Luxury destinations gain popularity in Sotogrande and Alcaidesa on Costa del Sol
Luxury destinations gain popularity in Sotogrande and Alcaidesa on Costa del Sol
The municipality of San Roque, where the Sotogrande residential complex is located, is experiencing a new wave of interest from a new type of owner who buys property to enjoy it year-round.
Sotogrande S.A. has already sold 6 of the most exclusive villas in the La Reserva residential complex. Socimi Millenium is repositioning the Alcaidesa area, where it acquired two golf courses, and is developing a new La Hacienda project. A month ago, Accor opened SO/Sotogrande — its first hotel in Spain and first resort in Europe. The Azotea gastronomic group, known for its rooftop terraces, opened the “Sal Verde” restaurant on San Roque beach last summer.
Growth and demographics
Multiple data points indicate that serious changes are occurring in San Roque. This Cadiz municipality, just steps from the Strait of Gibraltar where the Sotogrande village is located, has grown from 30,000 to 34,000 residents in two years, and according to forecasts by its mayor, Ruiz Boys, will reach 50,000 by 2050.
Although the territory is generally called Sotogrande, attention is focused on separate districts and complexes. The desire to invest confirms what locals have long known: this is a place not only for vacation, but for year-round living.
Golf and lifestyle
Campo de Gibraltar, in addition to beaches, climate, gastronomy and culture, is a place of attraction for golf enthusiasts. San Roque has seven golf clubs with nine courses — a total of 180 holes — three of which are in the top 50 best in Europe (Valderrama, Real Club de Sotogrande and San Roque Club). In this sport, peak seasons fall between March-June and September-November, making seasonality an increasingly less significant factor.
Tranquility and harmony remain Sotogrande’s calling card, but generations aged 35 to 50 who spent their childhood here are demanding other types of services, housing and infrastructure. With the onset of the pandemic, more and more professionals are deciding to live and work on this coast. For example, Sotogrande International School, one of Spain’s best schools, accepted 150 new students this year.
Sotogrande is more than just a residential area
Sotogrande S.A. is Andalusia’s largest private residential complex. As a village, it offers a secure environment with its own security, although there are also public access zones. In 2014, French fund Orion acquired this complex from NH, and in 2017 another fund, Cerberus, bought out the entire package and delisted the company from the stock exchange.
Within the complex are various residential zones. Traditionally they are divided (from old to new) into: Sotogrande Costa, Sotogrande Marina, Puerto Deportivo and Sotogrande Alto, where La Reserva is located.
But 21st-century Sotogrande has a clear place on the map: La Reserva (in Sotogrande Alto) — the area that has attracted the most real estate press attention over the past three years. Within it are four more gated complexes (El Mirador, The Seven, The 15 and Lagoon Villas). All enjoy the La Reserva de Sotogrande golf club, its Clubhouse and The Beach, as well as various sports facilities and services.
The six villas comprising El Mirador were sold over two years for prices ranging from 6 to 11 million euros. According to some media reports, the first buyer in late 2019 was former Russian minister and golf entrepreneur Viktor Khristenko. While the identities of the other five El Mirador owners are not disclosed, the company confirms that none of them are Spanish, with their origins being Russian, German, English, Kuwaiti and Italian.
La Hacienda de Alcaidesa: golf and luxury living by the sea
Socimi Millenium Hotels Real Estate (MHRE) acquired 90,000 square meters for 33.2 million euros almost two years ago in the estate known as La Hacienda de San Roque. The deal also included companies Alcaidesa Holding and Alcaidesa Golf, which own, among other assets, a 50,000 sq. m plot for residential and hotel development, two golf courses (Alcaidesa Links and Alcaidesa Heathland) and a clubhouse of more than 5,000 sq. m, whose restoration and management will be handled by Azotea Grupo.
This project, work on which has already begun, plans to launch two golf courses in 2022, when reconstruction of Alcaidesa Links will be completed. This will make it one of the few Links-type courses (to earn this category, at least 10 holes must have sea views) in the world with sea views (and Gibraltar) from all 18 holes.
The hotel, which will likely be operated by Fairmont thanks to its luxury positioning and experience in golf accommodation, is planned to open in 2023, although MHRE reports that a final decision has not yet been made. The concept provides for a luxury 144-room hotel with a golf course. Additionally, a complex of 55 private villas will be built with the same services as the hotel (dining, housekeeping…), following the American residence complex model.
According to Javier Illán, CEO of MHRE: “We aim to reposition this unique seaside area, unlike other territories in the San Roque municipality.” The La Hacienda development — both hotel and villas — will be oriented toward the sea. This area will undoubtedly be associated with golf, luxury recreation and fine dining.
Hotels respond to demand
Until now, Sotogrande had only two hotels — NH Almenara and Puerto Deportivo Hotel. Together they barely had 300 hotel rooms. After almost two years of closure, Almenara was transformed after extensive renovation into SO/Sotogrande hotel by the Accor group — the first resort launched in Europe.
With panoramic views of Sotogrande and the sea, the new hotel offers 152 rooms, 36 of which are suites, “with gastronomic space and a wellness area for relaxation.”
MHRE’s CEO told EXPANSIÓN that his company plans to build another hotel on the golf course grounds. Similar in size to the one that will be ready in 2023, the new hotel will be positioned in the health and wellness segment, complementing the premium offerings for owners and young visitors. As Marc Topiol, president of Sotogrande, explains, the new generation of residents is interested not only in “where” but much more in “how.”
Focus on gastronomy
Azotea Grupo (owners of the Círculo de Bellas Artes terrace and Picalagartos in Madrid, as well as the recently opened Justa Rufina in Seville) has also come to Costa del Sol. In neighboring Chiclana, El Cuartel del Mar on Playa de la Barrosa was recognized as the best beach bar according to the Repsol guide. The company led by journalist Cristina Lasvignes and her husband José Manuel García claims this place is worth visiting. “El Cuartel del Mar will operate year-round. In November we have an event for a multinational automotive company that will present a new model at the European level for 30 consecutive days.”
Azotea’s beach establishments are more than just ordinary beach bars. El Cuartel del Mar in Chiclana de la Frontera became the most sought-after space on the Andalusian coast this summer. In the new La Hacienda complex in Alcaidesa, the gastronomic group is preparing a very ambitious project — both on the coastline and on the golf courses and in the hotel.
“In Alcaidesa, even with one of the two golf courses (Links) closed for reconstruction, there were more daily pass applications at Heathland in September and October than before when both courses were operating — another sign of the area’s exponential growth,” says José Manuel García, CEO of the group.
These are complementary development directions: new residential complexes, highly positioned hotels and first-class gastronomic offerings. They have all appeared simultaneously in a place with some of the world’s best golf courses, and new projects are expected to continue developing this coast.