Kirsty Mckenzie
THE GEM of the costas, as Scott puts it, is only 10 minutes from Marbella and the golden sands of the Costa del Sol. Malaga International Airport, in turn, is only a one-hour drive away.
“It’s the ideal location,’ he says. “We have great hotels here including Amanhavis and Gran Hote, Anantara villa Padierna Benahavis. The town council allows the hotels to access sports facilities here for free so it’s common to have teams come out here to train and relax.
“It’s such a safe place too, so it makes a great visit for families. While the coast gets busy, we always have a lot of peace. We’re close to the beach but not enough for it to get hectic. Benahavis never feels stressful or overrun.”
But despite it’s stunning views and secluded location, Benahavis is far more than a holiday destination. “It’s a great place to be all year round,” says Scott.
“You have the sea so close by but you also get the benefits of feeling very safe and secure in the mountains. It’s rare to not see sunshine here, but we’re only two hours from Sierra Nevada if you want to see snow and go skiing in the winter. You really get the feel of the seasons with a temperature drop at the end of summer and when we put up the Christmas lights in December, that’s really special.”
“We’ve agreed to more developments but the focus is on making sure we keep the apartments big and development small.”
Buying into this charmed world can be difficult, even if you have the finance available. The price of a private villa often exceeds €10 million, with some properties even going for €30 million. But plenty of cheaper options are available.
“The cost of living is low and a two bed flat would set you back only €160k,” says Scott. “Renting is an option too. A one bed apartment would be around €500 a month, a two bed would be between 600 and 800.”
