All About Sotogrande by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Casual elegance

Laurence Dollimore finds a down-to-earth welcome in the high society paradise of Sotogrande

TRANQUIL: Picturesque Sotogrande beach with Rock of Gibraltar visible in the distance

IT’S an absolute privilege to live here,” enthuses 29-yearold Georgina Taylor, welcoming me to her eponymous chiringuito Gigi’s. “It’s such a beautiful, elegant paradise.” This is Sotogrande, Andalucia’s largest privately-owned residential super-estate. And super it most certainly is. Sometimes described as Spain’s ‘millionaire’s playground’, the enclave was purpose-built for a wealthy cosmopolitan crowd with the added bonuses of 24-hour security, designer boutiques and quality restaurants My first introduction to this LA-like loca-

tion came via a lifelong Soto resident who loured enclave of luxury apartments, villas struggled to end a sentence in anything and mansions. other than ‘dahling’, ‘sweet“There’s a lot of wealth here ie’ or ‘fabulous’. but it’s not vulgar or ostentaYou could have mistaken her tious,” says Georgina a.k.a. “There’s a lot of ‘Gigi’, who grew up here,. for being too posh to pass the time of day. But within wealth here but “My clients may be million30 seconds of meeting her, aires but they are happy to it’s not vulgar or walk around in flip flops and preconceptions melt away. And it’s the same with Sotoeat chiringuito-style.” ostentatious,” grande, an uber chic urbanSotogrande is where the says Gigi isation in the municipality of wealthy come to relax in San Roque. peace, they’re not here to The bluer-than-blue marina, show off or be seen. stacked with gin palace yachts and sailing Perhaps this helps explain why the resort’s boats galore, is the backdrop to a multi-co- economy has consistently outperformed

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its Costa neighbours. Throughout the last crisis, while areas like Fuengirola saw property prices plummet by as much as 11%, in Sotogrande they remained stable and even increased, some well into the double figures. And with huge new exclusive developments planned in La Reserva, where homes are expected to go for around the €13 million mark, that looks only set to continue. And while the grapevine may have you believe the area is full of snooty money-makers, scratch beneath the tranquil opulence and you will find a down-to-earth, sporty community ready to welcome visitors with open arms. “There’s such a community spirit here,” confirms new resiDesigned by Web Express Guide dent Sue Davies, 51, who relocated with husband Wayne last August. “There’s a great mix of nationalities and everyone is so supportive of each other, it makes it a wonderful place to live.” “There’s just so much to do here too - golf, tennis, padel tennis, sailing or the beach,” she adds. “You have everything in one place and that is ultimately why we love it. It’s a one-stop paradise.” While sailing has long been an obvious pastime for residents, the sports scene has always been ahead of the curve. Padel tennis, Europe’s fastestgrowing sport, has been a Soto Individual and favourite for years. It is also group sessions polo’s most southerly Europeincluding home visits an home. from Marbella to Gibraltar The big summer tournament at

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Boats and the beach HAPPY: Sotogrande residents From previous page

Santa Maria Polo Club in August is almost as famous for its pop-up shopping village and Grey Goose vodka after-parties as the gladiatorial sport itself. That’s largely thanks to the scores of royals and Spanish celebrities who come for the month to spectate and join in when they fancy it. This year’s is expected to draw around 80,000 visitors, 30,000 more than last year and without a doubt its biggest to date. The resort has been tagged with the brand of exclusivity ever since it was first developed by multi millionaire Joseph McMicking in

1962, after he fell in love with the her daughters, the princesses location on a chance trip to Spain Eugenie and Beatrice are all fawith his wife. miliar faces at Sotogrande polo. A Who’s Who of Then there are Akings, princes, sullist visitors like Rod tans and aristos folStewart, Mariah A Who’s Who of lowed in their footCarey, BBC’s Nick steps and bought Knowles and Genkings, princes, homes or rented esis’ Mike Ruthersultans and villas here, includford, who have all ing former UK Prime aristos followed in sought a low-key Minister Tony Blair, break in this exclutheir footsteps Glenn Hoddle, Edsive enclave. die Jordan and the On any good day current and former you might also spot Chief Ministers of Gibraltar. 73-year-old Robin Byers cruising Princes William, Harry and An- around the puerto in his 1978 drew, Fergie, Duchess of York and blue beetle convertible.

