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Why La Sala By The Sea is a Rite of Passage for Marbella Aficionados

When posed with the question of what the first images are that you associate with Marbella generally the same things will invariably be conjured up. Connotations of celebrities sipping on Dom Perignon, luxurious ostentatious mega yachts owned by the designer-adorned mega rich, as well as images of footballers, WAGs and TOWIE will inevitably spring to mind. The latter is of course synonymous with Marbella culture given its location for the filming of several episodes of The Only Way is Essex. Whether you love it or hate it, and face it, most of us have had to endure (or enjoy) at least 10 minutes of the programme, the show certainly paints a picture of the glamorous lifestyle on offer in Marbella. Perhaps no where is this more evident than La Sala By The Sea, famed for its inclusion as a party destination for Essex-based dwellers and also luxury yacht proprietors. While la Sala undoubtedly plays a second home to the show’s stars, with Jessica Wright and Ricky Rayment recently spotted there, it’s certainly not a requirement to enjoy everything associated with TOWIE in order to enjoy your time at La Sala. There’s plenty on offer, whether that be via soaking up the sun on the various beds you can book, chilling in the pool and spa, or sipping on one of their famed cocktails.

La Sala By The Sea is La Sala’s exclusive Beach Club in Puerta Banus, which opened in Summer 2014 to cater to those hoping for a bit of luxury in the sun. The emphasis is really on pampering, with guests encouraged to indulge in a spot of escapism from the temperamental British summertime. Beds can be booked either by the pool or on the beach, with individual beds costing €35, larger pool terrace beds hosting up to 5 people for €135, or for those truly splashing out four poster beds will set you back €250. Food is served throughout the day and evening and can be enjoyed al fresco overlooking the Mediterranean, or can be delivered to your sunbed if you can’t face leaving the comfort of the poolside surroundings. There’s plenty of options including burgers, sushi, Thai dishes, seafood, salads and steaks, but for many visitors to La Sala the drinks menu is the first thing they’ll be reaching for. Here bottles of Champagne range from €95 to €1,200, while bottles of spirits such as rum, tequila, vodka and whisky cost around €200 with the wide variety of cocktails priced from €12.50. Upon arrival guests can expect to receive fresh fruit, towels and complimentary water, with the added bonus of waiters circulating the pool offering drinks and free cooling facial towels. If the notion of being completely pampered is your cup of tea then La Sala has a wide selection of massage treatments, such as Thai massage, Shiatsu massage and an aromatherapy and hot oil massage.

Their Summer 2016 Opening Party kicked off the season in style in June with plenty of former footballers in attendance, such as David Bentley and Stephen Carr, as well as Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton. The rest of the summer season will undoubtedly follow suit with a plethora of footballers and their other halves gracing La Sala By The Sea. Indeed, over the past couple of years several famous faces have been spotted at both the Beach Club and its sister restaurant located just a 15 minute walk away. The beach club’s sister restaurant hosts live music and entertainment every night throughout the summer season, with events ranging from tribute nights to the likes of Robbie Williams, The Rat Pack, Jersey Boys, Barry White and The Beatles, to live musicians in the piano bar. Amongst the famous faces to have appeared at both the restaurant and beach club are footballers David Silva, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, members of the Birmingham, Middlesborough and Burnley squads, as well as Ashley Cole, John Terry, Harry Kane and Frank Rijkaard. Model Sylvie Van der Vaart (ex-wife of the ex-Tottenham and Real Madrid ace Rafael), Soccer Saturday and Countdown’s Jeff Stelling, ex-Hear’Say-er and Corrie actress Kym Marsh, Stacey Solomon, Calum Best, Imogen Thomas, boxer Anthony Joshua, and Little Mix have all been known to appear at La Sala, many of whom then shoot off (excuse the pun) to Akwa Mist, the famed sister nightclub upstairs from La Sala restaurant. This year at Akwa Mist you can catch Craig David on Friday August 5th performing in the club, while past acts have included Stormzy, Miguel Campbell, Blonde, DJ EZ, Martinez Brothers, Rudimental, Tyga, Lethal Bizzle, Ne-Yo, Jason Derulo and Kano, which serves to emphasise its stature as the place to catch some of the world’s most popular artists.

It may be difficult to escape the celebrities as they wander from the four poster beds to the jacuzzi and back to the bar, but it’s certainly got enough to offer if you have a very limited interest in reality TV and footballers. From the food to the cocktails to the poolside lounging options and spa, it truly is the epitome of summer relaxation. So whether you want to indulge yourself by the pool and sea soaking up the sun while sipping on champagne, whether you want to spot a member of the TOWIE cast, or whether you’d be more interested in rubbing shoulders with the footballing elite, then head down to La Sala this summer for an indulgent experience. After all if anyone knows about self-indulgence then it’s bound to be reality TV stars, so ever there’s a place to see and to be seen then it’s La Sala By The Sea. Plan your visit here: http://www.lasalabythesea.com/

Christopher Gill