We have popped into the hotel for a coffee previously, a couple of years ago, and there was certainly a sense of history about the place, random ornaments in the main reception area gave a welcoming feeling.
We decided to book a night there to take advantage of the great walking/hiking nearby, and paid approx 60 euros which seemed fair given the location.
On arrival we had to wait 10 minutes for the "receptionist" to finish up serving lunch to guests and were given the keys to a first floor room with en suite. the first thing that struck us was how dated everything was, furniture, decor, bathroom, bedding, tv etc. We attempted to ring reception as we were unable to make external phone calls and the advertised wi fi had no service in the room. after 20 minutes of nobody picking up the phone i went downstairs (at 2pm on a saturday) and the receptionist had disappeared completely this time, not even in the kitchen, lounge etc. i later found out he had popped out somewhere.

we were offered a ground floor room overlooking the pool so took it, but quickly realised our mistake. the room was full of damp, and a night there would have been a health hazard so we decided enough was enough and would leave immediately. guess what? the receptionist had popped out again so we left keys on reception desk and departed.

We did not stay long enough to be able to comment on atmosphere, food etc. but i would guess that service would be impossibly slow given the staffing issues.

Overall, really disappointing as we love the area and would be great to know there was a nice room to stay in from time to time, but next time we go there, it will be to have a coffee and nothing else.

We drove up to this charming hunting lodge to go hiking. The drive there alone was worth it, as the road is excellent and takes you through a beautiful landscape and past some interesting ceramics workshops (make a stop there).
The lodge is located in the middle of a forest and is surrounded by wild chestnut trees. Several people were gathering chestnuts. We had a simple lunch on the terrace under walnut trees, and were taken by the colors of the foliage. We then went hiking: there are many trails to choose from, some through the forst, with many chestnut trees, others over the high planes and through extended olive tree plantations. There is an easy trail to the Mirador (point look out) from where you have a grewt view over Marbella and the sea.
We will come back to try out the beautiful swimming pool.

This hotel needs a total refit. Ostensibly a charming hunting lodge up in a pine forest only 25 mins from Marbella, its best days are behind it. When we lived in the area we'd pop up here in the winter for a nice walk and a drink by the roaring fire and thought on a trip back to the area we'd stay here as the prices were incredibly cheap via expedia (£40 a night).

However, we moved from our first room because as asthmatics our lungs seized up. Could have been a combination of dust, as there were cobwebs in the corner of the room or a strange chlorine smell. Either way, the next room was better but the bedstead was falling apart.

Yet there's a nice bar, a clean swimming pool and an unbelievable price for proximity to Marbella. So if you don't mind a hotel in rapid decline then check this out. Also, the staff need some lessons in how to treat guests properly but we just kept saying to ourselves ...'only £40 a night'. Mind you, i'm writing this from the hotel on our first night...so we haven't had the breakfast yet.....

After a lovely week spent travelling around the Andalucian Coast we spent our final 4 nights in the Refugio. Travelling to the hotel the first time is a rather terrifying experience with windy bends with sheer drops for about 5 kms however the hotel more than makes up for the journey. A very relaxing ex hunting lodge with a lovely swimming pool, tennis courts, excellent hill walks, breakfast terrace, various lounges to take a drink in and a good restaurant. As a couple who are not overly enamoured with "game" we found the menu slightly brief but the food was good and the choice of wines was immense. The staff are all traditional Spanish people so brush up on your language before you arrive, but very friendly and helped us out with our pidgeon Spanish where they could. The bedrooms were clean but a little basic. This is a very relaxing place to spend a few days away from the hectic costas. There are a couple of peacocks which wander around the premises and a gorgeous little kitten who will melt you with her gorgeous eyes until you feed her some breakfast. The only improvement I think they could make would be to keep the bar open a little later (it seemed to be closed by 10 every night we were there) so that guests can enjoy sampling more wines from their extensive bodega!