CERAMICS: At flea market

“I have travelled around the world and I can say with confidence that there’s not a development in the whole of Europe that rivals Sotogrande,” he tells me. “When you think of Monaco or St Tropez, they don’t have all the sports that we do and they don’t have Gibraltar and Andalucia on their doorstep. “And we have fantastic views and food.” This has become even more true over the past year, with the opening of 20 plus new restaurants, bars and clubs thanks to new American owners of the resort. And the exclusive village is vis-

Filling the gap between injury and returning to normal life at unique Sotogrande clinic

Re-establishing and maintaining healthy whole body movement after an injury or illness is the key to long-term recovery, say Carole Falconer, a physiotherapist and Andrea Young, a Pilates practitioner and functional movement specialist.

They have both observed a gap in physical injury aftercare and now work in tandem to ensure clients don’t repeat the injuries that brought them to their clinic in the first place. “Just because you’ve been discharged by a doctor or surgeon doesn’t always mean you’re fit to immediately return to previous activities, either work, home or sports related” explains Andrea, who provides fitness training in the same building as Carole’s physiotherapy clinic in the heart of Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro. “For example you might break a bone or damage a joint, a surgeon will repair the injury and that’s their job done. After that you’ll go to physiotherapy to re-establish pain-free movement, and then be discharged to return to your normal life. Frequently however, many people are still unready to resume their previous activities. Some go right back to activities that got them into trouble in the first place. Others, having subconsciously ‘favoured the injury’ during the initial recovery period, have created compensatory habits making them move differently thus creat-

Let’s get physical ing new issues. Following physiotherapy, Andrea works to restore the client’s healthy movement patterns so they can more easily and safely return to a full range of activity. “We both firmly believe in the need to take account of who the person is, what they do for a living, what recreational activity they take part in and what they need and want to be able to do to live life fully. We treat the person, not just the injury.” Carole, who has trained with the re-

nowned James Cyriax, often described as the father of orthopaedic medicine, goes to Andrea’s classes herself. “I often joke that these women could do a degree in anatomy after a few weeks because Andrea explains exactly what they’re doing and why, and people understand things much better that way,” she says. Both notice the way their clients’ bodies change, their confidence grows and movement becomes much more fluid, efficient and importantly pain free.With

a combined experience of 50 years,

whilst constantly staying abreast of new developments in their fields, it’s no wonder that there is such high de-

mand for their unique service.

Contact them here: Carole Falconer: (34) 629 518 160, carolefalconer123@gmail.com http://sotograndephysiotherapy.com Andrea Young: (34) 690 691 371, enquiry@corefitforlife.com, http://corefit-

forlife.com

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Come in and take a look at our intriguing collection of antiques, collectables and curios. From all over the UK and Europe OPEN: Monday to Saturday 10am-2pm & 4pm-8pm Sat & Sun 10am-4pm Appraisal service and house clearances

STUNNING: Sotogrande’s beaches and port (below)

Endas Collectables Tel: 956 236 156 info@endascollectables.com Calle San Francisco 7, Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro

ibly far more busy than last year, with the new haunts bringing a buzz to the area. And you can’t help but feel at peace when strolling around the marina, although make that Segwaying around the marina. Personal transporters are the in thing here, whether it’s workers zooming to the office, coffee in hand, or hipster teens taking turns on motorised skateboards. After dodging the two-wheeled-speedsters, you might want to check out the port’s bustling Mercado de Levante flea market. From ceramics to vintage fashions, everyone is welcome under the candy-striped awnings that pop up along the quayside. Unfortunately, in search of respite from the Soto sun, I found the gelato truck was closed so I had to settle for a cerveza. But I was spoilt for choice, with high quality café’s, bars and restaurants on every corner of the port. At The Hairy Lemon, a favourite expat haunt, I got chatting to James Eden, 38, from Kent. “Soto has a great ambience, and we love coming here to get away from the bustling coast,” he explains. “It’s obviously a bit pricier but it’s worth it, and my wife likes the shopping. “We have a place nearby in Casares but if I could afford somewhere here I

