Beautiful Costa Del Sol

May and October are the two best months to go as I was informed. I went in May and the weather was perfect! The coastline is so gorgeous and is so relaxing to just walk along any time of the day or sit in a lounger and just watch the people. The town of Mijas is delightful, up the mountain and you can be there in 25 minutes. Their town square is easily navigated on foot and found some good buys on leather and ceramics. They also have carts which are pulled by donkeys that is fun to do. The town of Puerto Banus is the "rich and famous" town, great for people watching and fancy cars. Good shopping at a local mall there.

Quick Tips:

Good walking shoes are a must. Be sure and pack an extra bag and bubble wrap to wrap all the ceramics you'll want to bring home! There are various sorts of eating establishment for which ever type of food you are looking for. The local fare seems to be seafood. But you can get any kind of meal you might be hungry for.

Best Way To Get Around:

Car rental is desirable to get from one town to another. The small streets are scary though but not to bad if you have two people in the vehicle. The public transportation is fair with the bus service. You can get from one place to another along the coast from Malaga to Puerto Banus but they aren't always on time. The towns of Mijas, Ronda, Gibraltar, Puerto Banus, and Marbella are easily done on foot with good shoes.

A very classy five-star hotel right on the beach in Marbella, Spain. I had a beautiful ocean view room overlooking the Costa Del Sol. There were three restaurants: one for the morning breakfast buffet, which had everything you could want for breakfast from fruit and yogurt to eggs and pastry. Then they had the Beach Club which was located by one of the three pools, which served sandwiches, salads, and appetizers: they were open till 4pm. They also had a restaurant only open in the evening and a bar and nightclub.

The grounds were spectacular! Beautiful flowers, plants, and walking path to the ocean. All of the staff were very helpful and willing to answer any questions and offer suggestions to make your stay the best ever. Room's amenities included safe, hairdryer, 25-inch TV, minibar, desk, and a beautiful view!

Best Things Nearby:
Very centrally located to the coast of Spain. Beach less than one mile away and a local shuttle would take you there. Local grocery store was less than a mile away and the timeshare had a small market right on site where you could obtain grocery items when just arriving. Just down the street were multiple eating establishments to pick from for lunches and dinners: English, Indian, Chinese, Swiss etc. -- all of which were delightful. Nearby towns of Marbella and Puerto Banus were good for shopping.

Best Things About the Resort:
Nice and centrally located for visiting the local towns and beaches. Very friendly staff that always greeted you with a smile and hello. They were so willing to help you have a wonderful visit. Timeshare itself was clean and had all the amenities you would need to either eat in or out, whichever you desired. Local cafe: Cafe Marbella served breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the staff there was equally pleasant. Very helpful tour staff to assist in local tours every day to different towns.

Resort Experience:
This trip was initially planned for three ladies of which two of them didn't travel with me. After much thought, I decided to go solo and could not have had a better time! The staff helped me navigate short trips with my car rental and even helped me with the rental. They also assisted and recommended the day trips with the local tour group, all of which were very good. Local towns of Mijas, Marbella, Puerto Banus, Granada, and Gibraltar all had excellant day trips.

The timeshare also has internet connection for contact with family, game room for children, exercise room, pools, and daily activities are offered. It was a wonderful experience and am looking forward to returning to this beautiful coast.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

This is a delightful restaurant right on the beach in Marbella. Local cuisine is seafood and there are multiple choices to pick from. It was recommended to me by the waiter to have the fresh fish (dorado), which was then put on the outdoor grill and charbroiled. It was then brought to my table and deboned and nicely prepared with potatoes and vegetables. They had a very nice selection of wine and beer also to accompany the meal. It was probably one of the best meals I ate on my trip.

Seemed to be a "hot spot" at night for beach parties too.

The Alhambra "Red Palace" is located in Granada. I went there on a tour from Club Marbella. It was operated by Jasmine Tours and they were a very good tour to go on for the day. The tour guide spoke four languages and three of these were used on our tour. They picked us up at the time share and everything ran on schedule. After a brief time at the local street market we were taken over to The Alhambra and were given a two-hour tour by a local guide of the beautiful palace. All rooms were explained in detail including the room where Christopher Columbus made the proposal to Queen Isabella that there was more beyond the Atlantic Ocean. There was plenty of time allowed for pictures and questions. The Court of Lions is a beautiful courtyard in the center of the palace. The gardens are also beautifully sculptured and the roses grow abundantly. Be sure to take lots of film for your pictures! Great time to go is in May. If you go with a tour your ticket is automatically in with the fee and there is no standing in lines for tickets and possibly being told it is sold out.