Essence, New Golden Mile: apartments and penthouses with spa in Estepona
Apartments and penthouses with 2 to 4 bedrooms, large terraces and a complete wellness package, 1.2 km from El Saladillo beach. Completion planned for March 2029.
Last updated: 20 October 2026
About Essence
Essence is aimed at buyers who want more than an apartment with a pool. Alongside an outdoor pool there will be a heated indoor pool, a spa, a gym and a coworking space, complemented by hotel-style concierge services. The project lies on the New Golden Mile between Estepona and Marbella, 1.2 km from El Saladillo beach. You choose between apartments, garden apartments and penthouses with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms.
The homes we currently see start at €770,000 for a two-bedroom apartment of 104 m² with a 47 m² terrace on the first floor. If you want a garden, look at the ground-floor homes: from 93 m² with a 46 m² garden up to 143 m² with four bedrooms and a 171 m² garden for €1,370,000. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse with 152 m² and a 150 m² terrace costs €1,390,000 and is the only home in our listings with confirmed sea views.
What stands out is how much outdoor space you get: the median home has outdoor space equal to 77% of the interior area, more than 89% of new builds in the municipality. On the other hand there is a high price per m² and a long wait. Buying at Essence means buying a complete concept with services and facilities, and you pay for that too.
Amenities
- Outdoor pool
- Heated indoor pool
- Spa and jacuzzi
- Gym
- Coworking space
- Concierge service
- 24/7 security
- Underground parking with bicycle storage
- Storage room
- Smart home
Essence in figures
Essence is an expensive project: the median is €9,363 per m², 86% above the €5,038 that new builds in Estepona ask on average, and also 86% above resale homes (€5,021). You do get a lot of outdoor space for it, with terraces of up to 150 m². The price ladder is clear: two bedrooms from €770,000, three from €1,174,000 and four from €1,370,000, an average of around €300,000 per extra bedroom. For the entry-level home you pay a total of €870,140 with VAT (€77,000), stamp duty (€9,240), notary (€4,600) and lawyer (€9,300). Completion is 29 months away, compared with a median of 8 months in the municipality. So your capital is tied up here for a long time before you can use the home.
| Price | € 770.000 |
| VAT (IVA) 10% | € 77.000 |
| Stamp duty (AJD) 1.2% | € 9.240 |
| Notary and land registry (estimate) | € 4.600 |
| Lawyer 1% + VAT (estimate) | € 9.300 |
Around 13.0% on top of the price in total. All purchase costs explained.
| 2 bedrooms | from €770,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | from €1,174,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | from €1,370,000 |
Terrace, solarium and garden combined, as a percentage of the living area (median). That is more than 89% of new developments in Estepona. Largest outdoor space: 150 m².
Planned completion March 2029. Half of all new builds in Estepona complete within 8 months.
Calculated by Imagine Marbella on 20 October 2026 from the current supply of 71 new developments in Estepona and the average asking price of resale homes according to Idealista (September 2026). Costs are an estimate; we will prepare an exact calculation for you.
Location
The New Golden Mile is the coastal strip between Estepona and San Pedro where a lot of new building has gone up in recent years. Essence lies on the inland side of the A-7, in an area of golf courses and villa neighbourhoods, at around 41 metres above sea level. El Saladillo beach is 1.2 km away. There are several golf courses nearby, and Laguna Village shopping centre is less than 10 km away. It is a residential area: quiet, green and easy to reach, but not a place where you stroll to a village square in the evening.
In practice: Lidl is a 3-minute drive or a 14-minute walk. The beach is a 4-minute drive or a 23-minute walk. Los Flamingos golf course is a 7-minute walk. Puerto Banús is a 12-minute drive, San Pedro centre 10 and Estepona centre 15. Allow 56 minutes to Málaga airport.
We will send you the exact location and the address of the sales office when you request Privé access or book a viewing.
Distances, measured by us
Measured from Essence along real roads and footpaths, not as the crow flies.
| Destination | On foot | By car |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest beach (Playa del Saladillo) | 1.8 km, 23 min | 1.7 km, 4 min |
| Supermarket (Lidl) | 1.1 km, 14 min | 1.2 km, 3 min |
| Golf course (Flamingos Golf) | 500 m, 7 min | 3.5 km, 8 min |
| International school (The International School of Estepona) | 2.5 km, 34 min | 6.9 km, 8 min |
| Hospital (Hospital Hospiten de Estepona) | 4.6 km, 6 min | |
| Puerto Banús | 10.2 km, 12 min | |
| Marbella old town | 16.9 km, 21 min | |
| San Pedro town centre | 7.2 km, 10 min | |
| Estepona town centre | 12.0 km, 15 min | |
| Benahavís village | 11.8 km, 15 min | |
| Málaga airport | 70.1 km, 56 min | |
| Gibraltar airport | 56.3 km, 52 min |
Calculated with OpenStreetMap routes without traffic, on 20 October 2026. Walking times over an hour are omitted.
Sun, light and views
Here the sun rises at 7.02am on 21 June and sets at 9.41pm, giving 14.7 hours of daylight. On 21 December that falls to 9.7 hours, with the midday sun 30° above the horizon. Essence sits at around 41 metres above sea level.
In our current listings, only the second-floor penthouse has confirmed sea views. The developer speaks of sea views or open views, but for the lower floors we check for each home what you actually see.
