There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to hotels on the Costa del Sol. Europe’s favourite holiday destination has lots of accommodation options, but in how many do you truly feel at home? Río Real Hotel is one of them, offering an experience that goes far beyond just bed and board. 

In this article within the series Behind the scenes at Rio Real we take a look at the Hotel and discover what how it provides a service that is second to none. And to do this, we talk to Drew Northcott, Hotel Manager.

The know-how

An intrinsic part of the hotel world is the know-how. Having the right qualifications and experience makes all the difference when it comes to offering first-class accommodation where the guest feels at home.

Drew Northcott ticks all the boxes in this sense. Born in the UK, he moved to Fuengirola, a resort on the Costa del Sol just a short drive from Río Real, when he was young. Drew grew up in a bi-lingual environment and within the world of hospitality. He trained in Montreux in Switzerland at a Hotel School, gaining valuable experience in Swiss hotels.

He furthered his education in Manchester (UK) in Graduate Management Training before working at a hotel in Florida in various hotel management posts. After working in London at a boutique hotel, Drew and his partner made the decision to return to Spain. “We missed the weather, the beach and the quality lifestyle,” he says, adding that after a short while he became Hotel Manager at Río Real Hotel.

Not the average hotel

While Drew has gained experience in boutique hotels around the world, Río Real Hotel is different. “This isn’t the typical large hotel in the middle of the city,” he says, “Río Real Hotel is well looked after and welcoming and offers a highly personalised service”.

He underlines the fact that the hotel philosophy is to offer an experience where clients feel truly at home. And points out that Río Real Hotel comes with the differentiating factor of having a golf course on its very doorstep . This means that guests not only enjoy everything you’d expect at a top boutique hotel but can also make the most of the best golf services during their stay.

Río Real Hotel highlights

At Hotel Manager, Drew is obviously biased when it comes to his own hotel, but he comes up with a long list of highlights. “I’d put location very high on the list,” he says, “because it offers the best of both worlds. We’re in Marbella, just a few minutes from the beach and surrounded by stunning nature.”

No mention of Río Real Hotel would be complete without a nod to the views. “Each and every one of our rooms http://www.rioreal.com/en/hotel/bedrooms benefits from sweeping golf course views,” says Drew. “And these are frontline and uninterrupted views, too.” He adds that the magnificent views are also part and parcel of the dining experience – the restaurant too looks out to the golf course – as well as at the swimming pool. The vistas here take in the Sierra Blanca mountains.

He also underlines that this is a welcoming hotel. “A small hotel allows you to create that familiar atmosphere and this is one of the factors why so many of our clients come back, time and time again.”

Río Real Hotel values this loyalty highly and according to Drew, the hotel staff keep in touch with regular clients. “We bear their loyalty in mind when it comes to repeat reservations,” he says.

See these highlights for yourself and discover how you too can feel truly at home at Río Real Hotel. Book your stay now.