would snap it up in a heartbeat.” Despite its upmarket nature, this enigmatic resort 25km east of Gibraltar is full of mostly down-toearth and warm-hearted people. “You don’t have to be a snob to get on in Sotogrande, people aren’t like that here,” Sarah Smith, 51, tells me as she watches her son at padel tennis training. “To be honest it’s nowhere near as flashy as Marbella where people like to show off their wealth. “People in Soto are a lot more genuine, they mind their own business, meet up with friends and have a

good time. We’re all just trying to live the good life.” Her words resonated as I drove through Sotogrande’s leafy avenues to Galerias Paniagua, the bijou commercial centre where the residents buy their foreign newspapers and paperbacks and can eat out when they don’t want to cook in, and where I bump into Graham and Jane Astle from Cheshire were enjoying a late lunch. “There’s a huge mix of nationalities, it’s not a British bubble which is what we love about it,” explains Graham, 71. “On top of that it is easy to make friends as everyone is so approachable.” Of that I certainly concur. Maybe it’s the tranquility lacking in Marbs or Banus, or perhaps the beautiful views of Gibraltar from all around. Aside from its sports and familyfriendly beach bars, Soto also has nice beaches to relax on. And had work not beckoned the following morning, it’s more than likely a cabana and cocktail session would have been calling my name. Perhaps next time. I left Soto reluctantly, sad that I couldn’t stay longer, jealous that I wasn’t part of this close-knit community. But I’ll be back and, having met a whole cast of hospitable residents, I know that I will be welcomed as if I were one of their own.

Endacom Civil Engineering S.L.

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Horse and pony riding lessons for all levels Eventing riding lessons Hacks Full livery for horses including outdoor paddock

Cañada Real s/n Sotogrande Tel. 644 40 22 52 CAPTION.

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Hot to trot Barking up the right tree C Boutique products are the result of an nine year process that begins in the Spanish and Portuguese cork forests. Cork trees live for approximately 300 years and are harvested every nine years, removing only the outer bark. It takes 20 to 25 years before the first cork can be removed from the Cork Oak tree. Raw planks of cork are then boiled making them flexible and elastic. This cork skin is extremely lightweight, waterproof, vegan, durable, and most important to us at C Boutique, eco friendly. A mature cork oak tree will produce hundreds of kilos of cork skin at each harvest, and lives for many generations. We believe in happy trees, a happy World and happy products at Cork Boutique, the gift shop with conscience.

OTOGRANDE'S youngest Horse riding school is the hippest in town. Set up three years ago by Cristina Hernaiz, Hipica La Paz stands out from the other stables for its hands on approach. Riders of all ages are welcome, and can enjoy everything from light trotting to dressage and jumping, and all take part in brushing, stableclearing, feeding and more. "We like our students to get a lot more involved with the horses here," explains Cristina, "it's very interactive, so you have lots of fun but also learn a lot about horses

while doing it." No one knows this more than the kids at the summer Pony Camp, held from Monday to Fridays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. "They are doing everything from bringing the ponies in from the field, brushing them, clearing their stables, and of course riding them," explains Cristina, "we make sure it's a really friendly atmosphere and an easygoing place to have fun and learn about horses." Contact Cristina on 644 402 252 or find Hipica La Paz on Facebook.

