Between Milan Design Week and New York Design Week — and a very intense six months in general — I was desperate for a vacation. I wanted to leave my laptop at home, avoid planning or research, and just be present. Most of my trips revolve around openings, fairs, exhibitions, and navigating cities with a checklist and schedule; this time, I wanted the opposite, so I booked a stay at SO/ Sotogrande.
London to Gibraltar was only 2.5 hours, and from there it was only about a twenty-five-minute drive to the resort. That ease immediately set the tone for the weekend, avoiding long transfers and complicated planning.
This was also my first real resort experience, where everything you need is already there. What I loved most about SO/ is that the property is designed like a small Andalusian village, with rows of whitewashed houses, terraces, gardens, and winding pathways that make it feel more like a little residential town than a hotel.
After a day or two, you start to recognize your neighbors, passing the same people at breakfast, by the pool, or on the way back from the spa. And there was something luxurious about walking from my “house” to the spa in a bathrobe, moving through the property as if it were its own small world.
The rooms are spacious and generously scaled, with warm woods, ceramics, arched details, and pops of color. The bathrooms are especially good, with standalone tubs positioned toward the view.
Throughout the property, the interiors feel coastal and sophisticated, with a focus on art, craftsmanship, and human touch. The architecture and design reference traditional Andalusian forms, with installations by Spanish artists throughout.
The spa became a daily ritual for me. Overlooking the hills and Mediterranean landscape, it feels incredibly calm from the moment you enter. The hydrothermal circuit was relaxing, especially the salt sauna, and the facilities are beautifully designed, warm, not clinical. I also had one of the best massages I’ve had in a long time, a much-needed reset to my nervous system.
The food across the property was excellent, but the standout dinner was unquestionably Cortijo Santa María, which focuses on Andalusian cuisine through a contemporary lens. The hospitality was exceptional. I had endless cured ham, anchovies, steak, beautiful olive oil – simple things done very well.
SO/ Sotogrande is a major draw for golfers. Sotogrande itself is one of Europe’s great golf destinations, so there is a visible golf crowd – lots of men in polos, as expected – but also plenty of families, which gives the property a more relaxed energy.
What feels smart is the hotel’s push into wellness. The spa is already beautiful, and expanding that side of the experience through retreats, yoga, and more restorative programming feels like a natural next step.
One of the nicest parts of the trip was how little I felt the need to leave. I had long breakfasts, sat by the pool, and let the days unfold.
As someone whose life and work revolve around constant stimulation SO/ Sotogrande reminded me how valuable it is to occasionally disappear into a place that asks nothing from you except that you enjoy yourself.
