by Justin | Nov 8, 2010 | Holiday Tips, Things To Do
This could be you.......Ice Skating in Benalmadena!
The Costa del Sol is usually regarded as a haven for sun, sea and sand holidays. Benalmadena in particular is well known for its beaches, restaurants, Marina and bustling night life; in the summer time, holiday makers flock to this sea side town for fun packed holidays.
But what about the quieter winter months? Well, the beach is still an option, although the sea might be a little cold for taking a dip! What many people don’t realise is that Benalmadena has much more to offer visitors than beaches and night life. The latest edition to the list of “alternative” activities is….wait for it…..an Ice Rink!
Yes, you read that right; the Costa del Sol has its very own Ice rink which is open from October until May, (Don’t suppose there’s too much demand for ice skating in the summer!) Apparently, the Benalmadena ice rink is the only one of its kind in Andalucia; with a surface area of 900 square metres and located within a 7000 square metre sports complex, it registered a total of 12.500 visits last year. (more…)
by Justin | Nov 5, 2010 | Eating & Drinking, Hotel News
Our New Head Chef - Paul Tugwell
We’re excited to announce the appointment of a New Head Chef at Sunset Beach Club, Paul Tugwell. Originally from Cardiff, Paul has been involved in the hotel and catering business for many years and will undoubtedly bring a wealth of experience to the team here at Sunset.
I had a chance to catch up with Paul earlier on in the week to find out a little bit more about him and what his plans are for Sunset’s kitchens; here’s a summary of what I found out:
Paul started his career by studying at the Barry Island Hotel School. After two years of intense training he headed off to London where he began work as a Commis Chef at the famous Savoy Hotel; it didn’t take long for Paul to establish himself as an integral part of the team, allowing him to work his way up to the position of Sous Chef in the 5 years he spent at the Savoy.
After an intense 5 years in London, it was time to move on and Paul spent the next 9 years in Bath; first at the Royal Crescent hotel and later at Combe Grove Manor. His time in Bath allowed Paul to learn, explore and apply new cooking techniques (this was at a time when Nouvelle Cuisine was revolutionising the industry).
In the mid 1980’s, family commitments – Paul’s wife is Spanish – meant it was time to move to Spain. The Costa del Sol was his chosen destination and has been his home ever since.
Since arriving on the Coast Paul has worked as Head Chef in several well known restaurants; however, one of his most challenging positions was when he was asked to become Head Chef and Lecturer at the Les Roches Hotel School in Marbella. For over 5 years he was responsible for training future hotel managers and chefs at this highly respected hotel school (I’ll tell you a secret……. he even trained our Operations Director, Miguel Marcos!).
For the past 5 years, Paul has been Head Chef at the boutique hotel, La Posada del Torcal, located in the mountains behind Málaga.
Now it’s time for a new challenge here at Sunset Beach Club! Wasting no time at all, Paul is already busy with several projects: The daily menus for half board guests are just about ready (I’ll be sure to post about them as soon as they are!) and the team are busy preparing two special dishes for a charity event and cooking contest next weekend; I’ve seen the dessert they have prepared at it looks fantastic!
The next objective is a completely new dessert menu…..ñuuuummm! I’ll definitely have to report back to you about those,; pictures and all!
Something to look forward to next summer is the plan to include a BBQ buffet in the evenings by the main pools. This will be a welcomed addition to the hotels dining facilities and will no doubt prove to be a hit.
Welcome to the team Paul! I look forward to tasting some one of those new desserts!
by Justin | Sep 15, 2010 | At Sunset
Blues Night at the Moonlight Cabaret Bar
Active Sound Productions, who specialise in the organisation of musical events on the Costa del Sol, will present a night of the very best Blues music at Sunset Beach Club’s Moonlight Cabaret Bar on Saturday the 2nd October.
With performances from Steve Payne(UK) and the Johan Wahlstrom Band(Sweden), the evening promises some of the best of the Blues.
A little about the musicians….
Steve Payne is a composer, singer and producer who has been described as “one of the UK’s finest guitarists”. Calm but passionate, with a distinct melodic voice and unique way of playing the guitar Steve draws energy from the crowd creating a vibrant atmosphere anywhere he performs.
The Johan Wahlstrom Band is made up by some of the members of famous Swedish group “Stockholm Stoner” and prestigious local musicians such as Jazz singer Elena Salguero and pianist Gabriel Zenni. Half of the group’s repertoire is written by Johan Wahlstrom himself and the others are versions of classic tracks.
The show starts at 10:00pm and tickets are available at the El Corte Inglés stores. (A bargain at €10) 🙂
For more information about the event, please contact Miguel Corchón at Active Sound Productions on 696 538 530.
by Justin | Sep 14, 2010 | At Sunset
Back to the 40's
Next Monday the 20th September, guests and visitors can enjoy an evening of classic songs and dancing from the 1940’s in our Cabaret Moonlight Bar.
Produced by Entertain in Spain’s Trevor Brooks, the show includes performances by several artists and also incorporates the use of a large video screen with original film clips and sounds of the times. Sing along to classics like We’ll Meet Again, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Love Letters and more…..
For more information on the artists, please visit Entertain in Spain’s Website at www.entertaininspain.com
The show starts at 9.00pm and tickets are available through the Entertain in Spain Website – Price is €20 for adults and €10 for OAP’s and children.
by Justin | Sep 6, 2010 | Winter in Spain
Look out of your window; is it rainy and miserable? Fancy a little fun in the sun? It’s easy: log on to one of the budget airline websites and grab a cheap flight to Málaga. Actually, you might want to check on our website first – just to make sure we have availability! Once you’ve got your flight and have booked accommodation (we’ve got some fantastic winter offers for seniors) we’ll take care of the rest!
Here’s 5 suggestions on what to do during your winter break at Sunset:
A game of Darts
1) First of all, get those bags unpacked and head straight down to our fantastic landscaped pool area. Hopefully the sun will be shining – we do have over 300 days of sunshine a year – and you can enjoy a quiet drink whilst soaking up some of our Mediterranean sun. Feeling relaxed? Good….now its time to join in some fun activities. Our in house entertainment team organise a wide range of activities over the winter months: Exercise classes, petanca, darts, bingo, bridge; you can even learn how to make a traditional Spanish paella at one of our cooking lessons!
2) Game of Golf or some pampering at our “Thalgo” beauty salon? Decisions, decisions…….. If you choose to play golf, just head up to our Golf and Leisure desk on the 6th floor and they will take care of everything for you. You’ve got a choice of the top courses on the Coast to choose from and you can purchase tee times at discounted rates. If a little pampering is more to your liking, you can indulge in some fantastic treatments in our onsite beauty salon. Marine Algae envelopment for anyone? (more…)