Trample under foot

For Original, Quirky gifts that are handmade and eco friendly, made from the finest Cork skin

SOME 80,000 people are descending upon Sotogrande for the annual World Polo Tour circuit event at Santa Maria Polo Club. For a month, the ‘Wimbledon of polo pitches’ is hosting ten teams of 50 horses and 200 staff, along with spectators, who include the Brunei and British royals. Four of the tournament’s championship cups are classified as World Tour cups, signifying the event’s prestige. And equally prestigious is the host club. The club’s PR manager Pilar de la Puente told the Olive Press: “Sotogrande is the known as ‘the cathedral of European polo.’ It’s the best club in Europe and the ranked third in the world.” Though the tournament is unsurprisingly posh, with such high-end sponsors as Maserati and Cartier, it does have one bit of democratic flare. For every match except the final, attendance is open and free to the public, with crowds usually growing above 50,000, and this year is promising to be the biggest yet.

Located just 5 mins from Sotogrande Port on Main Street, Torreguadiaro

Tel: 627 25 15 26 Corkboutiquesoto

CHUKKA TIME: In Sotogrande and James Beim (left)

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Villa, Sotogrande Costa

Villa, Central Sotogrande

6 bedrooms / 7 bathrooms • 1179m2 built, 3003m2 plot Indoor lap pool • Cinema • Pool house with full kitchen • Staff quarters Minutes drive from beach

6 bedrooms / 5 bathrooms • 550m2 built 2858m2 plot Wonderful mature garden • Swimming pool • Tennis court Snooker & cinema room • Great family kitchen

Price: €2,750,000 – REDUCED

Price: €1,600,000

Villa, Sotogrande Alto

Cortijo, Gaucin

Villa, Sotogrande Alto

5 bedrooms / 7 bathrooms • Fully refurbished 446m2 built, 1189m2 plot • His & Hers offices Poolside BBQ area • Excellent condition

5 bedrooms / 5 bathrooms 924m2 built, 68 acres land • Central heating Former private hotel • Own tennis court Swimming pool • 5 min drive from Gaucin town

4 bedrooms / 3 bathrooms 280m2 built, 1495m2 plot • Quiet cul-de-sac Charming with beamed ceilings Lovely flat garden • Interior walled patio

Price: €965,000

Price: €1,495,000 – REDUCED

Price: €690,000

Villa, Sotogrande Marina 3 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms • Private storeroom 111m2 built, 38m2 terraces Lovely marina views • Lots of natural light Walking distance from port • 2 parking spaces

Price: €395,000

Pueblo Nuevo De Guadiaro Calle Sierra Bermeja Tel. 956 795 300 / 628 574 953 WWW.JS-SOTOGRANDE.COM

Apartment, Alcaidesa 2 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms • Stunning sea views 102m2, 87m2 terraces • Allocated parking space Ground floor with huge terrace • Storeroom Well-kept urbanization • Walking distance to beach

Price: €275,000

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Savills boss and golf fanatic James Stewart is ‘buzzing’ about Soto’s property market after a difficult 2016

E’S swung the irons with Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros, shared Valderrama’s greens with US President George Bush Snr and teed off with Prince Andrew... few people have enjoyed better job perks than James Stewart whose business is associated with the UK’s biggest estate agents, Savills. But he has certainly earned it. Despite decorating his office with photographs of famous golf partners and retelling stories of how he helped bring the Ryder Cup to Spain for the very first time, it is clear that James’ first and most important love is his business. And after 35 years in Spain and 18 years in Pueblo Nuevo there is not much James doesn’t know about the property market, which is good news for Soto. “I am very optimistic about Sotogrande,” he says. “Last year was difficult with the shock Brexit result and the following uncertainty, but things have recovered relatively quickly. “The British have dropped a little but we are seeing them come back, additionally, the Spanish market is growing stronger as the economy grows and people have more money to spend.” And Sotogrande’s appeal as the ideal spot for a new home just keeps growing. “There are around 20 new restaurants, bars and shops,” explains

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we are Out of the bunker

JAMES: With Ballesteros

Open everyday from 11.00hrs to 20.00hrs tel: 956 236 612 mob: 607 203 130 www.caladecai.es facebook: chiringuito cai

