One of Spain’s first architectural competitions is launched to build a luxury hotel in Marbella, in the Las Chapas area. The project was planned for the Coto de los Dolores estate, a 16,000 m² plot where a hotel already stood, though it no longer matched the ambition of the developer, who had agreed to lease the future building to the Hilton brand.

Architects José María Santos Rein and Alberto López Palanco were ultimately selected to lead the project and adapt it to the demanding standards of the American hotel chain.

On June 12, 1967, construction began on a building that would forever transform Marbella’s skyline: a modern, vertical tower elevated on five concrete pilotis, conceived as an almost floating structure.

Rising 14 storeys and built as a single piece of exposed concrete, the tower reflected the influence of Le Corbusier and his Unité d’Habitation, with touches of Brutalism and the vacation architecture of the era.

Following the American model, no ceramic or brick was used; the concrete was sent to the United States for validation in line with Hilton standards. Even light switches and sanitary fittings had to be identical to those found in any other Hilton hotel worldwide.

The hotel’s opening became one of the most significant social events on the Costa del Sol. Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels, travelled personally from the United States to attend the inauguration - his last hotel opening before retiring from public life.

During his visit, he highlighted Marbella as a destination with outstanding international potential and described the Marbella Hilton as an example of “modern, luxury-oriented hospitality.”

Bolivian architect Melvin Villarroel was commissioned to design the Don Carlos Beach Club. A key figure in shaping Marbella’s aesthetic identity, Villarroel specialised in leisure spaces deeply connected to the sea and Andalusian heritage.

The Beach Club, with its large central pool and interior areas conceived as luminous caves, invited guests to rest, socialise and embrace the ritual of the Martini.

From the very beginning, the Beach Club broke all the rules: reservations were not accepted, and its sun loungers quickly became highly coveted. At night, it hosted private parties attended by international celebrities such as Sean Connery, Dolph Lundgren and Christopher Lambert.

Once again, Don Carlos proved to be a pioneer in Marbella by introducing buffet-style dining to a beach club, redefining the Mediterranean leisure experience among palm trees, sun loungers and sea views.

Hotel Don Carlos has always been closely linked to tennis. With just two clay courts, it became a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association). venue thanks to an initiative led by Billie Jean King to elevate the status of women’s tennis.

Legends such as Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf competed there. Over time, the complex expanded to include seven clay courts and two padel courts, evolving into today’s Rafa Nadal Tennis Center, the first sports centre in Spain to apply Rafa Nadal’s official training methodology.

On the grounds of the Beach Club, the legendary nightclub Oh Marbella opened—the place to be for the jet set during Marbella’s golden era. Its themed parties attracted icons such as Prince, Alejandro Sanz, Demis Roussos, Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo, Laura Valenzuela, Luis del Olmo, Joan Manuel Serrat and Roman Polanski.

One of the most iconic moments took place on July 18, 1991, when Jaime de Mora y Aragón celebrated his 66th birthday with more than 500 guests. According to El País, that night “as many as 31 Rolls-Royce cars were parked at the entrance.”

Jack Penrod, founder of Nikki Beach, agreed to open a beach club on the hotel’s shoreline, where it remains today. The project was an immediate success and a pioneering move that ushered in a new era, later followed by many other beach clubs.

Its success lay in offering guests the perfect ingredients for an unforgettable day by the sea: elegant design, internationally inspired signature cuisine, freshly prepared sushi enjoyed with feet in the sand, renowned DJs and live entertainment.

Following an ambitious full renovation, this temple of authentic hedonism enters a new era under the creative vision of renowned designer Jaime Beriestain, the interior designer responsible for reimagining the hotel’s renewed spirit. A flamenco-inspired exotic universe - drawing on peacocks, blooming gardens and references to the Andalusian shawl - unfolds across spaces where craftsmanship takes centre stage. Handwoven floral motifs become large-scale murals, reinterpreting tradition with a distinctly contemporary sensibility.

Inspired by the Mediterranean and its light, the intervention weaves together waves, horizons, lush vegetation and a refined blend of influences - from 17th-century furniture to La Dolce Vita and Parisian brasseries - combined with green, coral and yellow upholstery. The result is a balance between Arab heritage and modern sophistication, where light, craftsmanship and detail define the renewed identity of this Marbella icon.