Anantara Villa Padierna Palace

Anantara Villa Padierna Palace, officially Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavís Marbella Resort, stands in the Golf Valley between Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona, about 12 km from Puerto Banús. Three golf courses, gardens, a lake and a Roman amphitheatre surround the palace, which holds more than 1,200 original works of art. The 125 keys comprise rooms, 66 suites and villas of 200 to 495 sqm, each villa with a private pool and terrace.

The Anantara Spa covers more than 2,000 sqm, including Roman baths and landscaped gardens. Its thermal circuit has Bali, Indian and salt steam rooms, a sea-salt hammam, Finnish and Greek saunas, a laconium, a floatarium, an indoor pool with massage jets, a cold plunge pool and two water massage rooms. There are ten treatment rooms and a beauty salon; guests must be 16 or over, and the circuit is open to non-residents.

Treatments are given by physiotherapists, massage specialists and beauticians, using Valmont, Biologique Recherche, Elemis and Comfort Zone. The 125-minute Detox Journey pairs an underwater massage with Piroche cupping, the Golfer's Massage works the shoulders, arms and back around tee times, and Indiba and LPG Endermologie are available, Indiba also as a four-session course. A personal assessment session gives a functional diagnosis and a plan.

Three programmes are listed, without published lengths: Slim & Detox, built on a Mediterranean diet, exercise, the thermal circuit and treatments; a Golf Programme covering fitness, technique and injury prevention; and the multi-day Healthy Programme of aqua therapy, detoxifying body treatments, light exercise and beauty rituals. The gym is open 24 hours with Technogym equipment, aqua gym classes run three times a week, personal training can take place in the gym or the water, and private yoga is available. Irene's Health Kitchen serves a healthy menu by Chef Irene Hernández on the terrace.

This suits guests who want a large thermal circuit and therapist-led treatments within a golf resort. Wellness sits alongside golf, a racquet club, a beach club, a kids' club and six meeting rooms with an amphitheatre for 300, and the spa lists no doctors, so those looking for medical diagnostics should look elsewhere.