On Top of the World

Do you have a penchant for serious luxury? Then head to the extravagant Imperial
and Presidential Suites on the newly inaugurated Prestige floor at the Kempinski
Hotel Bahía Estepona and discover how personalized hotel service has
been taken – literally to new heights. Louise Cook reports from the heavenly
sky bar… Photography: courtesy of Kempinski Hotel.

We all have our fair share of hotel obsessed friends and acquaintances- those
conspicuous consumers of designer hotel havens and bijou boutique establishments.
They are the kind of travellers that would simply rather not holiday than be
caught staying anywhere except at the chicest of hotels around the world. In
modern day hotel etiquette, the trend for quirky decor and impressive gadgetry
knows no bounds. If it is not hi-tech, wi-fi, bespoke or personalised, it is
simply not worth a visit.

The recent refurbishment of the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona has
given discerning travellers plenty of food for thought. A privileged
beach front establishment, the Kempinski’s new rooms and suites offer
high speed ADSL lines, telescopes in every room, bed-heads with inbuilt phone
chargers, and great flatscreen TVs. An elegant gadget lovers paradise, with
swaying palms brushing the secluded terraces and enviable Mediterranean views,
here you can switch on, or off, as the mood takes you. (See www.marbella.com/hotels

for a fuller description of everything this forward thinking establishment offers,
including its delightful organic fruit and vegetable garden).

Life is Suite

But let’s get back to the wonders of the Prestige floor. We are not
talking about simple hotel rooms here – this is pure hotel paradise. Here
you will discover the ultimate in personalized, designer hotel accommodation
with the Presidential, Imperial and Royal Suites. Opened in June, the
spectacular suites, which simply ooze extravagance, cater for the most discerning
clientele imaginable from around the globe.

For 25,000€ a night, the privileged occupants of the Imperial Suite will
be whisked to the hotel by helicopter, and once ensconced in the unique,
740 sq metre haven of designer desirability, will enjoy, among myriad luxuries,
the services of a privately assigned butler and the use of any top class car
requested including Ferraris, Lambourghinis and Bentleys throughout their stay.

Sky Walking

Towering above the opulent two tiered Imperial Suite, at the top of an exquisite,
ornate staircase, is the aptly named Sky Bar – a modern crystal palace offering
a unique bird’s eye view to Gibraltar and Africa beyond while enjoying a stock
of the finest champagnes and licquors money can buy. Chic, but barely there,
the glass walls and ceiling are vaguely reminiscent of the London Eye, offering
a similarly surreal time capsule ambience – a glass case in which to capture
the moment and distill the experience with the minimum of distractions except
for the wonders of the exuberant nature and ancient Arab watch tower below.
Unspeakably romantic, this is the pinnacle of all possible proposal venues,
and would suit Daniel Craig perfectly for 007’s next steamy love scene.

The Prestige floor houses a private art gallery, displays of Blancpain watches, and levels of security befitting the kings, presidents and celebrities that may very well find themselves enjoying a stay here.

A luxury that not every hotel connoisseur can afford, in summer, the Prestige
floor Suites are offered to those staying a minimum of 10 unforgettable
nights. For further information please visit www.kempinski-spain.com

Tel: 95280 9500.