Marbella's historic Olivia Valere nightclub changes management and name after 30 years

Marbella's nightlife has lost one of its greatest icons. The Olivia Valere nightclub - a symbol of the Costa del Sol's party scene and a meeting point for celebrities and the international jet set visiting the city - has turned off the lights and music forever.

The legendary nightclub, the epicentre of Marbella glamour for the last 30 years, has changed management. Mexican investment group Mandala has rented it with the plan to open a new venue at the location next to the Istán road, filling the club with music and beautiful people once again.

The Olivia Valere nightclub opened its doors on 25 July 1997, with Naomi Campbell as godmother. For the last three decades, it has been a global icon. Artists of the calibre of Prince (who drank Vega Sicilia with a straw) and Paris Hilton have performed there. Luis Miguel, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Prince Albert of Monaco, Eva Longoria and Bruce Willis, among others, have also danced in its rooms and VIP areas.

Its name became so popular internationally that owner Olivia Valère said that going to Marbella and not visiting Olivia Valere "is like going to Rome and not visiting the Vatican".

Although born in Meknes, Morocco, Valère began her entrepreneurial journey in Paris, where she opened her first nightclub. She moved to the Costa del Sol in 1984 and, a year later, opened Gray D'Albion - a nightclub and restaurant where she began to mingle with the cream of the international jet set who were passing through Spain, such as Sean Connery.

Fun-loving and outgoing, the business owner started in Puerto Banús and later moved to Puente Romano, where she stayed for almost a decade. In 1997, with the support of the then mayor Jesús Gil, she opened the temple of Marbella nightlife right on the Golden Mile.

Beloved by all, in her later years she starred in Mujeres ricas (Rich Women), a reality show in which millionaire women shared their daily lives, and participated in programmes such as ¡Mira quién salta! (Look Who's Jumping!) and Ven a cenar conmigo (Come Dine with Me).

On 9 June 2022, she died at her home in Paris at the age of 75 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer. After her death, the nightclub remained open, with her family running it, although it was public knowledge that they were looking for someone to manage it.

For Olivia's family, the nightclub has helped put Marbella "at the heart of the glamorous world". Despite this, after almost 30 years, they believe it's time to hand the reins over to another group that can modernise and revitalise it. They will continue managing the adjoining restaurant as LOV Olivia Valere (formerly known as Palacio de Babilonia).

Mandala is opening Bonbonniere Marbella at the end of May, forever closing Olivia Valere. This international group has leased the space for the next ten years and owns several clubs worldwide, including two other Bonbonniere locations in Tulum, Mexico and Mykonos (Greece).

Valère's family is now managing LOV Olivia Valère - a restaurant where gastronomy, music and entertainment come together. This adjacent venue will officially open for the season on 13 June, although it opened for a few days for Easter.

Located in the ancient Palacio de Babilonia, the venue blends live music, theatrical performances and French-inspired cuisine by chef Gregory Loubaresse. This season will also see the debut of L'Exclusive Valere - a new space on the upper floor that offers a more intimate and exclusive experience, with three private boxes, each accommodating ten people and providing a privileged view of the show.