Guest: Rita Jordão, Marketing Director, Sotogrande SA
Sotogrande has many labels: golf haven, sailing base, family enclave, but as Rita puts it in one line, it’s “the art of living.” Not a town and not a tourist strip, Sotogrande was designed as a low-density residential resort where privacy, nature and sport sit at the core. That original vision, set more than 60 years ago, still guides the masterplan today.
Residential by design, not by accident
Unlike coastal markets that expanded on tourism, Sotogrande was shaped around year-round residents: large plots, tree-lined avenues, and clubs where members set the rhythm. Hotel keys are intentionally limited (SO/ Sotogrande, Encinar, MIM), so peak months stay civilised: beaches accessible, restaurants bookable, roads calm. Golf follows the same logic: membership culture and high course quality (Valderrama, La Reserva, Real Club Sotogrande), built for residents before day-trippers. The result is a lifestyle that feels busy but effortless in July and August, and pleasantly quiet the rest of the year.
Community, diversity and easy integration
Rita’s own move echoes what many families experience: integration is faster here because it’s truly international. The school is a natural entry point; parents connect quickly and children have sport on tap, golf, tennis, padel, sailing, and polo. Sotogrande SA now records buyers from 17–20+ nationalities each year, broadening the community beyond its early Spanish/British base and deepening year-round life.
The new chapter: La Reserva’s modern stock
Recent years brought a tier of products the resort lacked: Village Verde (low-density apartments with strong amenities), The Collection (design-led villas), and the ultra-private The Seven and The Fifteen (signature plots and projects within a gated hillside). These schemes have attracted new profiles, design-conscious, privacy-seeking, often relocating full-time, helping values rise while keeping the DNA intact: big plots, low density, quality architecture.
Golf for everyone: the new academy
Sotogrande’s golf is world-class, but serious. The new Golf Academy at the newly named Alto Club aims to widen the funnel: a welcoming environment with tech-driven swing studios, covered bays with Toptracer, social golf in the evenings, and a fun par-3 nine to bring kids, beginners and families into the game without the intimidation of championship layouts. It links closely with SO/ Sotogrande for F&B and events, reinforcing the “live well, play often” ethos.
Year-round hospitality: evolving F&B
The Beach at La Reserva continues to evolve: Ancala has been revamped, winter service expanded and SO/ integrated more tightly across events and dining. The brief is simple: give residents a reason to go out locally in the shoulder and winter months, not just July–August.
Protecting the brand and boundaries
Rita is clear: “You’re either in or out.” Sotogrande SA continues to defend the geographic boundary and standards that underpin privacy, security and calm. That matters for buyers and owners alike: it protects the proposition, the experience, and values.
Takeaway: Sotogrande’s strength isn’t noise or hype; it’s coherence. A residential masterplan with room to breathe, best-in-class sport, genuinely international families, and a new pipeline of quality homes. Or, as Rita says, simply: “the art of living”.
🎙️ This post draws from insights shared in one of our episodes, available on YouTube and Spotify. For more on Sotogrande’s insider tips, tune in and explore other episodes too.
To discuss areas, schools, and commuting options, or to see a short list of homes that fit your brief, reach out to Noll Sotogrande Real Estate, our incredible Sponsor co-owned with Stephanie Noll, without whom none of this would be possible.
Thank you, Charlie.
