Marbella News · New Developments · 21 October 2026
St. Regis Marbella: Marriott’s Ultra-Luxury Brand Arrives With a €500 Million Beachfront Resort
After Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria, another of the world’s great hotel names has chosen East Marbella. Marriott has signed an agreement to bring St. Regis, its ultra-luxury brand, to Las Dunas in Las Chapas: a €500 million beachfront resort with 169 rooms and 151 branded residences, set to open in 2031. St. Regis Marbella will be the brand’s first property on the Costa del Sol.
Key facts
- What: St. Regis Marbella Resort and The Residences at The St. Regis Marbella Resort.
- Where: Las Dunas, Las Chapas, East Marbella.
- Site: around 16 hectares, over 350 m of beachfront.
- Hotel: 169 rooms and suites.
- Residences: 151 homes, 2–5 bedrooms, 150–1,000 m².
- Investment: more than €500 million.
- Developers: Platinum Estates and Sierra Blanca Estates, with Marriott International.
- Timeline: infrastructure works from 2026; opening 2031.
The agreement was signed this week between Marriott International and the project’s developers, Platinum Estates and Sierra Blanca Estates, and presented in Marbella with the city’s mayor, Ángeles Muñoz. It brings to the Costa del Sol one of the most prestigious names in hospitality, a brand founded in New York in 1904 and known today for its butler service and some of the most exclusive resorts in the world.
For Marbella, it is another confirmation of a trend that has defined 2026: the arrival of the world’s top hotel brands, and the shift of grand luxury towards the east of the city.
🏖️ A Resort on the Dunes
St. Regis Marbella will occupy a plot of around 16 hectares at Las Dunas, in Las Chapas, with more than 350 metres of frontline beach next to Real de Zaragoza and protected by a natural dune system. Unusually for a project of this scale, around 69% of the land will remain for public use.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Hotel | 169 rooms and suites with Mediterranean-view terraces |
| Residences | 151 branded homes, 2–5 bedrooms, 150–1,000 m² |
| Dining and leisure | Several restaurants, beach club, pools, sports facilities |
| Wellness | Spa and wellness centre |
| Events | Meeting and event spaces of around 1,100 m² |
| Architecture | Rockwell Group, with local architect AGAS |
| Investment | More than €500 million |
| Jobs | 2,000+ direct during construction; 450+ permanent |
The architecture and interiors are by Rockwell Group, the New York studio behind some of the world’s best-known hotels, restaurants and theatres, working with the Spanish practice AGAS as local architect.
🏡 The Residences at The St. Regis Marbella
At the heart of the project are 151 branded residences, with two to five bedrooms and sizes from 150 m² to as much as 1,000 m² in some unique units. Owners will have independent entrances and year-round access to the resort’s services and facilities, from the restaurants and beach club to the spa, under the St. Regis standard of service.
Prices have not been published yet. Branded residences in Marbella typically sell at a significant premium over comparable homes, and a beachfront St. Regis address is likely to sit at the very top of the market, where frontline developments on the Costa del Sol have already passed €40,000 per square metre.
🤝 Who Is Behind It
- Platinum Estates: an international real estate investment group based in Hong Kong, owned by the Mohinani family and led by founder Harry Mohinani.
- Sierra Blanca Estates: a Marbella family developer with more than four decades of experience, behind projects such as Armani Residences Marbella, Design Hills Marbella by Dolce & Gabbana, Karl Lagerfeld Villas and EPIC Marbella furnished by Fendi Casa.
- Marriott International: the operator of the St. Regis brand for the whole development.
“Las Dunas has been part of our vision for Marbella from day one,” said Harry Mohinani, adding that the agreement with Marriott was the missing piece to move the project into execution. Carlos Rodríguez, CEO of Sierra Blanca Estates, described it as a qualitative leap for the city that will set the standard for future developments on the Costa del Sol. For Marriott, Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, called Marbella one of Europe’s most sought-after luxury destinations.
📅 A Long Road to 2031
The project has a long history. It was first presented in 2016 as a W Hotels resort, with an opening then planned for 2019, before being held up for years in planning procedures. Today it returns with a bigger investment, now over €500 million compared with the €300 million announced originally, and with Marriott’s top brand. Infrastructure works on the site are expected to start in 2026, with the resort opening in 2031.
🌿 Giving Back to the Coast
The project includes an ambitious package of public works and environmental measures:
- Restoration of around 50,000 m² of dunes, on site and nearby.
- Removal of invasive species over about 13,000 m².
- An extra 500 metres of coastal path, with a wooden footbridge connecting to Golden Beach.
- 277 public parking spaces.
- A new service road parallel to the A-7, costing over €15 million, to improve traffic at El Rosario and Elviria.
According to the mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, the project “will generate employment, improve infrastructure and give public spaces back to the city.”
🌅 East Marbella: The New Capital of Luxury Hotels
St. Regis Marbella completes an extraordinary line-up on the eastern side of the city. A few kilometres away, Four Seasons Marbella is planned on 32 hectares of beachfront, and Hilton is bringing Spain’s first Waldorf Astoria Marbella to Las Chapas. They join the recently renovated Don Carlos and Kimpton Los Monteros. With Marbella luxury hotels reaching a record average rate of €416 a night this summer, the world’s leading brands are clearly betting on the city.
🏠 What It Means for Buyers
For buyers, the arrival of St. Regis, Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria within a few kilometres of each other is set to transform East Marbella. Areas such as Las Chapas, Elviria, Los Monteros and Río Real already offer beachfront living and quick access to the town centre, often at lower prices than the Golden Mile. As the new resorts take shape, with their services, beach clubs and restaurants, demand and values in the surrounding neighbourhoods are likely to rise.
East Marbella’s luxury hotel pipeline
- St. Regis Marbella: 169 rooms + 151 residences, opening 2031.
- Four Seasons Marbella: 105 rooms + ~127 residences, sales from 2027.
- Waldorf Astoria Marbella: 120 keys, target 2029.
- Recently renovated: Don Carlos and Kimpton Los Monteros.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where will St. Regis Marbella be?
At Las Dunas, in Las Chapas, East Marbella, on a beachfront plot of around 16 hectares with more than 350 metres of sea frontage, next to Real de Zaragoza beach.
How many rooms and residences will St. Regis Marbella have?
The resort will have 169 hotel rooms and suites and 151 branded residences of two to five bedrooms, ranging from 150 m² to 1,000 m² in some unique units.
Who is developing St. Regis Marbella?
Platinum Estates, the Hong Kong-based investment group of the Mohinani family, and Marbella’s Sierra Blanca Estates, in agreement with Marriott International, which owns the St. Regis brand.
When will St. Regis Marbella open?
Infrastructure works are expected to begin in 2026, with the opening scheduled for 2031.
How much will St. Regis Marbella cost?
The investment is estimated at more than €500 million. Residence prices have not yet been published.
Sources: Hosteltur, Marbella24horas, Al Sol de la Costa, El Español.
The residences are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott International or its affiliates. The developer uses the St. Regis brand under licence.
LUXO Estates
East Marbella is the next Golden Mile.
Beachfront homes in Las Chapas, Elviria, Los Monteros and Río Real.
