Los Flamingos Community that defines luxury golf resort living

Located on the new Golden Mile, Los Flamingos Golf Resort is a community that defines luxury golf resort living. With a 5-star resort, 3 golf courses and a world-renowned spa at your fingertips, it is no wonder why it is becoming a more popular destination for permanent residents in Marbella. We have prepared this in-depth guide to help you learn everything there is to know about Los Flamingos.

• Table of contents
• What is Los Flamingos?
• What is the history of Los Flamingos?
• Where is Los Flamingos?
• How big is Los Flamingos?
• What type of properties are in Los Flamingos?
• How many golf courses are in Los Flamingos Golf Resort?
• What to do in Los Flamingos?
• How much does it cost to buy a house in Los Flamingos Golf?
• How long does it take to get a construction license in Los Flamingos?
• What documentation is needed to obtain a construction license in Los Flamingos?
• Does Los Flamingos have sea views?
• What is life for kids like in Los Flamingos?
• Schools near Los Flamingos.
• Is Los Flamingos safe?
• Which is the leading agency in Los Flamingos?
• Fun Facts about Los Flamingos.

Los Flamingos Golf is one of the most sought-after areas to live in the Costa del Sol. It is a gated residential resort with 24-hour security in a golf valley that offers sea, golf and mountain views. It was designed around the renowned Anantara Padierna Palace 5-star hotel, its three 18-hole golf courses and its award-winning SPA. As a whole, Los Flamingos offers its residents an elegant golf country club environment.

In the nineties, businessman Ricardo Arranz de Miguel acquired an estate known as Los Aralillos in Benahavis. His idea was to create an extraordinary golf resort for the luxurious, along with high-end residential villas and apartments. However, this was not all. Together with his wife, they envisioned and established the Villa Padierna Hotel, comprising two hotels with all the amenities of a world-class resort.

In 2001, Antonio García Garrido designed the Flamingos Golf Course. Shortly after, in 2003, the Villa Padierna Palace Hotel was inaugurated. In 2006, the Gran Flamingo Course (now known as Alferini Golf) was opened in 2007. Lastly, in 2009, the third and last 18-hole course, Tramores Golf, opened its doors to players. From 2001 to 2009, the Los Flamingos Golf started to develop into a residential area. Over the years, Los Flamingos developed into a residential urbanisation, including luxury apartment complexes, villas and villa plots. And from there, Los Flamingos earned its recognition as one of the best residential golf resorts in the world.

Los Flamingos sits within the municipality of Benahavis and is a stone's throw away from Benahavis town, known for its gastronomy and charming Andalucian streets.

• 10-16 minute drive from Puerto Banus (12km)
• 18-26 minute drive from Marbella Centre (20km),
• 14-18 minute drive from Estepona (14km)
• Short drive down to the coast (3km).

The resort sits on what is referred to as the New Golden Mile, which stretches from Puerto Banus to Estepona, joining two of the most visited areas on the coast. The resort is connected to the N340 coastal road and the AP-7 toll road. This is convenient as it is the midpoint between San Pedro de Alcantara and Estepona. Both provide easy access to the resort via the Cancelada exit and then drive less than 3km inland.

If you are travelling from Malaga AGP airport from aboard, it is typically a 45 min-1 hour car journey via the AP-7 motorway direction Malaga. If you are flying in from Gibraltar airport, it is typically a 50 min-1 hour car journey on the AP-7 motorway direction Algeciras.

If you would like to see how you can get to Los Flamingos, check out our Google Maps Link.

Los Flamingos Golf Resort itself spans 7km across a valley belonging to the municipality of Benahavis. It encompasses 3 18-hole golf courses and a grandiose 5-star hotel, not to mention 9 apartment blocks and many villas and plots.

 

The resort has been developed following a plan which guarantees all new buildings meet a high architectural standard with plenty of spacing to ensure the property enjoys sea, gold and lake views. All of this with the aim of stating that buying a property in Los Flamingos Golf is regarded as a great long-term investment. Overall, the properties within the resort are designed and built to top-quality standards, and are made to encapsulate privacy and tranquility. Los Flamingos offers luxurious amenities and a wide range of properties to choose from.

In Los Flamingos Golf, you can find 9 apartment blocks:

• Four Seasons
• Alanda Los Flamingos
• El Lago de Los Flamingos
• Mirador de Los Flamingos
• Royal Los Flamingos
• Acosta Los Flamingos
• Hoyo 19
• Tee 5
• Tee 6

When it come to villas, the majority of the home you find within Los Flamingos Golf are what fall under the modern architecture category, which have bold lines and bright clear windows. There are still some traditional Mediterranean style homes that sit within the urbanisation, but many new villas that are being built are the representation of the high-end luxury real estate market Marbella is known for. There are also numerous plots available for sale that have the potential to build a picturesque modern house with stunning views and privacy. Furthermore, many developments are underway and will be finished soon, most of which have decided to take an eco-friendly approach to the properties architecture and design.

