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At this time of the year, with summer just around the corner and the focus on the well-deserved vacation, what you feel like is to make a technical stop of the most comforting. Although indulging in the good life, relaxation and good food sounds too good to be real, what if we tell you that in Mijas (Malaga) there is a luxury oasis where you can recharge your batteries and become a bon vivant? This paradise is called La Zambra and is much more than a luxury hotel.
Located in a privileged enclave, where the mythical Byblos hotel was, it has almost 200 rooms, 3 swimming pools, a 2500 m2 spa, treatment room, tennis and paddle courts, yoga and pilates room and a very complete and varied gastronomic offer, so you can enjoy the pleasure of good food, according to your mood and time of day, as it has four very different culinary spaces.
To walk through the doors of La Zambra is to stop time, leave your problems behind and enjoy every corner of the hotel, carefully designed by Esteva i Esteva, the prestigious architectural firm that has remodeled the hotel with the balance, wellbeing and relaxation of its guests in mind. All this with a marked Andalusian style and a contemporary touch that give this complex a perfect harmony.
Luxury gastro options for every moment
If there is something we like in Tapas is good food, and if it is varied both in food and atmosphere, all the better. At La Zambra you can enjoy this great pleasure of life through four different spaces, each with a concept that adapts to the foodie mood you have at any given moment. All designed to look for the traditional and Spanish with a sophisticated and avant-garde touch in line with the hotel. Picador, Palmito, Bamboleo and La Bartola are the restaurants that make up a gastro offer by Iker González, executive chef of La Zambra and Juanjo Solano, sous chef of La Zambra and chef of Picador.
Picador, the neo-tavern of reference
The Picador restaurant is, without a doubt, the new place to be in Mijas. Located at the entrance of the resort of La Zambra, to also operate independently -not only for guests-. It is a neo-tavern of traditional Andalusian cuisine with renewed proposals that will surprise the diner: great classics but with a personal and original touch to make the dining experience memorable.
The menu says it all. The part “Entre Charlas y Risas” is the time for tapas, sharing with friends. From the musts such as ham or the cheese board to their amazing broken potatoes, fries and bravas to croquettes, sirloin tartare on brioche bread or potato omelette Picador style. Here all dishes have the unique touch of the house. There are also delicacies “From the Sea” and “From the Earth” where you can delight yourself with proposals such as fried squid with ali oli and citrus touch, organic chickpea stew with lobster and hollandaise sauce, glazed Iberian prey with Perigord sauce and truffled potato parmentier or roasted chicken cannelloni with truffled béchamel.
You can not end the evening without sinning as it should, committing “Pequeños Delitos” and tasting the Picador’s torrija with pistachio ice cream or its delicious cheesecake with raspberry cream. Of course, in an Andalusian style meal, good wine is a must. The Picador’s wine cellar is composed of more than 75 national and international references, all in full view of the diner, which will make you want to taste them all.
The versatility of Palmito
Palmito is the ideal space to start the day at La Zambra with energy. In this large space with a very earthy and sober design, but without losing the chic touch characteristic of the hotel (a good example of this is the wall full of hats that give Palmito a very sophisticated air).
In this restaurant, besides being able to enjoy a breakfast -buffet and a la carte-, you also have a brasserie style gastronomic offer, with grilled flavors or rice dishes “a la llauna”. Here there is also no lack of shared moments based on portions such as potato salad with quail egg or the typical marinated dogfish in Andalusian marinade. In addition, the joy is to be able to enjoy all this also in its terrace.
Bamboleo, to get in tune
For those looking for a little bit of that typical Andalusian ‘jaleito’ and something more casual, La Zambra has created Bamboleo, whose name is a clear tribute to Julio Iglesias, who was a regular customer of the aforementioned Byblos.
Bamboleo is designed for the sunset, get in tune with a few cocktails and enjoy the live shows offered outdoors. Because yes, here there is also a lot of art: flamenco and live music with shows that combine great classics with a modern touch that make La Zambra is constantly at the forefront.
There is no lack of ‘picoteo’ in an incomparable setting such as watching the sun go down over the mountains. This is life and, as Julio Iglesias would sing, “I have learned to live this way”.
La Bartola, the relaxing moment
At La Zambra no corner is forgotten. Because in a hotel like this you also come to rest and to do absolutely nothing. That is why they have created La Bartola, an ode to procrastination and enjoyment on the loungers by the pool with all the vibe of a typical Andalusian beach bar. From the lounger to the bar and vice versa. The premise is very clear: light snacks for the pool moments. Do you need anything else?
A place from which you will leave refreshed
La Zambra is a good place to train the palate, but also to rest body and mind. In fact, it has the largest spa on the Costa del Sol. In total, more than 2,500 m2 in which to enjoy its waters, jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish baths. And if what you want is a total renewal, it offers up to 12 rooms where you can choose a treatment 100% according to your needs. If you need a detox, something relaxing, reconnect with yourself or beautify yourself, in their wellness space their therapists will guide you on this sensory journey.
Throughout the resort there is no corner that is not cared for in detail. The Esteva i Esteva studio has worked conscientiously to turn La Zambra into an exclusive space, but at the same time makes you feel at home. Its warm terracotta spaces, its cheerful patios, the lively decoration and the corners in which to get lost make your stay here unforgettable. In addition, strolling through its facilities is a walk through history and those glorious years of the Byblos Hotel in the 80s and 90s.
La Zambra’s new venture recovers that essence to take it to another level. In other words, an oasis in Mijas for relaxation and good food. Can anyone give more?
