Having booked in the previous day with 2 very helpful members of staff (one for golf and the other for the spa) things changed for us girls after we arrived. Just to note that the boys had a great time playing golf and said the championship course was amazing all though very difficult for 3 occasional golfers.
With the boys dropping us at the spa and continuing on to their course to tee off, we were left in the hands of 3 extremely capable and professional spa therapists for the treatments we had booked.
After 8 days of feeling like I'd been beaten up on roller coasters and thrill rides and of course the exposure to my pasty British skin I was very much in need of a half hour facial followed by a refresh mini massage, both of which were the best I've ever had. I have had many beauty treatments over the years both back at home and abroad, including being used as a guinea pig for new treatments when working in a spa and a few introduction courses to massage myself. But these two very simple, short treatments were faultless - top of the range equipment, the most comfortable beds, gorgeous products and faultless technique from the therapists, all with a sense of the informal - no pretentious uniforms and hairstyles or that annoying ditzy spa voice that some British therapists seem to think they have to put on to sound more 'at one' with the human they're working on. This may just be due to a different spa culture in the U.S. but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the treatments at the Marbella Spa.
As for the rest of the day it's difficult to know what to say. We had been told on the phone when booking that pool passes would be organised for us so we could fill time waiting for the boys using the facilities after our treatments. The receptionist at the spa however seemed to have a split personality where one minute she was all sweetness and light and checking we'd enjoyed ourselves to the next where she was extremely rude. Having been sat in the relaxation room for a little while and having used the steam room we decided to find out what was happening regarding use of the pool etc. We were told by said receptionist at our second attempt to find out what to do, that she didn't know where the pool was but she did have the passes and she could order us a shuttle to take us there. She also said she had no idea if we could get some lunch anywhere because 'they may be too busy', she then proceeded to turn her back on us mid conversation and started using her computer for something.
After successfully being transported over to the main lobby I showed our pool passes to the receptionists and received blank stares as if I'd just walked off an alien spaceship. Although didn't know if they accept pool passes they let us in to use the pool and told us we could get some lunch from the pool bar and to keep hold of the passes in case anyone asked who we were.
Overall if you are looking for treatments and golf this is the place to be but don't expect much more, especially communication between the different parts of the club!!