If you would like to see what homes Drumelia has for sale in Los Flamingos, check out our website.

Los Flamingos Golf Resort is home to the 5-star hotel Anantara Padierna Palace Hotel and its three world-renowned golf courses:

Flamingos Golf

The Flamingos Golf course was the first course opened to the public in 2001. Renowned golf architect Antonio Garcia Garrido designed it. The 71-par course consists of 18 holes and 6,248 yards. The tee time intervals are 10 minutes, and the round duration is roughly 4.5 hours.

The course was the venue for the European Senior Tour in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the venue for the Ladies European Tour (LET) in 2010. The course's handicap limits are a maximum of 28 handicap for men and 36 handicap for ladies. Course marshalls are available to assist golfers and enforce the codes of conduct.

Alferini Golf

Alferini Golf course (previously known as Gran Flamingo Golf) opened to the public in 2007. It has the reputation of being the most challenging of the three courses in the resort. Designed by Cristóbal Guerrero, the 73-par course consists of 18 holes and 7,270 yards. The tee time intervals are 15 minutes, the round duration is roughly 5 hours, and a golf buggy is advised.

The course was the venue for the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España in 2022; it also was nominated for Spain's Best Golf Course Awards at the World Golf Awards. The course's handicap limit for men is 24 handicap and 32 for ladies. Course marshalls are available to assist golfers and enforce the codes of conduct.

Tramores Golf

Tramores Golf is the third course to have been created in the resort. It is an executive course, so it is an excellent option for a short game and is suitable for beginner and junior golfers. It was also designed by Antonio Garcia Garrido and was opened to the public in 2009. The 63-par course consists of 18 holes and 3,792 yards.

Tramores golf is the only executive golf course on the Costa del Sol, and no golf handicap restrictions apply. The tee time intervals are 10 minutes, and the course's duration is roughly 3 hours. Course marshalls are available to assist golfers and enforce the codes of conduct.

Driving Range

Los Flamingos Resort offers one of the best driving ranges on the Costa del Sol. There are access fees to be able to use the range: €9.00 for a day pass, €120.00 for a monthly pass and €500.00 for an annual pass. Villa Padierna Golf Club members are eligible for a 50% fee allowance. The opening hours are from 09:00-18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-14:00 Saturday and Sunday.

Having a 5-star hotel in the resort allows residents of the Los Flamingos Golf Resort to have access to luxurious amenities a stone's throw away.

Gastronomy

There are a number of outstanding restaurants within the resort's hotel, boasting local and seasonal produce for a gastronomical experience.

• La Loggia offers Mediterranean cuisine and Italian dining.
• La Pérgola is a pool-side restaurant perfect for light bites.
• Hole 55 offers the experience of appetisers and Indian street food whilst overlooking the hotel's views.
• 99 Sushi Bar and Restaurant brings you sensational Japanese flavours.
• La Veranda offers iconic dishes by chef Santiago Altuna.
• Eddy's Bar is perfect for cocktails.
• Beach Club offers seafood and Mediterranean flavours.

The hotel also offers private dinners to celebrate a special occasion, family gathering or simply for a romantic dinner. What's more, Spice Spoons Cooking Classes allow people to experience Andalucian cuisine in a private cooking class.

Racquet Club

Located beachside of the resort is the Villa Padierna Racquet Club. It is one of the best racquet clubs on the Costa del Sol, with 11 padel courts, 2 tennis courts and 2 croquet lawns. The club is over 22,000 square meters. An enrollment fee applies if you want to become a member. A junior membership enrollment fee is €50, an individual enrollment fee is €80, and a family membership enrollment fee is €150.

The tennis and padel academies have their own fees and membership fees, which vary depending on your age and skill level. Also, there is a membership for croquet. There is also the possibility to rent courts for an hour or 2 hours, each varying by the hour or by the number of players if you do not want a membership.

Anantara Spa and Wellness

The Anantara Padierna Palace Hotel is home to one of Europe's largest and most luxurious spas: the Anantara Spa. Described as an oasis of tranquillity and lead by a team of experts, the spa boats more than 2,00 square metres of Roman baths, hammam and an indoor pool.

The spa facilities include 10 Spa treatment rooms, a sea salt hammam, Greek sauna, Finnish sauna, Laconium, Aromatic spa circuit with 3 steam aromatherapy baths, heated swimming pool, cold plunge pool, floatarium, 2 water massage rooms, showers with massage jets and a beauty salon. There are also many individual facial and massage sessions that are offered for a fixed price and time.

You also have the chance to get a signature spa treatment:

• Anantara Signature Massage (50/80 mins)
• Anantara Golfers Massage (50/80 mins)
• Himalayan Salt Ritual (60 mins)
• Sleep Ritual (60 mins)

The spa is open from 10:00-20:00, kids being allowed in the spa area from 10:00-11:00.

