The beachside urbanisation of Guadalmina is lush and emerald green, and provides a peaceful sanctuary for those wishing to take a step back from the hustle and bustle found in nearby Puerto Banús and Marbella. Situated close to Marbella and Puerto Banús - and only 60 kilometres from Málaga Airport - Guadalmina is easily accessible from either side and can be reached via the N340 careterra, making it a popular choice for both tourists and residents.
Most of the long-standing buildings in Guadalmina retain their traditional Moorish style, while new developments embrace a more contemporary edge, making Guadalmina one of the most eclectic, inspired urbanisations around. At the beginning of Guadalmina Alta – which is the centre of the urbanisation – there’s even Miami-inspired offices that look they’ve been plucked straight from the shores of South Beach!

The Guadalmina Commercial Centre in Guadalmina Alta is the hub of the urbanisation, and comprises a large supermarket, numerous banks, a broad selection of shops, and a variety of different restaurants, cafés, bars and local businesses. The English bookstore has proved particularly popular with the locals, who often sit outside and enjoy a book with a refreshment in the afternoon sun. The commercial centre is also an excellent place to shop when furnishing your home, offering a good selection of high-end interior design shops and several cheaper furniture outlets. There’s also a wonderful bakery to be found here, where office workers clamour for their breakfast, lunch and take-away coffees. It certainly beats Starbucks!

Schooling options in the area have also proved to be one of Guadalmina’s biggest crowd-pullers, with Calpe College, Aloha College and Swans Primary School all in close proximity. The school-run in the morning that winds its way under and over Guadalmina’s roads has become synonymous with the area, and has made it a popular choice for ex-pat families to come and settle.

Guadalmina Golf provides two 18-hole par 72 courses and a 9-hole practice course, and is the second oldest club on the Coast. Located just one kilometre west of San Pedro de Alcántara, the club boasts wide undulated fairways that wind through several recently erected developments. This doesn’t detract from the beauty of the club, however, with the South Course enjoying flat, English-style fairways, and the North Course boasting spectacular views and meticulously kept greens. The Monte Major, Atalaya Golf and El Paraiso courses are also close by too, should players want an alternative game.

The four-star Golf Hotel Guadalmina is the area’s most renowned hotel, and is an ideal place for golfers to rest their weary heads. As well as easy access to Guadalmina Golf, the hotel comprises 178 well-appointed rooms and suites, four high-class restaurants – including Cocoa, Taray, Acqua and the Beach Club – and a luxurious in-house spa in which to unwind, with a thermal circuit, several treatment rooms and an expansive wellness centre.

Guadalmina’s beach – Playa de Guadalmina – stretches some 1,600 metres across the foot of the urbanisation, and is covered in thick, golden sand. The Mediterranean that laps at the shore is crystal-clear, and is where beachgoers can enjoy a simple swim or a variety of activities, such as hiring a pedalo, surfing, jet skiing and windsurfing. Quality amenities – such as toilets, showers, watchtowers, lifeguards, first aid and two bars – ensure that the beach maintains its proud blue flag rating.

While it may not be the largest urbanisation on the Coast, it is certainly one of the best. Those who live and stay here often find they have no reason to leave, except from the occasional trip to the airport or into nearby San Pedro or Estepona. Guadalmina is one of the few places in the Costa del Sol that attracts both the young and old, with its many amenities geared towards both.