Holiday Recommendations for your stay at Santa Barbara Heights
You can access all restaurants, bars and cafes on the resort, the best of which are a 5 minute walk from the apartment just down the hill. For full details see: https://www.clublacostaworld.com/dining-bar/. These are the ones we recommend:
- Sunrise Pool Bar at San Diego Suites – 5 mins walk, down hill to left. Good for lunch and sundowners at the end of the day (2 for 1 on beer, wine and house spirits as well as a ‘cocktail of the day’). Occasional entertainment in the evenings, look out for programme details.
- Safari Restaurant at Santa Cruz Suites – Lovely atmosphere often with live background music. Varied menu with dishes to suit all tastes. https://www.clublacostaworld.com/dining-bar/safari-restaurant/
- Sams Pantry & Minimarket (via train to Marina Del Sol) – serves coffee and pastries and has a small deli counter and shop.
- Zacs Minimarket in San Diego Suites Reception (5 mins walk, down hill to left) – This is a small shop with limited stock but good for emergencies.
Santa Cruz Reception Service (+34 952 669 934)
- Resort navigation – they have maps of the resort available as well as a train timetable (there is a ‘train’ that serves all areas of the resort and this runs throughout the day and into mid evening).
- Restaurant bookings – for onsite restaurants such as Safari.
- Ordering a taxi – they come very quickly to the taxi rank just outside reception. You can also prebook a local company eg Blue Taxis +34 679 216 671 (they also have 6 seaters and mini buses). Approx fairs: €7 to Fuengirola Square and €10 to La Cala).
- Car hire – most guests hire cars directly from the airport (we use Malaga Car) but if you need to hire a car while in the resort, someone will be in reception most days to help you.
- Medical help – they can contact the onsite medical centre for you if needed.
- Spa bookings – a small treatment centre based at San Diego Suites https://www.clublacostaworld.com/activities/health-and-beauty/
RESORT TRAIN
Pick up a timetable for the resort train from Santa Cruz Reception. It stops in several areas around the resort most notably Sam’s Pantry (via resort train to Marina Del Sol) – serves coffee, pastries and has a small deli counter and shop. There is also a stop for the nearest beach. It’s a short walk from this stop, via an underpass, to the beach. This is not our favourite beach however, see recommendation later!
The Pool
The pool (lift access) opens between 11am and 7pm daily with a lifeguard in attendance. There are fridges and freezers at the pool so you can store food and drink there for the day without having to return to your apartment.
Gym, Sauna & Steam Room
The gym faces the pool, two floors directly below the apartment.
Parking
Underground secure car park. Lift to all floors.
Supermarkets & Shopping
Although there are some mini supermarkets on the resort our recommendation is to go to the local Miramar https://www.miramarcc.com/ which, as well as dozens of mall type shops, has a huge Carrefour hypermarket for all food, drink and household products. It’s a five minute drive from the apartment, you’ll need €1 for your trolley, but parking is free. It has a great selection of meat, fish and cheese from its various deli counters. The same complex also has a cinema.
Nearby, La Cala also has a number of boutique shops and the same distance the other way is Mijas Pueblo. If you wanted to go slightly further afield Puerto Banus and Marbella are around a 30 minute drive from the apartment.
Mijas Pueblo (20 mins by car)
A traditional white washed village with shops and restaurants that is just beautiful. Take a Tuk Tuk tour to see the whole village, not just the tourist area https://www.tuktukspain.es/
A mountaintop city built around a deep gorge. Don’t look down when you’re crossing the bridge as it will make your stomach turn! Can be very hot in the summer.
Not for the feint hearted! We haven’t actually done this yet but it’s highly recommended: https://www.viator.com/Malaga-attractions/El-Caminito-del-Rey/d956-a28371
Shops, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, boats and boat trips!
Forming part of the Malaga coastal path, the boardwalk between La Cala and Cabopino stretches for 6km, hugging the coastline all the way, winding past numerous bars and restaurants. If it’s ever completed it will run 163km from Nerja to Manilva. Drive to La Cala, park up and work on your step count for the day!
Even if you can’t afford the shops in this exclusive port it’s great for sampling the glamour and people watching!
The quaint Old Town is not like the Marbella you probably have pictured in your mind! Home to whitewashed buildings, flower-draped balconies, and narrow, winding streets it has a wide variety of cafes & restaurants.
There are so many good restaurants nearby, it’s difficult to know where to start. Having worked our way through Trip Advisor over the years, our favourite places are in Cabopino, La Cala, Mijas Pueblo & Fuengirola. Here are a few of our favourites:
One of several restaurants in Fuengirola Square, but for tapas this is just great. You can’t book, so you just have to wait for a table, but it’s worth it. (https://www.casacolon.com/)
Lively bar and restaurant with live music events and fabulous cocktails. It is a bit pricey though. Pre-booking is recommended (possibly even before you travel) to avoid disappointment on event nights which can be busy. If you’re after a little bit of ‘Essex’ this is your place – very glamorous! (https://www.oliviaslacala.com/)
Approximately €14 in a taxi or can be accessed via the Boardwalk at Calahonda. Family run with very reasonably priced food. Lovely views overlooking the sea. Ask for a table on the terrace. Booking required (https://antoniorestaurante.com/)
Port of Cabopino (pretty little harbour). Great for breakfast. (https://www.alberts-cabopino.com)
At the back of an unassuming bar on a side street lies a great steak restaurant set in a magical garden with a really special atmosphere. BBQ a speciality. (http://aromacafeandsecretgarden.com/)
Lovely fish restaurant on the main square in La Cala over looking the sea.
(https://www.restaurantetorreonlacala.com/en/)
Sunbeds can be hired by the day and they are usually attached to a beach front bar/restaurant. 2 sunbeds with an umbrella is generally € 10 for the day. Drinks service to your sunbed! The one we prefer is the first one you come to on the left as you start walking down the boardwalk away from La Cala with El Torreon behind you. 100m further down the boardwalk you’ll find Unico Beach Club where the young and beautiful hang out. Walk for a further 3km and you’ll get to Maxx Beach which is the same but bigger.
Large beach with beds for hire with lots of restaurants to choose from.