Step into the world of Marbella Club, where heritage, luxury, and sustainability converge to create an unparalleled guest experience. In this edition of Conversations with Changemakers, Jennica Arazi, Owner of Marbella Club, and Leigh Barrett, Director of Sustainability, share the inspiring journey of transforming a family holiday home into a globally renowned 5-star resort, all whilst staying true to its Andalusian roots and Mediterranean charm. With a brand philosophy that champions community, local gastronomy, arts, and wellbeing, alongside a deep commitment to meaningful, lasting change, Marbella Club leads the way in crafting a more sustainable future.
…
Could you tell us more about the heritage of Marbella Club and how it evolved from a humble family home into the modern 5-star luxury hotel it is today?
Marbella Club was born from one man’s charm, inimitable hospitality and carefree finesse that defined the art of simply enjoying the bountiful pleasures of the Mediterranean, and distilling the essence of its food and company in inspiring surroundings. Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe – our original botanist – paved the way for decades of holidaying with celebrities, musicians, and artists under one arm; burradas, beachside picnics and costume parties under the other. What started as a family holiday home grew into a humble, California-inspired motel with guests from all over the world, all looking for discretion and a sense of community far away from the pressures of everyday life. Today, the resort has organically grown into an Andalusian-style white-washed resort with 131 rooms and 17 villas and a variety of restaurants and bars, with a holistic-inspired approach to wellbeing, preserving a multi-generational spirit. This past year, we also welcomed Finca Ana María, an expanse nearly the same extension of the hotel, an adjoining land with nourishing gardens and events spaces, a true interactive and learning platform for guests of all ages to enjoy in the years to come.
What is your brand philosophy?
Marbella Club is the convergence of various value pillars. Our path has been driven by our dedication to fostering a vibrant community, cherishing our heritage, honouring our local gastronomy, celebrating the arts and culture, championing sustainability, and promoting wellbeing as a way of life.
For Marbella Club, how do the worlds of luxury and sustainability collide?
For us, luxury is all about celebrating and enjoying the simple pleasures in life and that joy includes, in large part, a deep connection to nature and our Mediterranean ecosystem. Preserving and regenerating what surrounds us, shedding light on the important issues that will certainly affect us as a community, and giving our guests an educational platform to interact with our efforts – whether it be through our Kids Club, gastronomy or wellbeing; this isn’t just ‘sustainability’, it’s a long-term commitment that is an underlying thread of how we operate, and that is our version of the ultimate luxury.
Has the hotel encountered any industry-specific sustainability challenges? If so, how have they been addressed?
Managing organic waste has been a significant challenge for our hotel, with over 20% of our annual food budget wasted. To tackle this, we introduced LEANPATH, a tech-based food waste monitoring system in our staff canteen. It enables our head chef to track and reduce waste while encouraging employees to support our food waste reduction goals and understand their own impact. Additionally, we’ve implemented a trial industrial composter, promoting circularity by converting canteen food waste into reusable compost and effectively closing the loop on waste management.
How has working with Positive Luxury changed or informed your approach to sustainability?
Working with Positive Luxury has been a game-changer for us, providing a clear and comprehensive framework that ensures we meet ESG requirements while going beyond basic compliance. Their guidance has helped us integrate sustainability into every aspect of our hotel operation, enabling purposeful contributions to the local community and natural environment. A key initiative inspired by their framework is our native seahorse conservation project, developed in partnership with local marine biodiversity foundation, Fundación Aula del Mar Mediterráneo. This project highlights our commitment to driving local ecosystem regeneration and taking intentional steps toward becoming nature positive.
What’s next for Marbella Club?
We are committed to improving areas of environmental performance highlighted in the Positive Luxury assessment by implementing a robust Environmental Management System. With droughts and floods having a severe impact at the local, regional and national level this year, effective water management has become our top priority. Our initiatives will focus on reducing water consumption across the property and addressing the drought-flood-fire cycle to build long-term resilience. Additionally, we are spearheading initiatives to support regional ecosystem regeneration, advocate for legal protection of Spain’s natural resources and drive meaningful collaboration through our La Concha Conversations platform, inspiring stakeholders to engage in impactful and enduring sustainability actions.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BUTTERFLY MARK CERTIFIED MARBELLA CLUB
< Back
