Marbella Club Hotel, Costa del Sol, Spain

Find out how this resort on Spain's fashionable Malaga coastline measures up to other hot properties at these wonderful beaches.

Some of my family’s most successful vacations combine the beach and its low-key pleasures with access to big city excitement and cultural activities. The following European destination has it all: history, culture, and charm; relaxed fun in the sun; and action-packed recreational options.

If you visit the Marbella Club Hotel in August, you’ll find plenty of children splashing in the pools and digging in the sand – great news for parents who want their kids to hobnob with an international jet set crowd of youngsters.

The hotel was originally the private residence of Spanish Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, who enlarged it over the years to accommodate his large family and many visitors. He was particularly keen on landscaping and it shows.

The award-winning gardens are shaded by mature palm, olive, citrus, and banana trees and filled with an explosion of tropical flowers. Newer resorts simply can’t match the established gardens or the architectural interest of the Andalusian-style hotel itself.

The Marbella Club is the perfect place to headquarter for a multi-faceted European holiday that offers both a Mediterranean beach experience and a chic, historic beach town filled with upscale shops, atmospheric cafes, and excellent restaurants. Fascinating Spanish cities like Cordoba, Seville, and Granada, and even North African destinations like Morocco’s Tangier (via the highspeed ferries from Algeciras) can be visited in a day. And, the hotel has a spectacular 18-hole golf course nearby and its own riding stables and equestrain center where you can take lessons or guided horseback tours of the hills above the coast.

Two- to five-bedroom villas, some with a private garden, terrace and pool (most are heated), are the perfect spot for families who have extra euros to spend, or you can stay in one of the 121 more traditional hotel rooms and suites — all are suitably elegant.

While August is the most family-oriented time to visit, you can opt to visit anytime to enjoy southern Spain’s subtropical climate and fascinating Moorish-inspired culture.