Stewart, “it means there are a lot more people here than last year, there is a real buzz about the place again which is exciting. “We expect to finish the year off in a strong position.” Outside of the property world, James loves to be on the golf course... in particular in Sotogrande’s esteemed Valderrama where he is a member. A member for 30 years, his love-affair with the club dates back to the early 90s when club owner Jaime Ortiz-Patiño brought him in to help bring the Ryder Cup to Spain. “It was a great honour for me and I got to meet some top players,” he says. “Seve

Humble hippies

LOCATED in one of the only coves of this area (‘Calas’ in Spanish), Chiringuito Cai is the perfect spot to spend your day at the beach. You can park right on our doorstep and we are open from 11am to 8pm. We have sunbeds and parasols to rent and we serve a variety of fresh local foods and drinks. Coffees, fresh fruit smoothies, cocktails (such as our signature mojito), a variety of Spanish, French and South African wines and our delicous Alhambra beer. Our menu is a mix of typical Spanish chiringuito dishes like cala-

was by far my favourite, a true gentleman and ambassador to the sport.” He adds: “I’ll never forget playing in the Volvo Masters Pro Am in 1997 with Seve and Zimbabwean pro Mark McNulty. “On the 18th I had the putt to win the tournament and Seve and Mark both took turns at lining me up. I felt huge relief when the ball fell in the hole.” With a separate office in Puerto Sotogrande, James Stewart in association with Savills has established itself as a top agent for Sotogrande and surrounding areas. For more information visit www.jssotogrande.com or call 956 795 300

mari, seabass, dorada or rosada and famous Cai specialities such as caesar and goats cheese salad or our magnificent Cai burger. And if you have a sweet tooth you are in for a treat as our most popular dishes of all are our homemade banoffee pie and chocolate brownie. Come and give us a try, you will love our happy humble hippie chiringuito! For further information please visit us on facebook: chiringuito Cai Or our website www.caladecai.es Email: antonela@caladecai.es Phone: 956236612 or 607203130

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London and international architects behind Soto’s newest and most exclusive hillside villas

OTO’S newest hillside development promises to be its most exclusive yet. The Seven, located atop the La Reserva, will consist of seven six-bedroom villas built into the hillside, starting at €13.5 million. Each villa will be designed by an architect of international notoriety,including London-based Philip Gumuchdjian. A house in The Seven will fetch between €14 million and €18 million euros and occupy between 1,800 and 2,400 square meters. All of them will have anything that a millionaire, or billionaire, could want: private spa, indoor and outdoor pool, cinema or gym. "We take care of everything. From paying bills, maintaining the garden and the house, opening it when the owner wishes, daily service, chef, purchase, cleaning, restaurant reservations or transport , it will be the same as living in a hotel," says Marc Topiol, the chief executive of the resort, who has spent 25 years working for leading hotel groups, including Marriott and Ritz-

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Lucky number seven Carlton. But if you can’t afford the €5,000 basic monthly fees, then a villa here probably isn’t for you. The project is part of the La Reserva project, Along with The Seven, there will be another 22 exclusive villas, in an area called El Mirador. Two villas there have already been sold for between €9 million and €11 million. A reservoir is in the making, as is an ar-

tificial beach and another 47 villas. They will come complete with a beach club, spa, port, clubhouse and gastronomic centre. The Seven collection will see a level of security and privacy never seen in Sotogrande, with enclosed spaces, and in addition to the seven-hectare park designed by famed French arhcitet Jean Mus, each house will have zero water waste, water recovery and waste minimization features.

EXCLUSIVE: Luxurious properties designed by renowned architects will go for millions

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Grand affair Sotogrande’s first Grand Prix has put it on the map for motorheads

OTOGRANDE’S first ever Grand Prix has put the exclusive location firmly on the map for motorheads. Featuring a Rally, Concours d’Elegance and more, the five-day event in May saw entrants make their way from Sevilla’s iconic Plaza De España, through cultural hotspot Cordoba before culminating in a Flying 1/4 Mile into Sotogrande and Concours d’Elegance. Winners of the Sotogrande Concourse included an OSCA MT4 for Most Exciting Design, an Aston Martin DB2 DHC received a special award by the jury ‘Coup De Couer’ and Best of Show was awarded to a Hispano 1910, the favourite car of Alfonso XIII, King of Spain.

