Costa del Sol

Marvellous Marbs! Resort favourite luxury destination for British

By Euro Weekly News Media • 12 August 2013 • 10:45

A-CLASS: Attracting tourists and stars alike.

MARBELLA has been voted the favourite global luxury destination of the British. In a survey by Hello! magazine, the Spanish resort beat off competition from Ibiza, Los Angeles, Saint Tropez, Miami, Barcelona and Barbados.

Global models Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer have been amongst recent visitors to the resort city, which in June saw the number of British staying on holiday there swell by 9.35 per cent compared to one year ago.

While not all visiting celebrities are of global distinction – with Class C celebs this summer including cast from the UK’s TV series The Only Way Is Essex, in which the resort is called Marbs, along with many pop world headline grabbers and footballers – Marbella boasts of Southern Spain’s most luxurious hotels, best shopping and restaurants.

Many celebs choose to head for Puerto Banus, though others, keen to stay below the radar screens of the world’s peeping press, take family breaks in select hotels or private luxury properties.

In recent years, despite the worldwide recession, Marbella has remained popular with the rich and famous, with US First Lady Michelle Obama picking it for a family holiday soon after moving into the White House.

A steady stream of Arabs also head for Marbella with an influx expected after this weekend when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends.