El Martinete & Antonio

Antonio Ruiz Soler, “El Bailarín,” shaped a chapter of Marbella’s Golden Age when he created El Martinete in the late 1950s, imagining a sanctuary where dance, art, and friendship could live side by side. Born in Seville in 1921, Antonio devoted his life to elevating flamenco, transforming the traditional martinete, a rhythm echoing a blacksmith’s anvil, into a bold, expressive art form that carried him onto the world stage.

El Martinete quickly became more than a home. It evolved into a cultural salon where film icons, aristocrats, and artists gathered for long nights of music, laughter, and life. The villa’s crown jewel, the La Danza Pool, preserves Picasso’s 1961 gift: a sketch he made to honour Antonio after a performance at his 80th-birthday celebration, captioned “Para Antonio. 29/10/61.” That drawing now lies forever beneath the water, making the pool the only known Pablo Picasso artwork submerged in a private residence worldwide.

Walking into El Martinete today feels like stepping into a living legend, where flamenco’s heartbeat lingers in the walls and the spirit of Marbella’s Golden Age still hums softly through the gardens and sea breeze.

In recent years, the estate has gently opened its doors to a new era, welcoming guests for refined stays, intimate celebrations, and cultural gatherings while safeguarding every detail of its artistic heritage. El Martinete now marries its storied past with a soulful new purpose, offering modern boutique hospitality rooted in history, creativity, and enduring beauty.