Anantara Villa Padierna Palace
Benahavís, Spain
★ Verified by our editors · June 2026
The verdict
A Roman-Tuscan-style 'museum hotel' in the hills of Benahavís above Marbella, hung with more than 1,200 works of art, wrapped around three golf courses and a grand spa with Roman baths. Big, opulent and resort-scale — strongest for golf, spa and families who want space and facilities rather than intimate boutique character.
Golfers, spa-goers and families wanting a grand, art-filled resort with space and three courses at the door.
You want a small design boutique or a beachfront room — this is a large hilltop golf-and-spa palace.
Book a pool villa, and make time for the Roman-bath thermal circuit at the spa between rounds of golf.
The rooms
Around 130 spacious rooms, suites and pool villas in a palatial Roman-Tuscan style, hung with part of the hotel's 1,200-piece art collection; generous marble bathrooms and terraces over the gardens or golf. Opulent and classical rather than contemporary-minimal.
The setting
On a rise between Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona, surrounded by three golf courses, gardens, a lake and a Roman amphitheatre, about ten minutes inland from the beach (with a beach club on the coast). A grand, resort-scale estate.
The food
Ten restaurants and bars across the resort cover Mediterranean, Spanish and international cooking, from poolside lunches to more formal dinners, with the golf and spa shaping the rhythm of the day.
Getting there
About 40 minutes from Málaga airport; Puerto Banús and Marbella are 15–20 minutes, Estepona 15. A car is recommended given the hillside golf-resort setting; ample parking on site.
Good to know
A large Leading Hotels of the World golf-and-spa resort (Anantara) rather than a boutique — the art collection, three courses and Roman-bath spa are the headline draws. Best for golf, wellness and families wanting facilities and space.
