British tourists have been left raging after claiming they were made to pay £180 for the sunbeds at a swanky new beach club built from the ashes of a former much-loved village.
Estepona, a resort town on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain has been the target of the expansion of “luxury” venues.
The latest edition, Sublim, a new beach club, has been attacked by British tourists on social media for their “off the wall” prices, which apparently include £180 sunbeds.
A blue lobster salad is reportedly on sale for £85.80 and a beef loin at £58.35, while a rather small portion of fish and chips costs just over £15. Punters claim cocktails are priced at more than £15.
The size of the meals were revealed after Facebook users shared photos from her stay.
One Brit commented on the post: “Prices totally off the wall. Way too pricey. I won’t be attending!”
While another said that the £8.55 tomato salad, which “consists of 12 tomato quarters splashed with salt”, looked like it was “presented by a 6-year-old,” while the fish and chips “looked like an appetiser and the burger is the saddest one I have ever seen!”, the latter is being sold for £16.30 and is apparently not even served with chips.
Another said: “This is a side dish you would expect for €2 in the most simple chiringuito! I hope they read this and make a new signature tomato dish.” Another suggested serving it with mozzarella and basil.
Others, stunned at the cost of the sunbeds which cost up to £180, said: “You can almost buy a bed for this price.”
Another said: “Thanks, but no thanks, that’s a little greedy.”
Sublim is owned by the world-renowned Pacha Group, which has a string of venues across Spain and is headquartered in Ibiza. The complex was rebuilt after its predecessor, Laguna Village, burnt down in 2020.
The Daily Express has contacted the venue for comment.
Sublim is not the only venue in the area to be criticised for its pricing. Another “luxury” club in Estepona was attacked for its alleged minimum spend of just over £64.
Beso Beach was accused of charging “rip off prices”, including an £18.88 portion of grilled vegetables, £7.72 for a portion of chips and £8.58 for sourdough bread and olives.
On TripAdvisor, one solo visitor in May 2024 said they were made to pay over £4 for a bottle of water to go, which “says everything”. They added: “Unbelievable, skip this place it’s a rip off”.
Another described the price performance as “a cheek”, and that the waiter tries to sell “you the most expensive thing on the menu”, which, they argued, was not even good.
Another said: “Trying to be too exclusive, absolutely extortionate for two small beers and a water… Nice vibe and decor but way too over-priced… Doubt we’d return.”
One British visitor shared screenshots of the menu to an Estepona Facebook page, saying that it was “very important to read the terms and conditions where a 20 percent surcharge, 10 percent service charge and minimum spend are lurking. They have their market I’m just not in it.”
Items on the menu include a £24.88 seafood paella, a £55.78 beef rib and a ham starter for £32.61.
The post sparked comments: “An absolute rip off should be ashamed of themselves.”
Another added: “Even if I were very rich, I wouldn’t go there, it’s just nonsense.”
One person who visited last year claimed it was “€20+ for a G&T with terrible service. Definitely won’t be going back.”
The Daily Express has approached the venue for comment.
Estepona is seeing property prices surge as the so-called “garden of the Costa del Sol” becomes increasingly popular among foreign buyers. Prices have increased by over 15 percent in the last year, with a current average of £3,107 per square metre.