Four Seasons Is Coming to East Marbella: Everything You Need to Know

Four Seasons Is Coming to East Marbella: Everything You Need to Know

One of the world's best-known luxury hotel brands is finally coming to East Marbella. After eight years of planning, permits and changes of ownership, the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Marbella project took its most important step in spring 2026. Belgian developer Immobel and Miami-based Fort Partners now control the entire beachfront site in El Pinar, next to Río Real.

This is not a rumour or a render on a billboard. It is a 32-hectare beachfront resort with a Four Seasons hotel, two beach clubs and about 127 Four Seasons-branded homes. Residential sales are expected to start in 2027.

Below is everything we know so far: what is being built, exactly where, who is behind it, when it will happen, what the homes may cost, and what it could mean for property in East Marbella.

The project: a hotel, 127 homes and two beach clubs

The plan is a self-contained beach resort: a Four Seasons hotel at its heart, surrounded by private homes that will be serviced and branded by Four Seasons. Immobel and Fort Partners announced this mix in May 2026:

Component	Planned size
Four Seasons hotel	105 keys (rooms and suites)
Branded apartments	about 40
Branded townhouses	54
Branded villas	33
Beach clubs	2, with dining, sport and wellness
Other	spa, restaurants, shops, conference space

The master design is by Meier Partners, the studio of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier, best known for the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Expect white, light-filled modern architecture rather than a pastiche Andalusian village. The developers have also said the resort will use geothermal energy, solar panels and efficient cooling.

The project is smaller than first announced. In 2023 the plan still talked about 165 hotel rooms, 260 residences and 40 villas. The current version is lower in density and more exclusive, which usually supports higher prices per home.

The location: 750 m of beach in El Pinar

The resort sits on the El Pinar estate in East Marbella, just past the Río Real river as you drive in from Málaga on the A-7. It lies between the Río Real and Los Monteros neighbourhoods, with Torre Real and its beach on one side and the Los Monteros hotel and golf area on the other.

• Size: about 32 hectares, a rare single plot this close to town
• Beach: about 750 m of direct Mediterranean frontage
• Distance: about 3 km from Marbella Old Town and the Orange Square
• Neighbours: Río Real Golf, Los Monteros, Torre Real, Bahía de Marbella

One practical issue shaped the project for years: the A-7 coast road runs between the hillside plot and the sand. That is why the approved works include a pedestrian bridge, an underpass, new service roads, a roundabout and noise barriers along the motorway.

Who is behind it

The project is in experienced, international hands:

• Immobel: one of Belgium's leading property developers, which describes this as its largest project to date.
• Fort Partners: a Miami-based investor specialising in ultra-luxury branded resorts.
• Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts: will run the hotel and look after the residences. In Spain it already operates the Four Seasons Madrid and the Formentor resort in Mallorca.

In 2026 Immobel and Fort Partners secured full ownership of the site. That brings years of preparation together under one team, ready to move the project forward.

The timeline: from 2018 to opening day

The project has moved from planning into execution, and residential sales are expected to open in 2027.

The slow part is now behind it. The town hall approved the partial plan in November 2021 and €9 million of urbanisation works in February 2026. The developers secured the whole site in April 2026. Next come land reparcelling and building licences, then construction from late 2027. A first phase could open in 2029, with full completion around 2031.

The Four Seasons residences: what they are and what they may cost

A branded residence is a privately owned home that the hotel brand designs to its standards and then services. Owners typically get access to the hotel's concierge, housekeeping, spa, restaurants and beach clubs. Many schemes also offer a rental programme, where the operator lets the home while the owner is away.

No official price list exists yet. Sales are expected to open in 2027. Figures reported in the press give a first idea:

Home type	Planned units	Reported starting price
Apartments	about 40	from about €1.5M
Townhouses	54	from about €3M
Villas	33	from about €10M

For comparison, the average resale price in the Río Real–Los Monteros district was €5,610 per m² in September 2026, according to idealista. Branded homes almost always sell well above their area average. International studies put the premium for established hotel brands at roughly 20–40% over comparable unbranded homes, depending on the market.

For buyers, two things matter most. The first is service charges, which are higher than in a normal community. The second is the rules of any rental programme, since the operator usually keeps a large share of rental income.

What it means for East Marbella property

For decades, Marbella's most famous luxury addresses have been west of the centre: the Golden Mile, Puente Romano, Marbella Club. A Four Seasons on the beach in El Pinar gives the east side a global name of its own.

The local data shows why this matters. In September 2026, homes on the Golden Mile averaged €8,331 per m², against €5,610 in Río Real–Los Monteros, according to idealista. Río Real–Los Monteros was also the only Marbella district where average prices fell over the past year, by 4.1%. The wider market is strong: official data quoted from Knight Frank shows Marbella prices up 13.5% in the first half of 2026.

In plain terms, East Marbella offers beach and golf living close to town at a clear discount to the west. A landmark brand is one of the few things that can narrow that gap over time.

The areas most likely to feel the effect are:

• Río Real and El Pinar: direct neighbours of the resort
• Los Monteros and Torre Real: beachfront and frontline homes nearby
• Bahía de Marbella and Las Chapas: the wider East Marbella corridor
• Hillside areas such as Alto de los Monteros and Altos de Río Real: sea views over the new resort

The project should also bring new jobs: up to 4,000 during construction and about 750 permanent roles once open. This supports local services, rentals and year-round life on the east side.

Why now is a good moment to pay attention

After years of preparation, the hardest steps are done.

• The groundwork is in place. The partial plan is approved, the €9 million infrastructure works are approved and one owner now controls the whole site. These were the slowest steps, and they are behind the project.
• Strong, committed backers. Immobel and Fort Partners have invested heavily to secure the land. That is a clear signal of their intent to deliver.
• The details will get sharper. Final room counts, floor plans and prices will be confirmed at the official launch. Registering interest early is the best way to get first access.
• East Marbella is in demand. Global brands are choosing the Costa del Sol for their residences, and Four Seasons gives the east side a leading name among them.

The next milestones are the land reparcelling, the building licences and the official sales launch in 2027. We will share each update as it happens.

The bottom line

Four Seasons in El Pinar is the most significant luxury project East Marbella has seen in a generation. It is now firmly in the hands of well-funded international developers. Sales are expected in 2027, a partial opening around 2029 and completion around 2031.

For buyers, there are two ways to benefit. One is to register early for the Four Seasons residences themselves. The other is to buy nearby now, in Río Real, Los Monteros or Torre Real, while prices are still below the west side.

East Marbella is our home ground, and we are following every step of the Four Seasons project. Whether you want early access to the residences or a home nearby before prices catch up, the Smartmove Marbella team is here to guide you. Get in touch and let's find the right move for you.