Villa Amistades Spain

With the magic of Marbella just 15 kilometres away and the nearest blissful sandy beach just 10 kilometres away, the sensational Villa Amistades sits up in the hills between Marbella and the characterful village of Istan. Istan Village is nestled peacefully in the Natural Park of Sierra de las Nieves, popularly known as the ‘Spring of the Costa del Sol’. Istan and Villa Amistades are surrounded by nature, the Verde River, its fountains and absolutely stunning panoramic views. With Moorish origin, Istan enjoys a timeless air that is totally enchanting. Guests staying at Villa Amistades can enjoy this serene, captivating area knowing that they can easily head to the glamorous and glitzy Marbella which holds its own with the French Riviera and other hot-spot destinations in Europe. Here, guests can dine in Michelin-starred restaurants, play on manicured, challenging golf courses, visit glitzy marinas bustling with high-end yachts, shop in chic, designer boutiques and chill on never-ending golden sandy beaches.
Villa Amistades offers four luxurious bedroom suites, astounding living space, a fantastic pool and pool terrace, a gorgeous inner courtyard, a well-equipped gym and a fabulous games and cinema room. The villa even has an office that can be made up as an additional bedroom should you want to invite more than eight guests. The villa is located within a prestigious gated urbanisation with wide, impeccably kept streets and manicured gardens. Villa Amistades has recently been renovated to the highest standard possible, maintaining the Mediterranean essence of its exterior, blending it with an exquisite Andalusian style inner courtyard and the most magical of contemporary spaces. Extra features include hot and cold air conditioning and underfloor heating.
The main living spaces are open plan in design with a seamless flow between the different areas. A long stretch of glass doors ensures that guests enjoy superb panoramic vistas from almost every space in the villa. They also drown the living areas in natural light. The villa boasts a sleek, stylish kitchen in black and white with a sociable central island and beautifully upholstered chairs beside a trendy breakfast table. The kitchen offers top-of-the range appliances that will delight the most discerning of chefs. The space is cleverly connected to the inner courtyard where you can enjoy alfresco dining in wonderful style. Also next to the kitchen is a grand piano to liven up any evening. This area flows beautifully through to an elegant dining area where guests can enjoy superb views of the pool and across to the sea. Slim architectural wooden pillars separate this area slightly from the sumptuous lounge area where guests can relax on superbly comfortable sofas, enjoying the soft breeze when the doors are open to the terrace. To the other side of the main lounge area is another beautiful spot to watch television on yet another stunning sofa with attractive art decorating the walls behind you. An office is available for those urgent emails and printing should you need to combine work with your holiday. Villa Amistades also offers an extremely well-equipped gym and a beautifully fitted games and cinema room with a pool table, a luxurious sofa and large screen and a stunning bar, complete with bar stools.
Villa Amistades boasts four gorgeous bedroom suites, two on the ground floor and two above. On the ground floor, one dreamy bedroom enjoys a beautifully upholstered queen size sleigh bed, an immaculate ensuite bathroom with a shower and sensational views of the terrace, mountains, the lake and the sea with two walls of glass. The second ground floor bedroom boasts comfy twin beds, an ensuite bathroom with a bath and shower and access to the terrace for panoramic sea vistas. The master bedroom suite is located on the upper floor with a lavishly dressed queen size bed, an exquisite ensuite bathroom with a freestanding bath and marbled shower, access to a balcony and stunning views. The final bedroom also enjoys a queen size bed, a glorious ensuite shower room and fantastic sea and hillside views. The décor in every space is very tasteful with neutral hues combined with gorgeous colour pops coming from contemporary art, upholstery and soft furnishings.
The villa also offers sublime outdoor space. There are a mix of covered and sun-drenched terraces, a fabulous swimming pool, two alfresco dining spaces, luxurious outdoor furniture and those astonishing, far-reaching views. You will not forget your holiday at Villa Amistades for a very long time, if ever. You even have a Villa Manager and 24 hour concierge service to make sure that you experience the holiday of your dreams. Villa Amistades enjoys a fabulous location offering astounding views down to the sea. This exceptional villa is nestled in the hills between Marbella and the charming village of Istan, within an exclusive gated community. The villa is 15 km from Marbella, 8 km from the excellent Manolo Santana Tennis Club, 25 km from Puerto Banus and 70 km from Malaga airport.
