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We had suite number 15 which was on the edge of the building and not like other suites directly at the main terrace. The welcome treat was nice, we had also fresh fruits at our room which were renewed frequently.

The floorplan

I messed up the pictures a Little bit as I did a wrong setting at my camera. This was the living room, the suite lacked a powder room:



The bedroom:


The corridor offered 2 closets which were because of the bedrooms door not very practical:

The bathroom offered a window and was good sized:

The generous shower:


Separated toilet:

The balcony was huge with a dining table and 2 sunchairs:


But as you can see no privacy, I was even able to look inside the neighbors suite.

The view which cost me 100 € extra per night:

A video of the suite:


I liked the suite with excemption of the terrace. While the view wasn´t bad I feel ripped off with the extra charge.

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The first evening I booked a table at the Italien restaurant Don Giovanni. I had high expectation as I read many good things about it and the menu looked great. I also booked a table for our third evening.
The restaurant is mainly an open air restaurant. While I read it´s often fully booked today were some tables free. The dinner started with a modest Amuse Bouche:

OK, a little puny, I also can´t remember we got bread.
We started with Burrata with truffle:

What sounded nice was in fact a very uninspired and surprisingly tasteless dish.
Next came Fragottini stuffed with cheese and truffle with gorgonzola sauce.

What looed not very appealing was pretty good. While I get better pasta at my Italian restaurant next door for much lower prices it was at least tasty.
First main course was Pizza with smoked mozzarella and black truffle.

The pizza didn´t taste especially good and to be honest for half the price I get a better at my local take away (OK, without truffle, but this truffle tasted like nothing).
Lobster tortellini with shrimp, zucchini and cream:

I didn´t taste any lobster, I would more describe the filling as indefinable.
We only took one dessert, Pannettone French toast with ice cream:

A relatively drenched mass with mediocre ice cream…..
Considering I paid over 100 € for this meal it was disappointing. Of course I canceled my next reservation and booked insted a table at Dani Garcia in Marbella, even if it was a half hour drive.

nequine

Did you complain that the meal wasn't good?

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One of the big pros of Finca Cortesin are the beautiful gardens. Heart is this pergola:



I also like the olive trees


Golf Course

We enjoyed walks after dinner when the trees were nicely illuminated.

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Finca Cortesin has 2 outdoor pools on sight. The 35 metres main pool




with childrens pool

and the 50 metres adult only pool with free cabanas.

Nice places!

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One of the reasons I booked Finca Cortesin in September was that I would be able to swim and snorkel in the ocean. The Beach Club is a few minutes away from the hotel, they have a free shuttle service.
First let down was the fact, that the close the beach club eveb during high season every Tuesday. I think this is a joke and made me angry
When we arrived at the beach club the first Impression was positive. The hardware is nice:




I asked for one of the daybeds but had to learn they charge an extra charge for it. Really? Do I stay at one of the (self-claimed) resorts in Europe or at wonnabe luxury hotel Bellagio Las Vegas? When someone Claims an extra charge for a simple daybed from me when I pay 1000 € per night I feel ripped of. Didn´t ask how much it was.....
But main reason was the beach! OK, looks not great but it´s a beach….


Not the carribean but better than nothing.....

Snorkeling was perfect if you are afraid of fish or anything else in the ocean because you will see absolutely nothing. Yes, this are 2 different pictures!


But wait, that´s a lie! I was told 2 times as water was warm there could be jellyfish inside. I really saw one but wasn´t fast enough to take a picture. But I was lucky enough to meet one before I left the water and now I have a very nice jellyfish tattoo^^^

While the beach club itself is pretty nice the beach is useless. It´s not really swimable. If you want a beach stay elsewere.

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The SPA area is another gem of Finca Cortesin. Nice design:

Some snacks:

The indoor pool is a very nice place also you will mostly stay outside in the summer:


Sauna area:



Gym:

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For me breakfast is one of the most important parts of a hotel. Finca Cortesin didn´t offer a buffet but a la carte breakfast. I have Nothing against served breakfast as you often get exotic dishes. At Finca Cortesin it was different. They brought a menu which showed the included items and the items which was subject to an extra charge.

