Hard Rock Hotel Marbella, travel review: a slice of Americana in sunny Malaga

Even if you haven’t hit Marbella, you’ll likely know its reputation for a thriving nightlife and gorgeous, tanned bodies poured into bikinis and swim trunks looking for a party (hence the aphorism ‘No carbs before Marbs’ - this is a coastline peopled with jaw-dropping figures). Hard Rock, by name and nature, is a brand that’s dedicated to a good time, so to have a hotel outpost in this Malagan sun spot makes perfect, synergistic sense.

If you’re searching for the type of spot that provides regularly rotating musical entertainment - including live music in the lobby and thumping beats provided by a DJ down by one of its two pools, then the Hard Rock Hotel is a natural choice. It bends over backwards to accommodate UK travellers too: all the staff speak English, the Wi-Fi is free, and the 24-hour room service is catered to a decidedly Western palate (and deep pockets).

The interior and feel of the hotel: memorabilia reigns supreme

Interior wise, the Hard Rock is pro forma for a higher end Spanish hotel: not full on luxurious, but certainly breezy and inviting, with terracotta tiled roofs, wrought-iron balconies, and a decidedly maximalist approach to interior decoration (taste? Who needs taste at a party?).

The draw for some will be a decidedly jaw-dropping selection of rock memorabilia dotted throughout the expansive lobby: it is difficult not to gawp at Prince’s purple jacket from the Purple Rain tour, a hand-penned letter from Janis Joplin to her lover, Jimi Hendrix’s bag or a guitar that was once played by Elvis Presley. The decision to exhibit a jacket worn by Michael Jackson without any mention on the placard of the singer’s disgraceful legacy is an odd one, but perhaps breezily representative of the Hard Rock’s approach to rock history: who cares about the particulars, focus on the glamour, the legend.

Do these talismans of musical history contain part of the magic of the moment they were forged into history? What is the use of this nostalgia? Should we be sceptical of valourising material representations of past glories? The Hard Rock Hotel isn’t too worried about any of this: have a cocktail, it suggests. Have a burger. Sit in the sun and listen to tunes. And, that is, what we did and it was, admittedly, awfully lovely.

24 hour party people: what to expect at the hotel

While Marbella is renowned for its party scene, if you are idle as well as interested in debauching the hotel is perfect: you don’t even need to leave the hotel to enjoy a rolling rosta of pool parties, DJ sets, and exceptional live performances (a flamenco dancer was particularly memorable). If you are after a fresh scene, though, it’s a ten minute walk to the beach under the main road, via a subway (head to the neighbouring Casino - the entrance to the subway is next to a giant topiary bear, as surreal as that sounds), where you can find plenty of hot spots to cavort on the seafront of Nueva Andalucía.

This is a huge hotel: some 383 rooms. These rooms are comfortably appointed, although their interiors are not what one might call minimalist - wallpaper is gold, patterns are wild. There are cute nods towards the musical theme: the headboards are designed to look like an equaliser, the lamps are trumpet-shaped, the bedding is covered with tiny guitars. Most rooms have spacious, pleasant balconies, which catch the sun at various points of the day depending on location. Air conditioning is effective and - crucially - not too noisy.

The walk-in shower is impressive, too, including a rainfall setting. And if you’re a big spender, the hotel’s one suite is utterly spectacular.

Swimming and sunning yourself: the outdoors area

After a refurb in 2022, the hotel now has two pool areas: Eden Pool, in which a DJ is located on a central island, blasting party tunes, and the more restive Sun Society swimming pool, which is altogether quieter: sit in one of the in-water loungers and read a book, or down a cocktail standing in the infinity pool that overlooks the beach.

What to eat and what to drink

Hard Rock is renowned for its All-American burgers, and you can grab a sublime example at either Eden Pool Club or Sun Society - all charred bacon and melted American cheese. Delicious. Alternatively, you can enjoy buffet dinner on site at Sessions, or à la carte at Nu Downtown, an Asian fusion restaurant.

All of these restaurants serve passable fare (indeed, we implore you heartily to have a burger at the hotel at least once - ideally nursing a mild hangover, which, let’s face it, life at the hotel actively encourages you to cultivate). But while we could envisage a blissful holiday in every regard at Hard Rock Hotel Marbella, we implore you to make the voyage out to try the excellent food available in Marbella.

Make a beeline to Alelí Marbella, owned by Spanish celebrity (and Michelin star-winning) chef Dani García. As perverse as it may sound to recommend an Italian restaurant in Spain, the food is so accomplished, a plethora of colourful, inventive dishes with such depth of flavours you’ll remember the meal forever: from smoky cured coppa, precisely al dente pastas, to focaccia dipped in ferociously ferrous olive oil. God, to be back there. The outdoor courtyard, with seats nestled between abundant vines and lemon groves, is a triumph in itself. A must.

If you want to enjoy Garcia’s cooking in a more traditional mode, head to Tragabuches, which serves up heartier Andalusian fare: from a just-set tortilla, to ribboned Iberian ham, to a sumptuous soft suckling pig: all perfectly paired with robust reds from the restaurant’s impressive, extensive wine cellar.

Sustainability

The hotel makes some gestures towards sustainability, though some may read them as inconveniences: bedding and towels are only changed on request, and the restaurants do not have paper menus, rather QR codes.

Accessibility

With 11 accessible bedrooms, everything in the hotel is accessible by lift or ramp. The Eden Pool has a pool lift. Of slight concern to those of us who prefer stairs and have mild phobia of places that seem fire unsafe, we couldn’t find the stairwell to our fifth floor room.

Family-friendly?

It’s an adults only affair: the hotel can’t legally turn away children, but it does not recommend bringing guests under 16. In conclusion: looking to rock, DJ, in a location that will happily keep you up (and entertained) all night, and allow you to sunbathe in the day? Look no further: Hard Rock Hotel Marbella is the party locale for you.

Hard Rock Hotel Marbella: Perfect slice of Americana in sunny Malaga