Hotel Lima Marbella has been one of Marbella’s most iconic hotels ever since it opened in the 1960s. That pedigree has now been strengthened further by a total refurbishment in 2020. This has seen the hotel become a must-stay destination again for those looking to be at the heart of things, just 200 metres from the beach and a two-minute walk from the picturesque old town.
The hotel has also grown into a favourite for golf lovers who visit the Costa del Sol looking to use every club in their bag on the more than 70 courses in the area. This increase in golfing guests is the result of a partnership between the hotel and AC GolfHotels, a company specialising in golf marketing.
We talked with Jose Antonio García, director of Hotel Lima, and Alfredo Caparrós, CEO of AC GolfHotels, about this increase in the number of golfers and the reason their collaboration is a success.
Jose Antonio García, director of Hotel Lima Marbella
Over and above sun and beach in high season, the hotel has become a place to stay for golfers due to the huge range and quality of courses in the local area. How has the golf market grown?
We were clear from the outset golf was a market Hotel Lima wanted to attract and we opened a specialist golf desk at reception. This dedicated service for golfers has led to a 264% increase in the number of nights booked in 2023 compared to 2022. Among the different types of customers we welcome, the golf customer is in the top five in sales terms.
Since it was renovated Hotel Lima has made a real commitment to the golf market. What are the needs and preferences of this customer type, both at an individual and group level?
For individual bookings or groups of up to eight people, we have noticed a preference for single rooms, all of which at the Hotel Lima have a 1.80m bed. Those guests especially also appreciate an early breakfast so they can head off quickly to the course and return mid-morning, leaving them time to enjoy both the facilities of our hotel and the attractions of Marbella town.
The excellent restaurants in the area are also an important lure after a day’s golf. Our restaurant is another of the most demanded spaces for its dishes that recreate the cosmopolitan air and the seafaring tradition of the city. When it comes to larger groups, other considerations come up, such as the availability of rooms with single beds or the need for transport suitable for the group size.
From a commercial standpoint, we are really pleased with the growth of this market; the only constraint we face, however, is the limited number of rooms available for sale.
Alfredo Caparros, CEO of AC GolfHotels
In the time you have been marketing Hotel Lima, what has the feedback been like from tour operators?
The response from tour operators has been very good. Hotel Lima, in terms of location, quality and the customer service provided by all the staff, is positioning itself as a real point of reference in Marbella. I ought to point out that every client, every group that comes, books with us again for their next visit to Marbella, so we don’t think we are doing too badly.
We only have one small problem at the hotel and that is that we really need 60 more rooms to accommodate the current demand. After a couple of years of work and a commitment to golf, we can now say that Hotel Lima is positioning itself in the European market as one of the best options for those who want to combine golf with the great things Marbella has to offer.
Hotel Lima is an urban hotel in the heart of Marbella in one of Europe’s top golf destinations, the Costa del Sol. How do you market a hotel with those characteristics?
Hotel Lima has it all for golf guests. It has fantastic courses less than 15 minutes away, first class facilities that have been completely refurbished, friendly staff, exceptional services and a simply unbeatable location.
Once the day’s round is over, just a stroll from the hotel there are plenty of places to enjoy a good meal, go shopping or it’s a real delight to walk along the promenade or through the old town.
All this combined means the hotel is increasingly chosen by golfers who want to enjoy the magnificent courses in the area as well as Marbella itself, one of Europe’s most popular tourist resorts.