I fully understand if items like caviar are subject to a surcharge. But here they claimed an additional fee for standard items. Again, if I pay Finca Cortesin rates I feel ripped off.
The breakfast contained of some marmelades, 2 pieces of (cheap) cheese, cuts (we always denined), müsli and one special dish (small piece of wrap or so).

Bread was served from time to time with a basket but not frequently. 2 Mornings we had to ask to get some bread. Really lousy…..
On morning I asked for the (free) cheese plate. I earned myself an unbelieving look and got the 2 cheeses I got before + 2 pieces of another cheese:

Absolutely not impressed. The ordered eggs were also nothing to write home about:



This breakfast was really a big disappointment. In fact it was the worst breakfast at a hotel of this class I can remember. I wanted to complain at check-out but as they needed too long to collect our lagguage, they didn´t ask and we had to make it to the airport I didn´t. The breakfast was one of the reasons I experienced my stay at Finca Cortesin much worse than it had should been.

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Second evening we had dinner at El Jardin de Lutz, the Spanish restaurant at Finca Cortesin. After our experience at La Bobadilla we asked for a reservation but they missed it up. OK, as to expect we got a table anyway….
Our dinner started with bread and some Amuse Bouche which wasn´t my case:


Warm Scallops with Ajo Arriero sauce, Chafada potatoes and provenzal shrimps bread:

The dish was OK. Not great but OK.
Mantis shrimp and lobster cream soup with basil:

The soup was also OK....
A monkfish:

Not a great dish and surely not worth the 40 € but acceptable.
Turbot:

More fat than fish and in my eyes a disaster. Terrible.... Had to eat it instead of my girlfriend. As reward it made me sick all night.
Dessert

Pretty good
Petit fours

This was an unpleasant experience. If I think about it and the fact we paid over 160,00 € for this meal makes me still angry. Compared to this Don Giovanni was great……
I know, I should have complained about it...…. but I didn´t.

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Kabuki Raw is the Japanese restaurant at Finca Cortesin and was awarded with 1 Michelin star. When you enter the restaurant it´s not obvious you are in a Japanese restaurant.



We were seated at the wintergarden:


We took the tasting menu with the obvious meat to seafood changes. If I remember correctly it was 110,00 €.
It started with (Aka) Red




Next came (AO) Azure Blue




CHA (Woodland Brown) and HANAMICHI were served as separate courses.







The desserts


It was the best of our meals at Finca Cortesin. That said I always found it hard to rate Asian food regarding Michelin stars. While it was Overall a nice experience I don´t need it every week.

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Next day we decided to visit Gibraltar. After nearly one hour at the border we first went to Europa Point with its lighthouse.



The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim mosque and the ape rock.

You can visit a small exhibition under the cannon platform:


Little video:

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We drove to the city were it wasn´t too easy to find a parking space.
Gibraltar parliament

Town hall

Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned

Nice house

Govenors Residence

King´s Chapel


Wonder how many people still use it but many people take a picture

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity


At the Main Street we found very good ice cream

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Of course I wanted to visit the ape rock. So we went to the cable car.

At the station there was a queue which didn´t look too bad. Alternative they offered bus-tours to the top with stops at the cave and the ape point. We queued for the cable car which was a failure. First we waited around a hour, second they didn´t stop at the middle station so we missed the ape point and the cave. After the ride up we saw our first ape:

They seem to love the gondolas. After a few metres we saw more Barbery apes:



On the hill you can see some abdonded buildings and enjoy nice views:







You shall not touch the apes but many people try or at least annoy them with twigs or something else. Morons…..
Some of the apes are very tame. This guy first tried to inspect the inner life of a womens bag and after she took his hand out the ape took a nap:
Apes took care of each other:
Some of them are hard working (even if morons are around):

On the hill is also a restaurant with a view point:

From the platform you can enjoy the best views on the city and the famous airport:






OK, some may enjoy even better views:


This guy said good bye:

After we left we had to stop and return as one of the was still on our gondola. He left with a daring jump......

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Next morning we drove to Tarifa to do whale watching. We decided to try Firmm, a charitable organization.
First we got an introduction on land bevore we boarded the boat:

View on Tarifa and the harbor






On the street of Gibraltar you can see many ships



Moroccan coast (someone knows what the writing says?)

We were lucky and saw whales and dolphines:












For me a wonderful experience! Would do it again in a heartbeat.