Hotel Fuerte Estepona Suites
Estepona
Normally we think that a bigger accommodation looks like a tourist factory but every now and then you have an exception to the rule.
Fuerte Estepona Suites is such an exception.
It is a brand-new project, opened in August 2010, the hotel has a spacious setup but it has something that attracted our attention. The setup is fresh and provides its guests a feeling of space. Furthermore the hotel is situated right on the beach, after a short walk through the hotel garden.
Within the complex you have many possibilities. You can choose a hotel room or an apartment with a kitchenette to show off your culinary skills.
The hotel has many facilities for their guests, to name a few:
• 4 swimming pools of which one especially for kids.
• Ideal for families, the hotel provides a well organised and carefully supervised Kids´Club. The Kids´Club opens daily for kids between 0-16 years old.
• Relax in the hotel Spa, with many treatments, and also has a sauna, Turkish bath, sensation shower and the ice fountain...
• Small supermarket.
• Tennis court; padel (try this, it is one of the bigger sports in Spain, a kind of combination between tennis and squash); volleyball.
• There are some restaurants, a beach grill and a few bars.
• Are you a golfer? You can really let yourself go! Within 7 kms you will come across courses of 6-18 holes and 1-9 holes. Within 20 km there are about 23 golf courses.
Already said, at this busy costa you have the feeling that you are away from it all, whilst you still in the middle of it.
The space is impressive, big rooms, immense reception, a place of large dimensions. It is for everybody nice staying without getting under some ones feet. A romantic stay with the two of you combines fine with the families with kids.
The hotel is located along the coastal road, however you will not notice. The location is a good base for day trips.
Fuerte Estepona Suites rises up the level of the many coastal hotels and is a great addition to the huge supply of hotels. We will anyway stay a weekend to relax in the near future!
Cons:
• The complex is spaciously laid out. This might result in a feeling of less personal attention of the staff. However we found the staff very friendly and welcoming.
Pros:
• Large-scale, but because of spacious setup you don´t have the feeling of a massive hotel.
• Many facilities including 4 swimming pools of which 1 especilly for kids.
• A huge project with the advantage that you don´t need to leave the grounds when you are not up to is. Everything is there for a nice and relaxing stay.
• Directly on the wide beach without crossing a road.
Hotel Fuerte Estepona Suites
facilities
Hotel
- There are a few restaurants: on the beach a grill restaurant for lunch. Furthermore the restaurant in the hotel serves a buffet for both breakfast and dinner.
- Bar.
- 4 Swimming pools.
- Garden and terrace.
- Relax in the Spa of the hotel.
- Gym.
- Tennis and padel courts.
- Internet connection (wifi) in every room (not free of charge).
- Children are welcome.
- Kids´Club.
- Rooms with wheelchair access.
- Lift.
- Pets are welcome (only on request).
- You can book a range of different excursions at the hotel.
- Hotel has its own car park.
- Hotel is on the Beach, at a distance of 6 kms to Estepona.
Rooms
Every room has air conditioning, heating, TV, telephone, internet connection (Wi-Fi), mini bar and a safe. Most rooms have a balcony/terrace. The rooms with sea views have their own balcony / terrace.
Fully-equipped bathrooms.
Hotel has 210 rooms, including double rooms with or without sea view, family rooms, suites with 1 bedroom, suites with 2 bedrooms and suites with 3 bedrooms. Most suites have at one´s disposal a kitchen.
Hotel Fuerte Estepona Suites
surrounding area
Estepona
Estepona started out as a small fishing village, but has been completely eclipsed by tourism. At first sight, Estepona does not really appeal with its massive coast-hugging hotel blocks and apartment buildings. But behind these temples to mass tourism you will still find everything that makes Spain Spanish: streets lined with orange trees and pretty squares, such as the Plaza Arce and Plaza de las Flores.
Active
The hotel can sort out your green fees and golf lessons at several golf courses in the area. There are over 25 golf courses in Marbella and Estepona, and over 40 on the whole Costa del Sol.
Other options include walks, an excursion in a 4x4, treks by bike or on horseback.
Family
A wide choice of beaches makes Estepona a suitable destination for families.
Close to Estepona you will find the safari park Selwo Aventura, with about 200 different animal species. Some animals can be seen from a 4x4 safari bus, or you can go on an adventurous walk across the park’s wire bridges (from the higher part of the park down to the bottom).
In Gibraltar (55km; 1h) you can take the cable car from Main Street up to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, where you can mingle with Europe’s last remaining wild monkeys, the tailless Barbary macaques. From Gibraltar you can also take a boat excursion into the bay of Algeciras to spot dolphins.
Nature
Trips by car through the hinterland of the Costa del Sol, to the Pueblos Blancos (white villages), for example, will take you through magnificent landscapes; and apart from that, you can go for walks, bike rides or treks on horseback in the adjacent Sierras.
Beach
There are plenty of wide beaches to choose from for a nice day out.
The Albero Lodge is at walking distance (about 100 metres) from the beach.
The following villages/towns in the area are definitely worth a visit:
Casares (28km; 30min):
Inland, hidden behind the coastal mountain range, there is a white village (pueblo blanco) that is definitely worth a visit: Casares. The drive up to Casares alone (first exit from Estepona), through a beautiful and varied landscape, is already worth it, but Casares’ setting exceeds all expectation. The village was built on top of a spectacular rock formation, surrounded by dramatic gorges. You can park your car at the entrance to the village, and venture into the village, with its narrow and steep streets, by foot. At the village’s highest points sits the old fortress with fine views of the surrounding area. On a clear day you can even see as far as the Rock of Gibraltar and the coast of Morocco.
Castellar de la Frontera (40km; 40min):
Another white village, this time inland from Sotogrande. This mountain village has been a favourite haunt of hippies and artists, and still exudes that atmosphere. Castellar is beautifully situated in the mountains.
Ronda (66km; 1h5min):
Ronda has one of the most spectacular settings in all of Southern Spain. Due to this town’s unassailable location, it was one of the last standing Moorish bastions, which only fell in 1485, when it was conquered by the Christians. The town is split in two by a spectacular gorge, with the southern part being the classic Moorish pueblo blanco with cobblestone streets, small fences in front of the windows and whitewashed walls all around. The new town on the other side of the gorge contains the Plaza de Toros (bull ring), the cradle of bullfighting; it was built in 1785 and is one of Spain’s oldest. The bridge that connects the two parts of Ronda, the Puente Nuevo, spans the 100-metre-deep gorge and has become Ronda’s most famous feature, drawing in millions of visitors every year.
Apart from the Plaza de Toros, the Palacio Mondragón is another important sight; this is a palace decorated with original Moorish mosaics and plastering.
About 15 km outside Ronda you will find caves, the Cueva de la Pileta (near Benaoján), with prehistoric paintings.
Málaga (90km; 1h):
The bustling port city of Málaga is Andalucía’s biggest city after Seville. It used to be an important trading port, because in the 19th century Málaga wine was exported all over Europe, until Phylloxera, the pest that had already destroyed grapevines all over Europe, reached Málaga and put an end to its wealth.
Málaga old town is the area around the cathedral. The Museo Picasso is also near the cathedral, and exhibits many of the works of this famous artist, who was born in Málaga. Further sights include the Alcazaba, one of the prime Moorish fortresses in Andalucía, and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, a 14th-century Moorish castle, which you can access through its beautiful gardens.
Also make sure you taste some of Málaga’s fine wines in a bodega, some of which also serve delicious tapas.
And you can, of course, head for one of these world famous cities for a day trip:
Granada (225km; 2h30min):
The Alhambra was the part of town where princes, nobility and court staff dwelled, on the hill right in the middle of Granada. The Alhambra is a huge complex, 720m in length and 220m wide. Clever use of space, light, water and decorative features are the Alhambra’s defining features.
On the hill opposite the Alhambra, the Albayzín quarter, is where Granada’s Moorish past is still most tangible. Stroll through its narrow streets, past villas with Moorish decoration and gardens, up to the Mirador de San Nicolás. This is where you will have the best views, of the roofs of Granada, with the Alhambra behind them, which makes for a stunning view, especially at sunset!
Seville (230km; 2h30min):
The capital of Andalucía is a compact city with a rich past. Most of its major sights are in or near the city centre on the Guadalquivir river’s left bank. And they also know how to party and have a good time in this city of flamenco and tapas.
As you wander through the old Jewish quarter, the Barrio Santa Cruz, through a maze of white streets and patios, you should not forget to take in the imposing cathedral, the Moorish bell tower, La Giralda, and the royal palace Real Alcázar.
You can unwind in the María Luisa park, where you can spend the hottest part of the day under orange trees and palm trees.
The museum Museo de Bellas Artes, one of Spain’s best museums of art, is a real must. And then there are its magnificent palaces and other sights, such as the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (bull ring); Casa de Pilatos and the Torre del Oro.