The village of Istan boasts a fascinating history going back its Moorish origin. After the Christian reconquest in the 15th century, Arabs were barred from living close to the sea though they were allowed to stay in Istan. There were many turbulent years and the Arab population eventually dwindled, being replaced by Christian settlers from Castile and Murcia. Very little remains of Moorish Istan, just the crumbling remains of a tower hidden in a side street in the highest part of the village. Like many mountain villages, transport used to be a mule and packhorse so the village streets are narrow. The village enjoys a friendly, charming ambience. The Museo del Agua offers an insight into the vital role water plays in life. The old wash house is situated in Calle Chorro where the surrounding houses are draped in bougainvillea and roses. The fountain boasts six jets which are still fed by ancient Arabice water channels. The modern Esfera Fountain was built to remind everyone that water is such an essential element of the landscape that surrounds the village. Istan is one of the access points to the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park. Lake Istan, on the Verde River water course, was formed when dams and reservoirs were formed to provide water for Marbella and the Costa del Sol. Water is collected from the mountains and flows into the sea just east of Puerto Banus. There are plenty of animals found in the lake including otters, the marbled newt, tree frogs, rainbow trout and catfish. Fishing and canoeing are very popular.
A little further over, the Benahavis Hills are surrounded by prestigious golf courses including Los Arqueros, La Quinta, El Higueral, Guadalmina and Los Naranjos. Benahavis, known as the ‘Gastronomic Corner of Andalucia’, boasts many high class restaurants scattered along its picturesque, narrow, winding streets. It is home to the Sabor, a Malaga catering school. Many of the dishes in the restaurants are Spanish but with a modern twist. One of the most typical dishes is marinated pork fillet following a very traditional recipe but you will also find fresh fish from Estapona and Marbella and cuisine from many corners of the world. Benahavis boasts a lovely car boot style Sunday market in the grounds of a shrine. Benahavis’ Holy Week has some of the loveliest processions on the Costa del Sol. The annual Benahavis Fair takes place in August and the whole village enjoys processions, fairground rides, fireworks, eating and drinking. There are also summer concerts and culinary events in the many Benahavis restaurants.
Within minutes, guests staying at Villa Amistades can be relaxing on the Costa del Sol’s sunkissed beaches or living it up in the celebrity hotspots of Puerto Banus and Marbella. The Costa del Sol boasts twenty three stunning, sandy beaches along its 27 kms of gorgeous coastline. With 325 sunny days, the climate is fantastic and perfect for beach days. Many of the beaches enjoy fabulous watersports and chic beach bars.
The hot-spot, celebrity watching, glamorous town of Marbella boasts its share of Michelin-starred restaurants, sandy beaches, manicured golf courses, bustling marinas and glitzy entertainment. The Arabic characteristics and balconies, adorned with vibrant, colourful flowers, of Plaza de los Naranjos in the old part of Marbella are totally captivating. The square’s restaurants place their tables in a small formal garden bordered by orange trees. Visitors enjoy a labyrinth of narrow pedestrian streets and beautiful plazas full of trendy, upmarket bars, restaurants and exclusive shops offering souvenirs, olive oil, local pottery and lace. The buildings are all whitewashed, wrapped in bougainvillea and topped with terracotta roofs, many dating back to the renaissance. Alameda Park is just a few steps south of the Old Town and feels like a private garden. There are marble walkways, fountains and benches, all under a thick canopy of lush tropical greenery. Many of the benches are clad with azuleos, classic Andalusian hand-printed tiles. The handsome walkway, Avenida del Mar, leads from the park to Playa de la Venus, next to Marbella’s first class marina. It is sprinkled with towering palm trees and bronze sculptures designed by Salvador Dali. The central Plaza de la Iglesia is very beautiful and often hosts vibrant markets and concerts. Besides the typical Andalusian cultural events, there are annual festivals dedicated to music including the Marbella International Opera Festival held in August, the Marbella Reggae Festival in July plus the Marbella International Film Festival in June.
The celebrated Puerto Banus was designed and built in 1970 by local property developer Jose Banus. Puerto Banus is famous for its marina, designer shopping, dining and celebrity spotting. It is a playground for the rich with plenty of Ferraris parked outside the glamorous eateries and luxury yachts moored in the marina. The luxury Sala Beach and Ocean Club Marbella are just two of the upmarket beach clubs offering delicious cocktails, plenty of champagne, gastronomic delights and attentive staff.   At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to babysitters we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
– Maid service/extra cleaning- Private chef/cook/catering- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge- Local day-trips or tours- Airport pick-up/drop-off- Babysitting/childcare services
Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team.
Please note that all services are subject to availability and must be requested in advance and that due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. Prices are on request. We will always do our best to fulfil your requests!