Winners

Additional winners included a Porsche 550A taking Best Preserved Car, a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Mulliner DHC capturing Most Elegant Design and Most Iconic Design went to a Jaguar E-Type 3.8 OTS. Meanwhile, the Sotogrande Rally for vintage cars led participants off the beaten track along the backdrop of spectacular roads, charming whitevillages and magnificent mountain scenery. A 1957 Porsche 356 A won the Rally, followed by a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 and a 1956 Porsche 356 A Speedster. The concurrent Sotogrande GT Tour for cars built in the last 20 years was won by a 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S.

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Up Soto creek with a paddle Arriving in style, Jon Clarke takes a trip down the Rio Guadiaro

ROW YOUR BOAT: Life afloat Jon Clarke taking a trip down the Rio Guardio (above)

T is by far the most exciting way to arrive in Sotogrande. But you are likely to get wet so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring your gladrags. One of the best family adventures on the Costa del Sol, you can rent a kayak and paddle the whole way down the Guadiaro river from El Secadero, which is actually in Casares, to the mouth of the river at Soto-

grande port. Taking a couple of hours, you will see a huge range of birds and feel like you are in total wilderness for much of it. There are even a few rapids to get the heart racing. Organised by Andalucia Activities, kayaks come in three sizes and can comfortably take three people in the larger ones. I joined a group descent, with around 100 people in dozens of canoes, arriving early and getting kitted out properly, with a full safety drill before heading off. But you can also get a special day out for groups or individuals organised by Andalucia Activities. And as well as kayaking, the company also offers walking expeditions as well as paddle board lessons and wakeboarding. For more information visit www.andaluciaactivities.com

Wild and free T

HE hidden gem of the Sotogrande estate is a 27-hectare area of marshland housing an abundance of wildlife. Boardwalks criss-cross the thick foliage and a lagoon with extensive reed beds attracts many winged visitors. The Junta spent â&#x201A;Ź198,000 on the boardwalk in 1999, along with fences, gates and a bird hide. After several acts of vandalism, however, the hide is now rarely open to the public. But bird-watching is still easy enough for those with the will and the

rewards include purple gallinules (swamp hens) penduline tits, cormorants and gulls. The location of the estuary, where the river Guadiaro enters the Mediterranean, is perfect for birds moving along the coast and migrating to Africa. It also provides the best place for views of the estuary and the coast, and, after a morning spent wildlife spotting there is the glorious Guadalquiton beach to unwind on in the afternoon.

CHIRP: A purple gallinule (left), a penduline tit (far left) and the rickety board-walk (above)

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Serving up ace facilities, Ian McDougall is nurturing the latest generation of tennis and padel stars in Sotogrande

E played with Bjorn Borg during the Swede’s golden years, represented Great Britain at youth level and even named his dogs Tennis and Padel… it is fair to say that boss at Octogono Club Ian McDougall is crazy for the court. Moving to Spain as a 21-year-old tennis coach in 1982, Ian landed himself a job at the prestigious Puente Romano centre. The 11-time Grand Slam champion Borg had put his name to the club and for six days a year he made an appearance at the up-market Marbella resort. Luckily for Ian, that meant he had the chance to play alongside the Swede as they partnered up for doubles exhibition games against the likes of Spanish legend Manuel Santana. “It was great to play alongside Bjorn,” he says. “He was a really nice guy, quiet, kept himself to himself. “On the court he was at his best, although I had to encourage him to get forward a bit more as he tried winning every point from the baseline as he did so well throughout his career.” In 1987, Ian was crowned the first Padel World Champion in Marbella with partner Marcus Ludlow. From there Ian moved to Argentina where he played at the highest level for a year. Nowadays, father-of-four Ian spends his time running the Octogono club. With five padel courts, three hard tennis courts and three red clay courts,

