Mr. Enrique Pérez Flores has been and is the person behind this project that started in 1991 when a 900 hectare-plot was bought in Benahavis, on the Costa del Sol. He had a vision of creating a community in harmony with nature on the hillside of the Ronda Mountains. The project included 420 houses surrounded by lush vegetation, luxury services and facilities, golf courses and a heliport. A year later, in 1992, the first golf course designed by Bradford Benz started to be built and the first roads and houses were opened.
Zagaleta is a successful brand
At present, Zagaleta represents security, privacy, exclusivity, low density developments and a lifestyle based on discretion and closely linked to sport and nature. Zagaleta is a successful brand and it has become one of the most exclusive complexes in Europe that attracts the attention of international executives of the most important companies worldwide. However, the list of facilities and services included when you purchase a property at Zagaleta are extraordinary. They include two 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, an equestrian centre, many paths designed for walking and horse riding, restaurants and even a concierge service that is available 24 hours a day to satisfy any requests or owners’ needs.
Zagaleta Country Club is a private Club for members and guests only (residents and non-residents). The Old Course is the jewel of the crown. It is an 18-hole golf course designed by the renowned golf architect Brad Benz in 1991 and then it was redesigned by Marc Westenborg in 2016, when Zagaleta Group decided to start remodeling works on this first course as to improve and modernize the landscape design of the itinerary and thus, make it more environmentally and economically sustainable. However, the group not only considered restructuring the golf course but also the team to manage it. Thus, a new golf management team formed by José Canales, Carlos Rodiles and Nacho Castro joined Zagaleta.
Old Course
The Old Course is a golf course where players are surrounded by nature all the time. Each hole offers impressive nature images that give way to the lakes, breathtaking views along the fairway with forests on one side and on the other, where deers graze there are also rocky tees that go down the valley and man-made hazards that have been designed to provide a more satisfying game. The remodeling works carried out in 2016 substituted the grass on the greens, changing it for Agrostis Stolonifera variety T1 and thus, making them magnificent and faster. The grass on tees and fairways was changed for Bermuda 419, a more appropriate grass for Southern climate, and in some roughs for Festuca Arundinacea.
The Old Course Club House is the social centre of Zagaleta. It has 5,000 m2 indoor space and a long list of services. There are many activities with special playing areas for children next to the pool, a restaurant with international cuisine, an organic food gourmet shop and an extensive calendar of annual events, designed to fulfill members’ expectations as well as to provide the social atmosphere required by this complex.
New Course
The second golf course at Zagaleta is known as the New Course. This par 70 course opened in 2005 and combines golf with nature; it guarantees a very different game to that played in the Old Course. As a result, the game is a fun challenge full of wonderful hazards to be overcome and unforgettable views.
The New Course Club House is newer and smaller. Its large straw-roofed terrace overlooks the golf course and you can see different species of native wildlife and flora. The restaurant, bar and lounge share a comfortable cozy atmosphere by day and by night, when the Club House becomes the meeting point of the resort’s residents. Its restaurant menu offers a wide variety of international dishes cooked with seasonal products. The New Course Club House is the ideal place to celebrate private events such as weddings, parties and all kinds of celebrations.
Equestrian Centre
There is an Equestrian Centre inside the Resort. It is an elegant-style country house set in a quiet natural area. The centre offers top equestrian facilities that include twenty stables, six pasturelands and a covered area for training and horse jumping. It is not a coincidence that many residents have moved their horses from other countries abroad as this centre stands out for its excellent quality facilities and for its magnificent competition training and animal care.
Also, this Equestrian Centre has a School that offers all level expert training for adults and children, for beginners and advanced learners who want to improve up to competition level. Facilities and expert staff managed by Manuel de la Flor have made horse-riding one of the most characteristic activities of Zagaleta lifestyle.
Horse-riding around Zagaleta is one of the most popular activities amongst residents. There is a wide range of routes to choose from that take you through forests, valleys, streams, natural ponds and even waterfalls where you can see deers, rabbits, squirrels and many birds.
Each house is timeless and unique
Everything in Zagaleta exudes exclusivity and beauty and houses are a very important part to create a really beautiful complex. Each house is timeless and unique. However, they all have something in common. They have all been designed and built following the same esthetic, technical and environmental specifications in order to guarantee harmonious personalized designs. The best architects have worked at Zagaleta, national and international professionals that leave their seal of avant-garde quality and good taste.
One of these houses is Salucci House. Its idyllic location has magnificent views over Zagaleta, the fascinating wooded hills, exuberant valleys and the iconic Old Course. The magnificent views from the house and the natural light that fills the rooms transmit refinement and beauty. This villa is full of aesthetic construction details both inside and outside. One of the most inspiring elements of this house is the feeling of floating in the infinity pool where the surrounding nature comes so close that seems to be part of a waterfall. Salucci House is sleek and elegant outside and spacious inside; the delightful open-plan living areas make this a comfortable and practical family home.
The lifestyle that property owners enjoy at Zagaleta is a real gift just ten minutes away from Marbella. This city not only offers well-known exclusive leisure venues but also a long list of international schools amongst the best in Europe and the most modern health centers available for residents.