Spain’s first Waldorf Astoria is planned for Las Chapas in Marbella East, on the site of the Marbella Golf Country Club. Hilton and developer Higuerón plan a 120-room resort with 120 branded residences, a redesigned golf course and a 750 m² spa, with opening targeted for 2029. On 22 September 2026 Marbella council admitted the project for planning processing and declared it of municipal interest. That is an early step: it does not yet allow building work to start.
Waldorf Astoria Marbella at a glance
| Brand | Waldorf Astoria, Hilton’s top luxury brand, in its first Spanish hotel |
| Developer | Higuerón Developments, rebranding the site as Higuerón Marbella Golf Resort |
| Location | Marbella Golf Country Club, Las Chapas, about 5 km east of Marbella centre and around 30 minutes from Málaga airport |
| Hotel | 120 rooms and suites |
| Residences | 120 Waldorf Astoria branded residences |
| Facilities | 750 m² spa, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness centre, two restaurants, Peacock Alley lobby bar, pool bar, ballroom and meeting space |
| Golf | Existing course redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Jr. |
| Investment | €220m announced for the whole resort; about €175m in the project now in planning |
| Opening | 2029 target |
| Planning status | Admitted for processing and declared of municipal interest, 22 September 2026 |
What actually happened on 22 September
Marbella’s Junta de Gobierno Local — the council’s executive board — admitted the project for processing and declared it of municipal interest. According to El Español, the application covers about 89,000 m² of a 687,000 m² estate, with around 80,000 m² of permitted construction.
Admission is the start of the process, not the end. The project still needs sector reports, including on mobility and landscape, a period of public consultation and, finally, a building licence. The Spanish Eye describes the 2029 opening as dependent on completing planning and construction, and that is the right way to read it.
What the resort will include
Hilton’s announcement in December 2025 set out the programme: 120 rooms and suites, 120 branded residences managed by Waldorf Astoria, indoor and outdoor pools, a 750 m² spa with four treatment rooms, two restaurants, the brand’s Peacock Alley lobby bar, a pool bar, a fitness centre and a grand ballroom. The golf course stays, redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Jr. rather than replaced.
€220m or €175m?
Both figures are right; they measure different things. €220m is the investment announced for transforming the whole resort, including the golf course. About €175m is the figure attached to the project now going through planning: the hotel, apartments, clubhouse, restaurants, shops and sports facilities.
A note on the residences
The planning application, as reported by El Español, describes the apartments as tourist accommodation of one to four bedrooms rather than residential housing. If you are interested in buying one, ask early how they will be classified and what that means for living in it, letting it and managing it. Branded residences usually come with a management agreement and service charges that ordinary apartments do not.
What it means for Las Chapas and Marbella East
Las Chapas has long been one of Marbella’s quieter stretches: villas, older beachfront urbanisations and pine woods rather than hotels. A Waldorf Astoria changes what arrives with it — restaurants, a spa, a ballroom and year-round staff — and it is not arriving alone. Four Seasons and the Oakmond longevity resort are planned a few kilometres west at Río Real.
- For nearby owners, expect several years of works before any benefit. Ask what is planned within sight of a property before you buy.
- For buyers, the neighbourhood you buy today is the one you get until at least 2029. Pay for that, not for the brand next door.
- Nothing here guarantees higher prices. Any effect on values depends on the project being delivered and on the wider market.
Looking at villas close by? Our El Rosario area guide covers one of the established areas just inland of Las Chapas.
Frequently asked questions
Where will the Waldorf Astoria Marbella be?
At the Marbella Golf Country Club in Las Chapas, Marbella East, about 5 km from Marbella centre and roughly 30 minutes from Málaga airport. The golf course stays and is being redesigned.
When will it open?
Hilton is targeting 2029. That depends on the project completing planning, which began formally on 22 September 2026, and on construction.
Is it the first Waldorf Astoria in Spain?
Yes. Hilton has announced it as the brand’s first hotel in Spain.
Can you buy a Waldorf Astoria residence in Marbella?
The resort includes 120 branded residences managed by Waldorf Astoria. Sales details have not been published. The planning application describes the units as tourist apartments, so check how they will be classified before committing.
Has construction started?
No. The council has admitted the project for processing. It still needs sector reports, public consultation and a building licence.
Looking in Las Chapas?
We sell across Marbella East and follow this project closely. See what we currently have for sale on the Costa del Sol, or send us your brief and we will come back with the Las Chapas options.
Sources: Hilton (announcement, December 2025); idealista (investment and location, April 2026); El Español (planning admission, 22 September 2026); The Spanish Eye (22 September 2026); Higuerón Resort.