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His letter of introduction included, until now, everything necessary for the perfect getaway: a personalized five-star service, exclusive suites facing the sea, more than 320 sunny days a year, a subtropical garden of 40,000 square meters among those that meander at its wide three appetizing pools, a sophisticated spa to mark a coconut-based body massage, quartz sand or whatever it takes, works of art slipping through the corners ...

All this, as we said, until now. Because the Kempinski Hotel Bahí a on the Costa del Sol adds a new incentive to its list of attractions: it has won the prize for the best entertainment hotel and restaurants in Europe , according to the World Travel Awards, known as the Tourism Oscars, being the most prestigious event in the sector internationally. The award has been taken in the 26 edition of the awards, held in Madeira (Portugal) and which reviews hotels, travel agencies and airlines around the world, of which 16 have Spanish nationality.

The pleasant terrace of the Spiler Beach Club.

And one of them has been the Kempinski, the only Spanish offspring of the oldest luxury hotel group in Europe (founded in 1897). Located at the foot of the beach halfway between Estepona and Marbella, on the Costa del Sol, the resort undertook a thorough renovation of its facilities last year. "After closing for months and working hard introducing new dining and entertainment options, we are very glad that they recognize our work with such an award," says Carla Lopes, general manager of the hotel.

Different gourmet experiences

The reform was accompanied in addition to a complete entertainment program and the launch of the so-called Paseo del Mar , called to become "a gastronomic center of reference on the Costa del Sol", in the words of Francisco Sa Texeira, Sales Director and Resort Marketing. Or what is the same, a culinary concept that combines three spaces marked by different gourmet experiences.

One of the rooms of the renovated hotel overlooking the sea.

What is sought is that both hotel guests and those who are not can approach the promenade to enjoy a snack at the beach, an author's cocktail at sunset , a romantic dinner in front of the sea or even the hour of the Tea with all the required British paraphernalia included.

For that, the Paseo brings together three spaces. The first, Black Rose The Bar, is a designer bar located in the lobby (also design, of course) where you can taste signature cocktails, wines and beers or artisan gins. Then there would be the Baltazár Bar & Grill restaurant , immersed between the gardens and the pools and that functions as an original meat and fish grill.

The careful cuisine has served to reward the restoration of the resort.

The Josper oven is the jewel in the crown of the place. Its grilled octopus with a touch of smoked paprika, its Josper tuna, its sea bass tiradito or its Tandoori-style meats are largely to blame for the fact that the hotel has been awarded in the "Restoration" section of the World Travel Awards

WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITIONS

Missing the Spiler Beach Club, a club, restaurant and bar (three in one) on the beachfront perfect for pecking something looking at the sea at any time of the day. Hence, homemade wood-fired pizzas or mastodontic hamburgers triumph in the menu. In all cases, chefs take pride in working with local farmers and fishermen , betting on the product of proximity and zero kilometer whenever possible.

The culinary offer of the hotel is concentrated in the so-called Paseo del Mar.

In any of the areas of the Paseo del Mar, the client may also encounter a live music session, a literary gathering, an exhibition of a local painter or a workshop on astronomy, fashion or contemporary art, as the objective of the Kempinski Hotel Bahía is that things happen there downtown. Many. Hence, those responsible for the World Travel Awards have rewarded the entertainment activities of the hotel, which also include cultural visits to workshops of artists from the area or nearby towns such as Marbella, Malaga or Granada, tastings in reference wineries , equestrian championships or Golf (the hotel has already been the venue twice of the II Costa del Sol Beach Polo Cup), yoga, taichi or zumba sessions , book presentations, gastronomic tastings ...

Kempinski Hotel Bahia. Mediterranean highway, km. 159, between Marbella and Estepona (Málaga). Phone: 952 80 95 00. Internet: www.kempinski.com. From 180 euros a night.

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