Hotel Vincci Seleccion Estrella Del Mar

The rectangular brick building doesn’t prepare arriving guests for the elegant interior spaces within this Mediterranean-style hotel. On entry, guests encounter polished white marble floors and circular settee benches placed under exquisite chandeliers suspended from the second floor. A vintage, Middle Eastern-style trunk rests next to a majestic marble staircase that’s framed by soaring walls with dark latticework. The lobby is large and airy, with a marble front desk in a corner. Exterior hallways overlook the beautiful gardens and expansive lawns dotted with large palms. Covered outdoor seating facing the nearby ocean provides nice spaces to sip a drink or have a meal with a great view. The hotel’s Beach Club has a spectacular spa and infinity pool overlooking the ocean. This is a quiet hotel, designed to encourage relaxation for the vacationing families and couples who stay here.

The Vincci Seleccion is located in a quiet residential area just south of the N-340, the main road that runs through Marbella and along the coast. A few restaurants are within a five- to six-minute walk of the hotel, but there's little else within easy walking distance in this somewhat isolated location. The hotel isn’t directly on the beach (it's about a five-minute walk), but its lovely Beach Club has a waterfront spot and includes a restaurant and bar. Two other beaches -- Nikki Beach and Cabopino Beach -- are seven and 10 minutes driving, respectively. A few golf courses are within an eight- to 10-minute drive. Marbella’s bustling Old Town is a 13-minute drive. Its attractions include Alameda Park with its tropical gardens, and the Contemporary Spanish Engraving Museum, featuring works by Picasso and Dali. Other Old Town sights include the Plaza de los Naranjos, a square of Castilian Renaissance design, and the Chapel of Santiago, the oldest religious building in the city. The Plaza de Toros bullfighting ring can be reached in 11 minutes by car, while Puerto Banus Marina is a 16-minute drive. Malaga Airport is a 35-minute drive, as is Selwo Marina Delfinarium, with its dolphin shows and penguin exhibits. 

The 137 rooms at the Vincci Seleccion Estrella del Mar are elegant and sophisticated but not opulent. Floors are mostly terra-cotta framed by green tile, and the wood, designer-quality furniture resembles a rustic Mission style in both light and dark finishes. Wood furniture includes desks, dressers, headboards, nightstands, and bureaus. Matching white upholstered sofa beds and armchairs are clustered with gray leather ottomans. The painted walls and solid drapes are white, and modern art in subdued colors decorates the walls. The white bedding is covered by bedspreads in white, black, and gray stripes, and bed skirts are gray. All rooms have an outdoor space -- balconies or patios -- furnished with tables and chairs. Views are typically of the beautiful grounds and pool areas, and some rooms have ocean views. 

Superior (standard) Rooms are spacious and come with double or two twin beds. Larger Family Rooms and Suites are available, including two-story Duplex Suites with two full bathrooms. The roomy bathrooms are more opulent than the bedroom areas. They feature twin black-marble vanities and partial walls. Black marble also frames the white ceramic soaking tubs. The separate walk-in showers are tiled in tan marble, and they have rainfall showerheads and frosted glass doors. Tan marble also lines the floors and walls of the toilet/bidet areas that are separated from the rest of the bathrooms by more frosted glass. Standard amenities include electronic safes, robes, slippers, minibars, flat screen TVs, magnifying mirrors, and Vincci brand toiletries. Free wired Internet is included, but in-room Wi-Fi requires a fee. Suites include Nespresso coffeemakers. Coffeemakers in other room categories are available for a surcharge. Designated smoking rooms are available as well.

Swimming pools are seemingly everywhere on the beautiful grounds of this resort hotel. Three outdoor pools and a kids' pool are available to all guests, but the two indoor pools, two indoor whirlpools, and outdoor infinity pool at the Beach Club require a fee. Children under 16 are not allowed in the Beach Club, which also has a large, well-equipped fitness center and the full-service Nammu Spa. The spa offers various massages, facials, and other body treatments, as well as locker and shower facilities. The Beach Club’s restaurant and bar (accessible without an additional fee) offers covered outdoor seating. Cabanas, lounge chairs, and umbrellas are available for rent at the beach, which is about a three-minute walk from the hotel lobby. 

The main hotel also has a small fitness center, a wine and tapas bar, a buffet restaurant that serves breakfast (for a fee), lunch, and dinner. Fine dining is offered at the Baraka restaurant that serves Mediterranean cuisine for lunch and dinner. A poolside bar also offers snacks. The check-in and concierge desks are staffed 24/7. Valet dry cleaning and laundry services are available, and self-serve guest laundry facilities are on-site. The hotel has a parking garage, but parking is not free. Wi-Fi is free in public areas only; in-room connections cost an additional fee. The business center has Internet access, and meeting facilities are available from up to 150 people. The hotel offers free babysitting and supervised kids’ activities. Free newspapers are available in the lobby, and currency exchange services are offered at the front desk.