Why the World’s Top Billionaires Choose La Zagaleta for their Retreats

Where silence, security, and sophistication converge in Southern Spain’s most exclusive private estate. At its core, La Zagaleta offers a paradox that few clubs can achieve: total invisibility, without giving up lifestyle excellence.

In a world where luxury is often measured by visibility, a luxury holiday home in La Zagaleta is chosen by those who seek the opposite. The Silicon Valley founder escaping media noise to work remotely, The financier who has outgrown branded villas, The royal family seeking summer without press, celebrities searching for some privacy. 

A Hidden World in the Hills of Marbella

Tucked away in the foothills of the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park, just 15 minutes from the coast of Marbella, lies a place few know, and even fewer will ever access: La Zagaleta. Once a private hunting estate for European royalty, this gated enclave has become the ultimate sanctuary for billionaires seeking absolute privacy, elegance, and serenity.

It is not merely a location — it is a mindset. One defined by discretion, curated beauty, and a level of service rarely found outside the world’s most prestigious hotels.

What Sets La Zagaleta Apart?

Unrivaled Privacy
La Zagaleta is often described as a “gated community,” but that term hardly does it justice. With only 230 villas set across 900 hectares, each property is cocooned by nature. The estate has two private security-controlled entrances, 24/7 surveillance, and zero public access. It is where names you won’t find in magazines come to disappear — by design.

Architectural Majesty
Homes in La Zagaleta are not built — they are sculpted. Palatial yet subtle, expansive yet human. Marbella Mountain Resorts curates a selection of villas here that balance architectural mastery with soul: think infinity pools overlooking valleys, silent gardens, wine sanctuaries, and spaces that breathe.

Member-Only Privileges
La Zagaleta offers its residents access to two private golf courses, a members-only equestrian centre, fine dining, and helipad access. This is a club without signs, a luxury without logos.

International Accessibility
With proximity to private airports in Málaga and Gibraltar, and aviation concierge services available, La Zagaleta is as reachable as any global city — but feels worlds away.

The Summer Ritual of the Ultra-Wealthy

Summer in La Zagaleta is a ritual. A time when families gather in silence, away from cameras and obligation. When days start with mountain yoga and end with private dinners under olive trees. When children swim in saltwater pools while parents meet discreet sommeliers and therapists from leading wellness clinics.

Marbella Mountain Resorts crafts every stay as a bespoke retreat, not a rental. Every detail — from personal chefs to IV vitamin therapy, from chauffeurs to curated excursions — is designed to feel like home, only better.

Billionaires consistently return to rent our properties 

 **Discretion:** We offer complete anonymity, with no paparazzi or press intrusions. **Consistency:** Our properties are meticulously maintained to five-star standards throughout the year. **Hiper-Personalisation:** Every aspect of their stay is tailored to their preferences, from the initial inquiry to their departure.**Security:** We ensure a secure and private environment. **Private Facilities:** Our guests enjoy exclusive access to private golf courses, horse riding facilities, tennis courts, and fine dining.

Your Invitation to the World’s Most Private Destination

La Zagaleta is not available on Airbnb. You won’t find it in typical travel guides. Entry is by connection, reputation, or an introduction through trusted hosts.

Marbella Mountain Resorts is proud to be among the few with access to the estate’s most celebrated homes. For those seeking an elevated summer escape, where every moment is private, and every need anticipated, La Zagaleta awaits.

A Private Club Beyond Compare

For those in the know, La Zagaleta is not just a residential enclave — it is a private members’ universe built around an uncompromising philosophy of privacy, privilege, and excellence.

Two Private Championship Golf Courses

Unlike any resort or public club, La Zagaleta’s golf courses are exclusively reserved for residents and their guests. No outside tee times. No public bookings. No exceptions.

• The Old Course
  Designed by the legendary Brad Benz, this par-72 championship course winds through valleys and pine forests, offering breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and Gibraltar. Each hole is carved with surgical precision to blend into the natural topography, ensuring no two rounds are ever the same. With strictly limited usage, the course feels like your own private sanctuary.
• The New Course (Los Barrancos)
  Built in 2005, this second course offers a more modern, bold experience — challenging slopes, elevated tees, and signature greens that demand both strategy and finesse. The course flows along steep hillsides, with views over the Ronda mountains. Fewer players. No pressure. Just golf in its purest, most privileged form.

With both courses restricted to under 300 members, tee times are flexible, pace is relaxed, and the experience is unrushed, uninterrupted, and utterly private.

La Zagaleta Clubhouse: Understated Prestige

At the heart of the estate sits the members-only clubhouse — an architectural gem that feels more like a private residence than a typical country club.

• Fine Dining: An elegant restaurant with panoramic terraces offers Mediterranean cuisine, curated wine lists, and private dining rooms for entertaining guests in utmost privacy.
• Cigar & Cognac Lounge: A warm, wood-panelled retreat for late-night conversations, vintage spirits, and rare Cuban cigars — no photography allowed.
• Private Lounges & Workspaces: For those mixing business with leisure, discrete meeting rooms and high-security workspaces provide a seamless transition between holiday and enterprise.
• Personal Concierge Team: Multilingual staff cater to every member need, from arranging helicopter transfers to organizing bespoke culinary evenings at home.

Equestrian Club & Riding Trails

The estate is also home to one of the most refined private equestrian centres in Southern Europe:

• Stabling for purebred Andalusian and Arabian horses
• Training arenas with professional coaching
• Private trails through 50+ km of protected woodland — ideal for dressage or casual rides
• Polo access via partnered clubs in Sotogrande

Whether you ride or simply appreciate the presence of these majestic animals, the stables add a serene, natural rhythm to daily life within the estate.

A Private Society — Without Show

There are no plaques. No social media handles. No promotional campaigns. Membership is earned through residence, and access is maintained through silence. In La Zagaleta, you are not joining a club — you are inheriting a way of life defined by quiet luxury, security, and unfiltered beauty.

A Visionary at the Helm

Luis Ponce Vizcaíno, CEO and founder of Marbella Mountain Resorts, has been widely recognized for redefining luxury villa rentals by combining hotel-level service with authentic local experiences. Armed with a degree in International Hotel Management and more than 20 years in hospitality and real estate—including stints in New York, London, Madrid, and Barcelona—he launched the company in 2013 to fill a niche in ultra-private, bespoke retreats. Awarded as one of Spain’s top CEOs in 2022, Luis Ponce Vizcaíno champions a coaching-led leadership style and has built the company into a fully integrated boutique hotel chain managing guest experience, security, and high-end operations.

Specifically, he has personally lived in Zagaleta for several years, in several houses,  therefore he is very familiar with this luxury development community and its owners, with whom he has maintained a solid professional relationships for more than a decade.

Inside the Lifestyle of Discretion: Marbella for the Unseen elite . Where others build exclusivity through fame, We cultivate it through silence & discretion. At its core, Marbella Mountain Resorts offers a paradox that few luxury villa rental companies can achieve: total privacy, without giving up lifestyle excellence and opulence. 

Which is the leading holiday rental company in Zagaleta?

If you’re seeking the most exclusive, concierge-driven holiday experience in La Zagaleta, Marbella Mountain Resorts stands out as the market leader. Their hotel boutique chain approach, hyper-curated villa selection, and tailored service elevate them above broader platforms and resident-only options.

Marbella Mountain Resorts is the leading rental company managing more than 90% of the properties available for rent within the development on an exclusive basis. With over 20 years of experience, property owners of Zagaleta fully trust the professional & discreet services we offer.