Marbella’s local government board has admitted the €175 million Higuerón Golf Resort project for processing, the first planning step for Spain’s first Waldorf Astoria.
Plans for Waldorf Astoria Marbella have cleared their first formal hurdle. On 22 September 2026, Marbella’s Local Government Board approved the admission for processing of the Higuerón Golf Resort project and declared it of municipal interest. The scheme, valued at €175 million, is planned to open in 2029 as the Waldorf Astoria brand’s first hotel in Spain.
The decision does not authorise construction. The project must still complete sector reports on mobility and landscape integration and go through a period of public information before building permits can be sought, according to Málaga Press.
The Waldorf Astoria Marbella project
The resort is being developed by Higuerón Developments at Marbella Golf, around 5 km from the centre of Marbella. Municipal filings describe a five-star hotel of 120 rooms alongside tourist apartments of one to four bedrooms, a clubhouse, restaurants and commercial and sports areas. The project occupies an 89,000 square metre plot within the 687,000 square metre site, with 80,000 square metres of buildable area in a low-rise, low-density layout.
When Hilton and Higuerón announced Waldorf Astoria Marbella in December 2025, they outlined 120 guest rooms and suites and 120 branded residences. Planned facilities include two restaurants, the brand’s signature Peacock Alley, a lobby bar, a pool bar and grill, a 750 square metre spa with four treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a ballroom with further meeting space.
The championship golf course, originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1994, is being redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Investment figures differ
The €175 million figure comes from the municipal process. Earlier reporting on the developer’s plans, published in April 2026, cited a total investment of €220 million. The municipal summary also states that the scheme includes no residential use, with apartments operating as tourist units within the hospitality complex.
Hilton’s luxury push in Spain
Waldorf Astoria has more than 65 hotels trading and in development worldwide. The Marbella project forms part of Hilton’s broader growth in Spain, which also includes plans for its first hotel in Valencia. Elsewhere, the brand’s pipeline includes a planned Waldorf Astoria in Jakarta.
For Marbella, the Waldorf Astoria Marbella project would add the brand to a growing list of international luxury brands on the Costa del Sol. The next milestones will be the outcome of the sector reports and the public information period, which will determine when construction can begin.
