Hotel Chic

Hotel Claude

Forget old world rustic furniture and mañana style service... Hotel Claude - a haven of hotel chic - brings divine decor and 21st century creature comforts to a 17th century mansion house in Marbella’s enchanting Old Town. Check in and check it out, says Louise Cook.

Spectacular glass roof

Until now, visitors to Marbella seeking an authentic experience of the bustling historic centre have had little choice in terms of accommodation.
Large sea front hotels, apart-hotels or basic guest houses - those seeking the hip-hotel experience were simply not going to find it.

No expense has been spared on the renovation and decoration of the recently opened Hotel Claude. Across the street from one of Marbella’s picturesque churches in the heart of the town’s earthy Old Town, Hotel Claude is the result of a painstaking, five-year labour of love.

Room Provenzal

Already ripples of approval are resounding around town, as those people lucky enough to have been invited to explore the designer gem start spreading the word.

Set in a substantial 17th century townhouse owned by Juan Berjano, the idea to convert it to a hotel came from his stepson and step-daughter Franz and Desiree Willmes.

A bon viveur, who lived there with his first wife, a French opera singer, in the glory days of Marbella in the 70s and 80s, Berjano led a Bohemian existence, and his home played host to endless soirees, performances and vibrant social occasions.

The house had been neglected for two decades when the dynamic siblings decided to restore it. Designed in a close collaboration between Franz’s Spanish wife Maria, and top Barcelona architect, Angel Gordon, the refurbishment has respected all the key features of the house, while transforming it into a luxury boutique hotel.

Modern dining

With its contemporary classic salons, simply oozing style, a bijou black and white restaurant, and lovingly restored original features such as the intricate wrought iron door, simple patio, complete with a well, columns and smooth limestone flagstones, the Hotel Claude has been restored and fitted out to a high level of comfort in a bid to attract discerning 21st century guests.

Seven Stylish Suites
Behind magnificent carved wooden doors, seven suites with evocative names such as Francesca, Contemporanea, Savannah and Oriental offer unique variations on a unified design theme featuring sumptuous beds with high headboards, chaise longue, flat screen TV screens, i-Pod sound docks, quirky furniture and open bathrooms. The colour schemes, flooring - from brick to dark wood - and details give each room a charm of its own.

“One of the main inspirations for converting the house into a hotel is to fill it with the fun and laughter which characterised the place for years. As Franz enthuses, “We hope that several couples, or families will check into Hotel Claude together and take over the place - that would suit the spirit of the house perfectly.

Culture Club
The cosmopolitan background of the siblings who were raised in Germany, England and Spain, and who both carved out successful careers in the City, will attract a stimulating mix of guests to Hotel Claude. Desiree did a Masters at Film School in New York and intends to introduce opera, jazz, art and a certain theatrical air into the hotel from time to time. Franz will hop back and forth from his trading desk in London, while also taking forays into the countryside of Galicia, where he intends to open another stylish hideaway in an old-fashioned manor house.

The restaurant at Hotel Claude, which is due to open to the public at any moment, will give the creative chef a chance to excel with a small repetoire of gourmet dishes. Meanwhile, their sommelier has put together a compact but well-selected bodega.

The roof terrace

The roof terrace is one of the hotel’s quirkiest features. Surrounded by spires, crumbling rooftops and occasionally, the neighbour’s washing, where better to soak up the ambience of the street life below, and watch the swallows dive at sunset over a fino and a few slices of jamón.

Step outside the wrought iron rejas and instantly feel the buzz of Marbella’s enchanting Casco Antiguo. With its narrow white streets, cobblestones, bustling squares, quaint shops and scent of orange blossom, it also houses some memorable bars, restaurants and street cafés.

A five-minute walk to the shaded Alameda Park with its traditional ceramic tiles and copious fountain, the beach is just beyond. Check into Hotel Claude and you may just discover the real Marbella.

www.hotelclaudemarbella.com C/ San Francisco, 5 Tel: 95290 0840

The Contemporanea room