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For the love of tennis

DREAM TEAM: Ian with Bjorn Borg (left), Ian and Davis cup team (above) and his club courts (below)

knock about on Octogono’s courts, Ian is just as interested in getting kids on to the court. As well as running its own summer camps, Octogono also hosts the Soto Academy which nurtures rising stars in Andalucia. Junior competitions are scheduled throughout August for both tennis and padel and local players are encouraged to sign up. And while Ian’s 10-year-old son Johnny hasn’t beaten his dad yet, he says he ‘will soon!’ Meanwhile, Ian’s 29-year-old son Oliver is following in his father’s footsteps and works as a coach at the club. But it is not just a club for kids, tennis mix-ins for seniors take place every Wednesday and Sunday morning while padel mix-ins are run throughout the week. And with a nomembership policy everyone is welcome.

NEXT GENERATION: Ian with son Johnny

the 55-year-old Yorkshireman has transformed the centre into a hub for up-and-coming stars.

And while the likes of former England boss Glenn Hoddle, and British royals Eugenie and Beatrice have enjoyed a

For more information visit www. tennissotogrande.com or call 659 453 444/ 677 589 895

Golf glorious golf Sotogrande is home to more topnotch golf courses than you can shake a nine-iron at

T would not be unfair to call Sotogrande the home of Spanish golf. After all, it has some of the oldest courses in the country and has even hosted the Ryder Cup. Indeed, anyone with half an interest in sport will remember the fantastic last few holes of the 1997 Ryder Cup, when Colin Montgomery played the best round of his life. That was at Valderrama, now viewed as one of the must-play golf courses in Europe, beautifully maintained, pricey and, some say, a touch too challenging. Golfers up for a change should try Alcaidesa, claimed to be the only Links golf course in southern Europe. Seaside courses require a different style of play from your standard 18 and if the ball lands in the water, forget it! As an added touch, Alcaidesa may be the most scenic of all the Sotogrande courses, with breathtaking coastal views to Gibraltar and North Africa.

It might explain why the course entices a serious number of high-quality events to its doors each year, from parties to society weddings. There are, of course, half a dozen more courses on the Sotogrande circuit. Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande, a.k.a. the ‘Old Course’, was the first to be built in the area and said to be a dream to play after tricky sister course, Valderrama. It was here that so-called Bermuda grass was first introduced into Spain. Almenara Golf, designed by Ryder Cup champion turned respected course architect David Thomas, is up in the hills where celebrities Glenn Hoddle and Glen Johnson have homes. La Canada, La Reserve and San Roque complete the ‘famous five’. “There are few places with such a high concentration of great golf courses,” says Ian Bateman, of Holmes estate agents. “When you add the fabulous tennis facilities and polo club, with its 11 full size courses, the facilities in Sotogrande are second to none.”

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Sotogrande’s property market is in full recovery mode, and Holmes’ Ben Bateman knows why

ROPERTY sales in Sotogrande have bounced back following the uncertainty that loomed over the market last year with the EU Referndum, and Brexit. While Brexit fears and currency devaluation took its toll, Soto has weathered the storm and looks set to get back on track by the end of 2017. “We have recovered all but one of our Brexit ‘casualties’,” explains Holmes Sotogrande boss Ben Bateman. “We are very optimistic that we will end this year very well, and much improved on last year and 2015” And the secret? Soto’s ‘casual elegance’ and unique authenticity appeals to everyone. “The British market has not pulled back as much as we expected and since May it looks like the demand from the British market is coming back strong. “But we are seeing more Scandinavians, Spanish, Belgian, Dutch and surprisingly we are seeing a significant interest from the French market. “As southern France is becoming too expensive, the French are being attracted by Soto’s casual elegance and authenticity.” Bateman says the gentle charm of Sotogrande’s well manicured streets has a down-to-earth feel yet its upmarket nature is hard to beat. “You can walk around in flip flops and a t-shirt and feel comfortable here, or dress to the nines and not look out of place, it’s truly a world of its own.” And once you add that to its facilities, it’s unrivalled. “Of the five golf courses in Sotogrande three of them, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, Real Club Valder-

