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In the glamorous destination stakes, the Hotel Don Pepe Gran Meliá is right up there– situated on the Paseo Maritimo looking out over Casablanca beach at the foot of the stunningly lush Sierra de las Nieves National Park, it’s a Mediterranean beachfront paradise and only a short walk from Marbella’s attractive old quarter, the Plaza de los Naranjos. No wonder it’s a favourite with celebrities, politicians and sports personalities from all over the world.

The Hotel Don Pepe Gran Meliá has 194 rooms and suites, all with either fabulous ocean or mountain views. All the rooms, from the Classic and RedLevel to the Supreme and of course the Suites, are designed with cool clean lines and neutral calm colours for maximum rest and relaxation. All the rooms have an extensive pillow menu, as well as LCD TVs, hairdryer and make-up mirrors, slippers and bathrobe, bathrooms with Clarins toiletries and personalised minibar. Supreme rooms have balconies, Redlevel rooms have special RedLevel Services including such perks as a personal butler service, an Aroma menu, a headrest in the bathtub, and a telescope, so you can stargaze from your own private balcony. Suites have more of the same on a grander scale, but for the blow-the-bonus, full-on luxury blow-out it’s got to be the Moët & Chandon Suite –its mindblowing terrace, with breathtaking views over the Mediterranean, comes complete with Bali bed, Jacuzzi and of course, Moët & Chandon on tap.

The hotel is designed around two circular interlinking outdoor pools, which are surrounded by lawns and sunloungers and the coveted Bali beds, but if you’re feeling adventurous and you can bear to leave this behind, the beach is just a couple of steps away. There are two tennis courts, and a paddle tennis court, plus Scuba diving classes, kite surfing and wind surfing, as well as a gym in the Wellness Center, where you can also enjoy a menu of massages and aromatherapy treatments. There are boat trips, driving classes, and more than 40 golf courses less than an hour away, while shopping, wine-tasting and sightseeing excursions are all on offer, all you need to do is ask.

Hotel Don Pepe Gran Meliá boasts one of the finest steak grills in the country, so the T-Bone Grill is a must for carnivores. Not your thing? No worries, the Tahini Restaurant & Sushi Bar is open for lunch and dinner, and the El Copo Liquid Garden offers a great menu of cocktails and snacks for lunch. La Palapa is a relaxed al-fresco grill for lunch and dinner, while La Dama de Noche offers delicious Mediterranean cuisine and classic Spanish dishes in the hotel gardens. For a special occasion, try the Oyster & Caviar Champagne Bar, with a selection of Beluga, Ossetra Sevruga or Rio Frio caviars, oysters and sushi. Gran Café Capuccino Beach Club offers international cuisine for breakfast, much and dinner, and award-winning cocktails, from the Paseo Mariíimo, facing the Med, while for night owls the piano bar Almirante is a cool place to chill out. And no resort would be complete without its own ice cream parlour – and Darcis offers a delicious selection of ice cream, macaroons, waffl