Major chain adds iconic luxury hotel to its portfolio on the Costa del Sol

The AC Marriott hotel chain is to expand its portfolio of hotels on the Costa del Sol in Malaga province. The company headed by Antonio Catalán has reached an agreement with real estate company Tartales to manage the five-star hotel Las Dunas Grand Luxury in Estepona.

The luxurious property will be managed by Marriott through the Autograph Collection brand for a period of 20 years. Before reopening under the new name, the building will undergo a major refurbishment. The establishment was closed on 1 October and is expected to be ready to open by March 2026.

Las Dunas is one of the most luxurious hotels on the Costa del Sol. It has 55 luxury suites and numerous services for guests, including a huge swimming pool, a spa, a gym and meeting rooms. Since 2013, it has formed part of the assets of the Kiluva group, owner of the Naturhouse chain of shops, which acquired it through the aforementioned real estate company.

Opened in February 1996, the hotel has been one of the most luxurious and emblematic establishments on the Costa del Sol. It was built by a couple of German builders in love with the Costa del Sol. The construction of the hotel involved an investment of 2.5 billion pesetas (15 million euros). In its original layout, it had 75 rooms which cost between 15,000 and 160,000 pesetas per night (between 90 and 961 euros). The hotel's first director was Fernando A. Portal-Queirolo.

In spite of having gone through some dark moments (including its closure), the hotel has hosted legendary events that are now part of the history of tourism in Malaga province, such as the private Julio Iglesias concert performed for barely 200 guests in 2008.

The hotel has received numerous awards, both from official institutions and from guests. In 2016, Premios Roca recognised it as the best health hotel in Spain. In addition, it has also been a catering benchmark, as its healthy menu was designed by famous chef and founder of the Mugaritz restaurant Andoni Luis Aduriz.

This, however, will not be the only move that AC Marriott plans in the province. According to sources, the company is behind another major operation on the Costa del Sol, which might be announced before the end of the year. The exact details are not known for the moment, but the company's managers have been visiting some other accommodations in recent months.

The company is currently studying different projects in parts of Malaga province and Andalucía. Popular destinations are Malaga, Granada, Seville and Cordoba.

Currently, the AC Marriott chain manages only one other hotel in the province - the AC Málaga Palacio. With this new operation and the upcoming projects, the company is destined to gain prominence in an area where tourism continues to grow year after year.