Savills - Flipbook - Page 15
sadly went long ago. Imagine
now, however, that there are
more than fifty restaurants within
five minutes’ drive of our office
and we are spoilt for choice as
they include some really excellent
ones.
This synopsis is not a CV but the
contacts and friendships I have
made in Sotogrande have been
greatly enhanced by my
membership of Royal Valderrama
Golf Club. However, during my
long period of membership which
started in 1986, I was also part
of a small team that brought the
Ryder Cup to Spain and
Valderrama. When we started the
bid under the guidance of Jimmy
Ortiz-Patiño, the President of
Valderrama, we were told by the
powers that made the decision
not to bother because we had no
chance of being awarded it, so it
was immensely satisfying when
we were announced as the first
European venue for the Ryder
Cup outside the British Isles.
I was also Chief Executive of
the Valderrama Property Group
before actually running the Club
during the key years of the Ryder
Cup. With this experience in
property and with my now
valuable list of contacts, I took
the plunge and started this
business.
Property markets have historic
ups and downs, sometimes
incredibly dramatic ones as
during the Great Recession, but I
won’t dwell on history but rather
write that I genuinely feel that
the Sotogrande property market
has seldom, if ever, been in better
shape than now in 2026.
Sotogrande’s reputation for
understated comfort and luxury
in a natural sporting and family
environment is no longer kept
secret as a hidden gem. We now
have some quite magnificent
properties here and the €20m
barrier has been passed as a
top property value. But then
of course, you have the pretty
apartments in Sotogrande’s
Marina which maintain their
popularity year after year while
prices increase and availability
diminishes. You will be able to
see photographs of some great
properties in this publication
and for those who aren’t already
here, I hope they will tempt you
to visit.
I feel proud to have a great team
with me, Siobhean and Rita, both
with years of experience in the
business and Gloria who makes
sure our friends and clients are
kept up to date through our
regular social media messages
and online marketing. We are all
here to help if you ever wish to
get in touch.
J Stewart
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