Homes and finishes
The kitchens will have Italian cabinetry and Miele appliances, with choices in the finish. There is LED lighting, a separate laundry room, plenty of storage and a smart home system. Thermal insulation, climate control and large panoramic windows should keep energy consumption low. With a project that takes this long to build, we focus above all on the contractual guarantees: a bank guarantee on your advance payments, the agreed materials list and what happens in the event of delays. We go through this with your lawyer before you sign.
Payment schedule
As with most new builds on the Costa del Sol, you pay in instalments: a reservation deposit, a portion on signing the purchase contract and during construction, and the balance on completion at the notary. Every payment before completion must be covered by a bank guarantee. We will send you the exact payment schedule for Essence through Privé.
Available homes in Essence
A selection, as of 20 October 2026. More homes are available than shown below; request the full price list.
| Type | Beds | Baths | Living area | Terrace | Garden | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment | 2 | 2 | 104 m² | 47 m² | – | € 770.000 |
| Ground floor apartment | 2 | 2 | 93 m² | 35 m² | – | € 810.000 |
| Ground floor apartment | 3 | 2 | 118 m² | 106 m² | – | € 1.174.000 |
| Apartment | 3 | 2 | 122 m² | 150 m² | – | € 1.330.000 |
| Ground floor apartment | 4 | 3 | 143 m² | 92 m² | – | € 1.370.000 |
| Penthouse | 3 | 3 | 152 m² | 150 m² | – | € 1.390.000 |
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Our honest verdict on Essence
Strengths
- Complete wellness package with heated indoor pool, spa and gym within the development.
- Plenty of outdoor space: terraces of up to 150 m² and gardens of up to 202 m² for ground-floor homes.
- Coworking space and concierge service, handy if you will partly work from here or let the property.
- Los Flamingos golf course a 7-minute walk away, Puerto Banús a 12-minute drive.
- Kitchens with Italian cabinetry and Miele appliances as standard.
Points to consider
- The price per m² is 86% above the Estepona new-build median.
- Completion not until March 2029; other sources previously gave an earlier date, so ask for the current schedule.
- Sea views are only confirmed for the penthouse, not for the lower homes.
- Extensive facilities also mean higher community fees; ask for the estimate.
- The beach is a 23-minute walk away, not within easy reach for a quick dip.
Who is Essence right for?
Essence suits buyers who spend a lot of time in their home and want hotel-level facilities: an indoor pool in winter, a spa, a place to work. Families looking for a ground-floor home with a large garden will also find something here. If you watch the price per m² closely, want to move in soon or prefer to walk to the beach, you are better off elsewhere.
Why buy through Imagine Marbella?
With us you pay exactly the same price as buying direct from the developer. Our fee is paid by the seller, not by you. What you get on top is what makes the difference.
- Independent. We are not tied to any development. We compare the entire market and tell you honestly when a project is not right for you.
- Stronger at the negotiating table. Whenever there is room to negotiate, on price, payment schedule, finishes or a parking space, we know the market, the sales figures and the developers. We defend your interests; the seller defends theirs.
- Free extra services. We check licences, bank guarantees and specifications, provide legal support in your own language and plan viewings around your travel dates.
- Beyond the handover. We follow the construction, the handover and the after-sales with you, so you are never on your own.
Imagine Privé
As a Privé member, you receive the current price list and availability, floor plans, the building specifications, the payment schedule and our comparison with other new developments, in English, French, Dutch or Spanish.
Free and without obligation.
Off market: what you will not find online
Not every property on the Costa del Sol ends up on a website.
Owners who want to sell discreetly, a last penthouse that has not yet been released, a villa that only comes onto the market when the right buyer appears: part of the market changes hands without a single advert. Already know the market and looking for something you cannot find online? Tell us as precisely as possible what you are looking for. If it exists, we will find it for you.
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Completely confidential. We only share your search with your permission.
Frequently asked questions about Essence
When will Essence in Estepona be completed?
The current schedule says March 2029. On other sites we previously saw an earlier date. We recommend having the current construction schedule and the guarantees in case of delay confirmed in writing before you reserve.
Can you spend the winter at Essence?
Yes, and the project is well equipped for it: there is a heated indoor pool, a spa and climate control in the homes. In December Estepona gets around 9.7 hours of daylight, with the sun at its highest point around 30 degrees.
What does an extra bedroom cost at Essence?
Two bedrooms start at €770,000, three at €1,174,000 and four at €1,370,000. That works out at an average of around €300,000 per extra bedroom, although the size of the garden or terrace also plays a part.
How far is the beach from Essence?
El Saladillo beach is 1.2 km away. By car you are there in 4 minutes; on foot allow about 23 minutes. For daily trips to the beach you are best off taking the car or the bike.
Do I pay more if I buy Essence through Imagine Marbella?
No. You pay the same price as buying directly from the seller. Through us you also get independent advice, legal guidance and aftercare.
What costs come on top of the price of a new-build home?
In Andalusia, on a new build you pay 10% VAT (IVA) and 1.2% stamp duty (AJD), plus notary, land registry and lawyer's fees. For the most affordable home in Essence, that adds up to around 13.0%.
About the author
Geert Eeckeleers, Managing Director of Imagine Marbella. Since 2018 he has guided buyers on the Costa del Sol, in English, French, Dutch and Spanish.
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