Hotel Encinar de Sotogrande has 106 rooms, refreshed in recent years to a solid four-star standard. The building keeps a bit of its original 1960s character, but the finish feels modern and practical, which is exactly what you want on a golf break.
Rooms are spacious and comfortable, with air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms and flat-screen TVs as standard. If you're travelling with clubs, there's enough space to store your kit without turning the room into a locker room. A number of rooms look out towards the gardens and surrounding estate, with some also offering views towards the coastline and the Rock of Gibraltar, depending on position.
Away from the rooms, the hotel's leisure set-up is geared for downtime between rounds. The outdoor pool and sun terrace is the main hub in warmer months, and there's also an indoor pool, a solarium and a tennis court if you fancy doing something other than talking about that missed three-footer on 17. For anyone travelling with family, a babysitting service is available, and there's a hairdresser on-site too.
Food is straightforward and reliable. The Sotogrande Restaurant serves local Andalusian produce, with a buffet breakfast that covers the essentials properly: juices, pastries, cold cuts, cheeses, fruit, yoghurt and plenty of bread options. After golf, the pool bar and restaurant is the easy choice for a cold drink and something light from the snack menu, with a relaxed view across the gardens and pool area.
