In the hills near Marbella's Golden Mile, a residential development is taking shape that connects the Marbella Club heritage with the contemporary design of Marbella Club Hills. We sat with Nabil Sawabini, CEO of MENA Capital the Developer of Marbella Club Hills, to discuss how this ambitious project came about and what the future holds for this exceptional community.
Phase I, the Rock of Gibraltar and the coast of Morocco
Origins
What inspired the vision for Marbella Club Hills?
The story of Marbella Club Hills began, as many great ventures do, with a moment of inspiration. "I was invited to a wedding at Puente Romano," recalls Nabil. While visiting both the Marbella Club and Puente Romano Resorts, I was struck by the attractive architecture, landscape and vegetation, and thought to myself - wouldn't it be wonderful if this could be recreated not on the seafront, but rather in the hills overlooking the area?"
Phase I from the bird-eye view
This vision resonated particularly with his background in Lebanon, where the interplay of mountains and sea creates a distinctive landscape. During a drive with Daniel Shamoon, co-owner of the resorts, to view the Marbella Cub Golf Resort, the potential of the hillside location opposite the Club House became clear. However, the path to acquisition wasn't straightforward.
"Initially, the land wasn't for sale," he explains. "They were concerned about preserving the area's character. It was only after they visited our developments in Beirut that they became convinced we could create something that would honour the spirit of the Marbella Club and Puente Romano." The resulting partnership, with the Marbella Club ensured a seamless coordination to see to it that the objective of creating charming community in the area was achieved.
📍 Marbella Club Golf Resort
Development
What has already been completed at Marbella Club Hills, and what can potential buyers see when they visit this year?
Today, Marbella Club Hills is coming alive in phases, each carefully planned to maintain the development's coherence while offering distinct living options. The first phase, comprising 50 villa apartments in 10 blocks, is already sold out and home to a thriving international community.
Launch event of Phase II
"We have 18 nationalities in phase 1," Nabil shares with evident pride. "The majority are from Northern Europe and more recently from the US and Canada. What's particularly gratifying is how the community has come together. Last New Year's Eve, we had 50 people celebrating together in the community’s Clubhouse in a warm and friendly atmosphere.”
The clubhouse that was built in phase 1offers a heated outdoor swimming pool and an indoor and outdoor functions area, as well as a Gym & SPA. In Phases 2&3, we will have an indoor swimming pool, a GYM, 2 tennis, 2 paddle & 2 pickleball courts and a kids’ playground, which will be available for use by the community as a whole.
The next phases of development will further enhance the community's offerings. Phase 3 will introduce standalone villas with internal areas of over 600 square metres and semi-detached villas of 500-550 square metres, each with generous gardens and private pools. Phase 4 will add six more blocks of 30 villa apartments, positioned to take advantage of the golf and mountain views.
Living room in a standalone villa
Marbella Club Hills is particularly special because it is the first gated community in the area offering the facilities and amenities that it does. "The municipality has recognized our role in bringing the area to the forefront through our architecture and quality standards," notes Nabil. "We're creating something that will become a real attraction for the whole region."
Lifestyle
What makes the social and recreational offerings here distinct from other luxury developments?
What became clear from our interview is that Marbella Club Hills is more than just an upscale gated community, as it is targeted to be an environment that responds to people’s living desires. With a quarter of the residents living there year-round and more than half visiting frequently, this has led to a more vibrant community life.
Phase I at sunset
The development's low density, where the buildings occupy only 10% of the 158,000 square meter property, ensures that residents can enjoy the natural setting that first inspired the project. Residences offer views of the mountains, the golf course, the sea, Gibraltar and the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. It is important to note that the buyers are entitled to membership at the Marbella Club Golf and access to the Equestrian Center there.
Nabil himself has purchased a residence in phase 1. “The combination of the surrounding views, amenities and most importantly, the community life that is forming here, makes it a very special place to live," he concludes.
📍 Marbella Club Golf
Our development is located within the prestigious Marbella Club Golf Resort, and it showcases the market's versatility, from elegant penthouses with sweeping course views to spacious villas designed for family living.
- Phase 1: Already completed and delivered
- Phase 2: Currently under construction:
- penthouses (3-4 bedroom),
- first-floor apartments (2-3 bedrooms), and
- duplex garden apartments (3-4 bedrooms)
- Phases 3 and 4: In the pipeline:
- 4 standalone villas (5 bedrooms), and
- 6 semi-detached villas (5 bedrooms).
Find out more about the real estate market on the coast in our previous publications:
- Market Insights: Understanding the golf property investment advantage
- Market Insights: "Marbella Property Market 2024" report by Panorama – Key takeaways
- Market Insights: Off-plan as an investment strategy at Marbella Club Hills