August 2nd - August 15th 2017

Blooming good news

KNOWLEDGEABLE: Ben Bateman of Holmes Sotogrande rama and The La Reserva Club Ben’s passion for Sotogrande drives are world-class championship golf his enthusiasm towards running his courses and amongst the best in business. Europe” says the boss of Holmes, “I grew up in Sotogrande, and now I established in Soto in 1979, “they am bringing my family up here,” he are in the best condition I have ever says. “There really is nowhere quite seen them. like Sotogrande. “All in all, we are all very happy and “When describing it to someone who look forward to finishing the year has never been before it is hard to with strong results.” portray the magical atmosphere that Set up by his father in 1979, Ben Sotogrande has.” began working at Holmes 15 years He adds: “I get so much pleasure ago. Taking the reigns in 2013, from helping people find their homes and then watching them and their families enjoying Sotogrande for five, 10 or 15 years,” he adds, with a smile. “It is always sad when families leave, but on the bright side they have loved this place and are now entrusting us to help open the door for a new family to move to Sotogrande.” To contact Ben and the team, visit www.holmesotogrande.com or call 956 795 340

The next generation of car cleaning has arrived...

Steaming ahead HAVING moved to Spain some 9 months ago and being a car enthusiast my aim was to find a site whereby I could offer specialist car cleaning and valets at attractive prices. After several months I found the perfect site which is located on the opposite side of the main road to marina duquesa (adjoining the garden centre). This site will allow clients to leave their cars for cleaning and stroll into the marina for a coffee whilst their car is being cleaned or valeted. Clients are able to drive in or book a convenient time or day to suit. Appointments can be made between a Monday and Saturday 9 until 6 for their cars to be cleaned and in some cases full valets can also be carried out on a Sunday morning by arrangement. WHAT CAN DAN'S STEAM CAR CARE OFFER... 1. Exterior steam clean 2. Exterior and interior steam clean throughout 3. Mini valet with hand polish 4. Full valet with interior upholstery deep cleaned All products used are environmentally friendly and all cars are steam cleaned which is safe on car surfaces, rejuvenates paint work, eliminates pet and smoke odour and sanitizes your steering wheel, dashboard and air vents. Our steam cleaning method is 100%

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Tutoring for success August 7 - August 20 2014 August 2nd - August 15th 2017

In today’s competitive, busy dren on their way. world, parents are under I am a teacher with many pressure to ensure that they years of international expeprovide a strong, worthwhile rience in education working education for their children. with high achievers; children This is vital to safeguarding with potential; underachievyour children’s future. ers and children with speA high-performing school cial needs. As an ex-headwith a variety of extra-mural teacher, I have advised and activities is a good place worked with experts in evto start and is the minimum ery aspect of education and that parents ask and hope have acquired a great deal of for. Sadly, this is not always knowledge and understandthe case and despite schools ing about how children learn. doing the best they can, chil- My experience working in difdren can be ‘lost in the sys- ferent countries gives me the tem’, resulting in a lack of edge to empathize with and progress. A parent’s worst carefully consider the renightmare, as no-one wants quired support your child will their children lagging behind need. their classmates. I relish the work I do with chilFrom the first day that our dren and am enthused by the children attend kindergarten positive results that I realise or nursery school, as parents, in a relatively short space of we find ourselves comparing time. No matter the issue, I them to their peers and won- have seen and dealt with it dering how to improve their before and can provide an performance and make them answer to the next step. top of the class or at the very My services cover: private least, achieve their best. sessions in the comfort of Sitting and doing your chil- your home; group sessions; dren’s homework with them pre-school preparation; is one way of accomplish- booster lessons; catch-up ing this but who has time to lessons in Englishm and do that with so many things mathematics and preparagoing on at once in today’s tion for exams, from ages 3 modern world? There is an to 14. easier way: Extra lessons, which is where I come in to Please call me for a no oblisupport and help your chil- gations chat on 6966 30412

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August 2nd - August 15th 2017