A LA COLTHARD/MARBELLA CLUB
The good friend a heavy hitter in the ad world who stayed with us at the Marbella Club referred to it as ‘reassuringly expensive’.
This was a clever ad slogan applied to a premium lager to attract a rich clientele. As I understand it, it means that it is intended to be expensive as it’s high end and actually worth it.
Value is, well, a value judgment … and cheap the Marbella Club never was or will be. So why the high valuation?
Marbella was in its pomp in the seventies and eighties. The rich set moved to Miami and then Dubai. The South of France is always there.
So the Marbella Club, as launched by Alfonso Hohenlohe, went into a bit of decline. It had an extensive makeover and is listed as One of the Leading Hotels of the World.
The suites are 650 euros a night and breakfast 39 euros . But what a breakfast: Pol Roger champagne, any number of fresh fruit juices, charcuterie, smoked salmon, cooked eggs and bacon or omelette of choice, croissants of all types.
Some of the services were beyond reassuring in their expense. I object to paying over 30 euros including a surcharge of 50% for one item of laundry returned that day.
They operate the mini bar scam of 10 euros for a simple bit of confectionery. I had an interesting conversation with one guest who had read an article stating that we Brits now don’t go anywhere near a mini bar and this chap went to the local supermarket for his chocolate.
Small points in an otherwise enjoyable stay.
Round the pool Russian girls with figures to die for stretched out to sunbathe on the loungers on their mobiles … probably more expensive per night than the Grand Suite!!!