If you are looking to purchase an apartment in los Flamingos, you would be looking at the following price range:

Four Seasons | price range from €270,000 to €550,000

Alanda Los Flamingos | price range from €480,000 to €1,400,000

El Lago de Los Flamingos | price range from €450,000 to €1,300,000

Mirador de Los Flamingos | price range from €320,000 to €450,000

Royal Los Flamingos | price range from €420,000 to €950,000

Acosta Los Flamingos | price range from €300,000 to €650,000

Hoyo 19 | price range from €270,000 to €550,000

Tee 5 | price range from €340,000 to €1,000,000

Tee 6 | price range from €500,000 to €1,400,00

The more traditional style houses sit at approximately €2,000,000, whereas the more modernised homes can range anywhere between €2,000,000 to €10,000,000. In fact, there have also been cases where properties have been listed for over €20,000,000 in Los Flamingos.

When building a property in Spain, you need to obtain what is referred to as a Major Construction License (Licencia de Obra Mayor). This license allows you to build a property legally and must be issued before work commencing. This license allows 12 months for building to begin and then 6-24 months for the build to be completed, depending on the scale of the project.

When it comes to the amount of time it takes to obtain one, every province in Spain have their own set of rules and timeframes that are subject to the type of construction project taking place. In Málaga, each municipality also have their set rules. Los Flamingos falls under the municipality of Benahavis, and the Major Construction License is asked for at the Benahavis Town Hall. In Benahavis' case, there have been cases where the license was obtained in only 15 days, but on average, it takes to obtain a license is 3 months. The time differs depending on many factors, such as the scale of the project and the location of the project.

In order to obtain a Major Construction Licence in the municipality for Benahavis for a family home, the following prerequisites apply:

• The homeowner or their legal representative must be the ones to apply for the license
• They must apply for the license in the Benahavis Town Hall
• The following documentation is required:
  • The homeowner or legal representative's application
  • Copy of notarial deed
  • Copy of the CIF (if it is a company)
  • Copy of the DNI / NIE / Foreign Identification Number (in the case of an individual)
  • Basic construction project, execution project, health and safety project, visas
  • Project endorsed by a common telecommunications infrastructure by a technician
  • Swimming pool project when building 20 or more dwellings
• Taxes are as follows:
  • Payment of a fee of 2% up to €60,000
  • Payment of a fee of 2.4% from €60,000 onwards

As Los Flamingos was built on a valley, most of the properties are set up on the hills, giving them a south orientation with views towards the golf courses, Africa and Gibraltar. Apart from having sun most of the day, this allows the properties throughout the resort to have great sea views from almost every floor. What’s more, the resort is only 3km away from the coastline.

Los Flamingos is a perfect example of a great place to start or raise a family. Not only does the resort have a guarded gated entrance, but has 24-hour security at resident’s disposal. There are also plenty of kid-friendly activities to do within the resort, such as golf, the golf academy or long adventurous walks. A short drive away from the resort is the Racquet Club and the beach, where kids an unwind and have fun under the sun.

Los Flamingos is also conveniently located, as it is the mid point between Estepona and San Pedro, residents can take advantage of the amenities from both neighbouring towns, both are which a short drive away. Also, there is Benahavis Town which is an 18 minute drive away, where there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, like hiking, rock climbing, rock pools for swimming, basketball courts and much more. What’s more, Benahavis is known for its gastronomy, so there are plenty of great restaurants to indulge in.

When it comes to education, Los Flamingos location also allows easy access to Marbella’s schools. Connected to the coastal road and the toll road, you are a 13 minute drive away from Atalaya Colegio Internacional, a renowned international school for kids of all ages. Colegio San Jose is a well established primary school which is a 10 minute drive away. The secondary Colegio San Jose based in Estepona is a 16 minute drive form Los Flamingos. Laude San Pedro International College for all ages is also a 13 minute drive from the resort. Aloha College is a 16 minute drive away and Swans International School is a 20 minute drive from the resort. The closest school to the resort is Colegio Publico Cancelada, which is a short 8 minute drive down the road from the resort.

The resort can only be accessed by one entrance, which is guarded 24/7 and has barriers that remain closed at night, allowing only residents and hotel guests to enter the vicinity. There is also 24-hour professional security personnel within the resort that are at immediate disposal, ensuring peace of mind for residents and their properties. There are speed limits and speed bumps set throughout the resort to ensure cars drive at an appropriate speed, so one should feel secure about letting their children roam about the resort.

To learn more about safety and security in Marbella, be sure to read our blog

Drumelia is not only the leading real estate agency in Marbella, but also leader in the Los Flamingos area. With our extensive database of listings, like Villa Pace for €3,750,000 and many other listings, we are prepared to guide our buyers to the best possible deal. We recently sold a property in Los Flamingos for €4,500,000. Suppose you are looking to sell in the Los Flamingos area. In that case, Drumelia can provide you with a global reach through our unparalleled marketing strategies and online presence, not to mention clients who are actively interested in purchasing a property in Los Flamingos.

• The Villa Padierna Palace hotel was voted the number one New Hotel in Europe.
• Michelle Obama and her daughter chose the Villa Padierna Hotel as their choice when staying in Marbella in 2010.