. In summary the hotel is very beautiful .. setting is absolutely stunning, luxurious rooms … but the main priority is on weddings. It fails significantly on providing effortless 5* service and in understanding guest expectations.

Overall, the stay was good but I don’t think it’s truly 5 star (though the price is not outrageous either). The lobby and Eddy’s bar are lovely - service in Eddy’s was always very good. The rooms are nice but a little dated. Air conditioning is not great at all. First room we were given was directly above the entrance overlooking the cars and had to move - not a room they should be offering at all and felt a bit fobbed off. Breakfast is nice, although would prefer more homemade breads/pastries rather than tonnes of brought in stuff. Had dinner one evening in the Italian restaurant and thought it was massively overpriced and average - like eating in a generic hotel “fine dining” restaurant in the 1980’s. Tip: get the shuttle to the beach club and go to Kai Gastrobar for dinner - much more interesting food, friendly service, and €100 for two with a bottle of wine. Prices in the restaurant are a bit obscene at €20 a g&t, €9 a beer and €40/50+ for a main in any restaurant none of which were great.

We come to Villa Padierna quite frequently, the hotel, its surroundings and the staff are simply fantastic! In La Pergola (the pool restaurant) Adrian always looks after us and is a credit to the brand. Couldn’t recommend this hotel more for a stay in Marbella!

Stunning hotel with excellent service beautiful decor and surroundings. Absolutely stunning spa experience. Have stayed in many five star hotels in Spain and Estepona and this has to be in my top three. Excellent support from co cierge desk with a number of external bookings. Would highly recommend.