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We just spent four very pleasant days on a half board package in a junior suite at Los Monteros. The Marbella area has a beautiful climate in this sheltered area on the southernmost coast of Spain and Los Monteros is well placed to take advantage of it. The hotel has been round a long time and seen many changes with the current economic climate taking its toll here just like the rest of Spain. There is clearly not enough profit to allow the investment required to maintain the highest standards expected of a luxury five star hotel in this competitive market. A new spa in the process of being built however much required to maintain its position is not enough to differentiate it from the rest of the market. More basic hotel management is required like a fresh coat of paint everywhere especially the white exteriors, weeding and propagating all the gardens not just the main public areas, and cleaning out the ponds and water features. Perhaps they are waiting for the spa to be finished but it is this kind of attention to detail is what separates the best from the also rans. Be prepared for the late check in 4pm in case you are scheduled on an early flight because you could be hanging around for quite a while waiting for access to your room.However, lets not be too critical. Los Monteros is a very nice hotel with many plus points. Friendly and experienced staff help to enjoy the overall experience. Nice gardens and swimming pool make for a pleasant and restful experience. La Cabane is available for those who want the ultimate luxury five minutes away down by the sea, just be prepared for the extra costs involved for sun loungers and expensive buffets. The breakfasts are superb with fresh fruits of the highest quality and eggs cooked to order. This makes it worth getting a breakfast inclusive deal which is usually enough to see you through to dinner unless you have a large appetite. Lunch and dinner options are more limited and many might prefer the bright lights of Marbella and Puerto Banus for a more varied gastronomic experience. Clients need to be aware of the location which is a ten minute, ten euro taxi ride from Marbella itself, double that to Puerto Banus. There is nothing around the hotel itself, apart from private villas, and some people may not like the relative isolation. For many a hire car would provide the necessary independence. Young people in particular may not be so happy here but the older generation would probably prefer the peace and quiet.

The hotel is stunning. We had a superior room which was very large with a great sitting area & large terrace with sun loungers. The bathroom had every fitting you could want including a whirlpool bath & rainwater shower. The corridors to the rooms were wide & had indoor gardens at intervals. The staff were very helpful & friendly. The breakfasts were to die for with everything you could imagine including champagne (prosecco really but still a nice touch) Overall a very beautiful hotel. The only downside & it's really a big one is that you are 1. NOT on the beach there is a hotel bus to take you there,is in walking distance if you would rather. Once you get there the beach club is absolutely stunning but bear in mind that it's not open on mondays possibly tuesdays-we left on monday. 2. NOT in Marbella-it's a 11 euro taxi drive away-Marbella beach front is a bit like Blackpool but the old town is charming. Puerto Banus is very nice. There are many boutiques with liquidation sales. There are the usual designer boutiques but also some very reasonably priced ones amongst them.All in all it's a fantastic hotel but you are a bit marooned there as there's nothing else around.

This is a lovely hotel but our standard room was rather dated and faced on to the motorway which was disappointing. The room was very clean and comfortable with lovely toiletries and chocolates at bedtime. The t.v was upgraded but in fact it was worse after the change!! Perhaps a cheaper package was offered? The staff were pleasant. The grounds and pool areas were well kept. Breakfast was excellent with Moet on offer. As usual drinks and food were very expensive. Reduce the prices to entice guests. Taxis were expensive but readily available at the hotel. A return trip to the casino in Puerto Banus was 45 euros. Not a good casino-no atmosphere. Hire a car to visit other places. Avoid Fueringola at all costs. Benelmadena is lovely. Good eateris and a good atmophere in general. Cheap and easy parking.

Nice hotel conveniently located.Room and the pools were great and service was excellent.Not all English speakers at the hotel and can be a problem, but helpful.Not full of English holidayers and more Spanish flavour.Only downside is you need a shuttle or drive down to the beach, but not far away.

We spent three nights at Los Monteros just before Easter. It is outside of Marbella, but there is a taxi rank at the hotel, so we found it great to just forget about the car and leave it in their car park. We had a standard room, but it had everything we wanted. The breakfast was excellent with good service, but we were staying out of season. We ate in the restaurant once and the meal was one of the best we've had for a while and again with very friendly service. The only negative we had was that we didn't manage to turn the heating down in our room, but we didn't ask anyone to look at it, so it wasn't too big an issue. We like to have a window open at night anyway. We live in southern Spain and will definitely stay there again when we fancy a short break.