21.04.09  The Jewish Chronicle, 3rd April 2009

Admirable homes in the sun.

What ecomonic downturn? Beauchamp Estates in London is looking for offers in the region of £30 million for the newly redeveloped Admiralty House in Gibraltar. One of the best-located buildings on the Rock, the main building on-site dates form 1741 and was operational as a hospital from 1746 until 1922. It was home to both naval and army medical staff and their families. On occasions, the hospital was used as a prison for Spanish, French and Americans and was also once a refuge for shipwrecked Italians. Within its walls, nursing staff have tended to the sick and wounded from the seige of Gibraltar, the battle of Trafalgar, the Crimea, the Danzig, the Ashanti Expedition and the First World War. Seamen from the Austrian, German, French and Swedish navies have been cared for in the building. In 1923, the army took over the building site and it was then used for residential married quarters until the early 1980s. On reduction of military personnel on the Rock, the MoD transferred the site to the Gibraltar goverment, which tendered the site for a private developer to refurbish into a residential development, which is what we know today as Admiralty House. Today's Admiralty House is a brand new Colonial/Georgian-style home, with commanding views of Africa over the Straits of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. It combines comfort and convenience of modern living with neo-classical and Georgian architectural features and has four main bedrooms, with an additional three bedrooms on the second floor, currently set up as staff accommodation. There is also a separate guest villa, swimming pool, spa bath, library and car port. The plot covers 0.5 acres and the total living accommodation covers 21,000 sq ft. At the other end of the Costa del Sol in Marbella, there's a bargain from - of all sources - the luxury brand Champneys. In the hills of the national park, above the prestigious resort of Marbella in Spain and with views down towards the sparkling sea, a dream is becoming a reality. Construction has started on the site of the new Champneys Marbella spa development, the first resort from the English spa brand to be located outside of the UK. Champneys Marbella is also the first Champneys resort where property can be purchased. Apartments and penthouses are available (both are two-bedroom), though the supply of the penthouses is now limited, as demand has proved so high. All properties come with gardens, courtyards with peaceful Moorish fountains, marble bathrooms and fitted kitchens. Penthouses have added features, such as lifts to both floors, double-height ceilings and galleried second bedrooms, as well as a private plunge pool. Champneys Marbella is drawing interest partly due to the Champneys rental pool. Should owners choose, they can rent out their property through a Champneys-managed scheme, giving them freedom over when they use the property and when they choose to rent it out. Apartments are priced from 695,358 euros (about £650,000) and penthouses from 971,729 euros (£900,000).