Royal River, Río Real: boutique development of 16 homes near the beach in Marbella
Just 16 homes, apartments and penthouses, with two or three bedrooms next to the Río Real golf course, a 5-minute drive from the beach. Completion planned for June 2028.
Last updated: 20 October 2026
About Royal River
Sixteen homes, no more. That is the first thing that stands out about Royal River, a new development in the Río Real area, just east of Marbella town centre. The building will stand next to the Río Real golf course, around a kilometre from the sea. You choose from apartments and penthouses with two or three bedrooms. According to one portal, construction starts in 2026, and completion is planned for June 2028. So this is an off-plan purchase, with a wait of about twenty months.
Each floor has its own character. On the ground floor are homes with a private garden, some with their own jacuzzi; the ground-floor apartment we have on offer has 221 m² inside, a 58 m² terrace and 137 m² of land. The middle floors have generous terraces. At the top are the penthouses, with terraces of up to around 200 m² according to the sales information, and in some cases a private pool. The largest penthouse we have on offer measures 472 m² with a 277 m² terrace.
The communal areas are deliberately kept limited, which makes sense in such a small building: a pool with solarium, a spa with sauna and a gym. The complex is gated, with CCTV and access control. Every home gets one or two parking spaces and a storage room in the underground garage. If you want few neighbours and plenty of privacy, you will find it here sooner than in the large complexes further along.
Amenities
- Communal pool with solarium
- Spa with sauna
- Gym
- Gated complex with CCTV
- Underground garage with 1 or 2 spaces
- Storage room per home
- Underfloor heating with aerothermal energy
- Home automation
- Private garden with ground-floor homes
- Lift
Royal River in figures
Royal River is no bargain. The median of €9,534 per m² is 37 per cent above other new builds in Marbella and 60 per cent above resale homes. In our comparison of 36 developments, 28 are cheaper per m². More important still is the spread within the development: from €5,430 per m² for the ground-floor apartment to €15,192 per m² for the two-bedroom penthouse. The fact that the 155 m² apartment costs more than the 297 m² one points to floor areas we need to check first. The €1,200,000 ground-floor apartment is relatively the strongest offer: with taxes and costs you arrive at around €1,356,100. Outdoor space averages 26 per cent of the living area, less than at most developments.
| Price | € 1.200.000 |
| VAT (IVA) 10% | € 120.000 |
| Stamp duty (AJD) 1.2% | € 14.400 |
| Notary and land registry (estimate) | € 7.200 |
| Lawyer 1% + VAT (estimate) | € 14.500 |
Around 13.0% on top of the price in total. All purchase costs explained.
| 2 bedrooms | from €1,580,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | from €1,200,000 |
Terrace, solarium and garden combined, as a percentage of the living area (median). That is more than 31% of new developments in Marbella. Largest outdoor space: 277 m².
Planned completion June 2028. For half of the new developments in Marbella, completion is within 3 months.
Calculated by Imagine Marbella on 20 October 2026 from the current supply of 36 new developments in Marbella 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
Río Real is a green, quiet residential area between Marbella town centre and Los Monteros, built around the golf course of the same name. Royal River sits low there, at some 53 metres above sea level, and therefore close to the sea. A large resort is also planned nearby; how that will change the area remains to be seen. The result is a rare combination: you live among villas and golf, yet you are in town or on the beach within minutes.
You can walk to Playa de Los Monteros in about 25 minutes, or drive there in 5. ALDI is also a 5-minute drive. Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol is a 6-minute drive, the École Française Internationale de Marbella 9 minutes. In 10 minutes you are in Marbella's old town, Puerto Banús in 14 minutes. If you are flying, Málaga airport is about 44 minutes away.
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 Royal River along real roads and footpaths, not as the crow flies.
| Destination | On foot | By car |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest beach (Playa de Los Monteros) | 1.9 km, 25 min | 2.7 km, 5 min |
| Supermarket (Aldi) | 3.7 km, 49 min | 2.7 km, 5 min |
| International school (École Française Internationale Marbella (efim)) | 7.6 km, 9 min | |
| Hospital (Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol) | 4.1 km, 55 min | 3.0 km, 6 min |
| Puerto Banús | 14.8 km, 14 min | |
| Marbella old town | 5.0 km, 10 min | |
| Málaga airport | 53.7 km, 44 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 7:01 on 21 June and sets at 21:40, giving 14.7 hours of daylight. On 21 December you still have 9.7 hours, with the midday sun at 30° above the horizon. Royal River sits at around 53 metres above sea level.
Sea views are not confirmed in the project data for the homes we have on offer, although portals mention golf and sea views for the penthouses. From the top floors you look out over the golf course; we check what you see from each home on the plans and when the structural work begins.
Homes and finishes
Every home comes with fully installed air conditioning, aerothermal underfloor heating, a security door and a home automation package with control panel, access and climate sensor and lighting control in the living room. The energy rating is B. Because the development is sold off-plan, we check the building licence, the bank guarantee covering your stage payments and the technical description for each home. We also ask in writing exactly which homes get a private pool or jacuzzi, because the project data does not confirm this for the homes we have on offer.
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 at the deed signing. Every payment before completion must be covered by a bank guarantee. We will send you the exact payment schedule for Royal River through Privé.
Available homes in Royal River
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground floor apartment | 3 | 2 | 221 m² | 58 m² | – | € 1.200.000 |
| Penthouse | 2 | 2 | 104 m² | 116 m² | – | € 1.580.000 |
| Apartment | 3 | 3 | 297 m² | 65 m² | – | € 1.650.000 |
| Apartment | 3 | 3 | 155 m² | 35 m² | – | € 2.095.000 |
| Penthouse | 3 | 3 | 472 m² | 277 m² | – | € 4.500.000 |
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Our honest verdict on Royal River
Strengths
- Just 16 homes, so few neighbours and a quiet building
- Beach a 25-minute walk away and Marbella town centre a 10-minute drive
- Next to the Río Real golf course, in an established villa area
- Ground-floor apartment of 221 m² with 137 m² of land at €5,430 per m²
- Modern technology with aerothermal energy, underfloor heating and home automation
Points to consider
- Completion not until June 2028; according to one portal, construction only starts in 2026
- Price per m² ranges from €5,430 to €15,192; floor areas need verifying
- Portals show other prices, such as a two-bedroom apartment at €698,000
- Private pools for the penthouses are promised, but not confirmed for our homes
- Outdoor space averages only 26 per cent of the living area
Who is Royal River right for?
Royal River suits buyers who value small scale and location more than a low price per m². If you want to live close to the beach and town, but not in a large complex, this is a good fit. It is also an option if you are in no hurry and can wait until 2028. If you want to move in within a year, or are after lots of facilities such as a clubhouse or several pools, there are more suitable developments.
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 Royal River
When will Royal River be completed?
Completion is planned for June 2028. According to one portal, construction starts in 2026. With an off-plan development, we always request the building licence and a bank guarantee on every stage payment before you sign.
How far is Royal River from the beach?
Playa de Los Monteros is about 1,875 metres away on foot, a walk of some 25 minutes. By car you are there in 5 minutes. That makes this one of the developments close to the coast in Río Real.
Do the Royal River penthouses have a private pool?
According to the sales information, some penthouses have a private pool and terraces of up to around 200 m². The project data does not confirm this for the penthouses we have on offer. We have this confirmed in writing for each home.
What does the cheapest home at Royal River cost with all costs included?
In our offer, that is the three-bedroom ground-floor apartment at €1,200,000. VAT, stamp duty, notary and lawyer bring the total to around €1,356,100. Portals also list smaller homes; we request the current price list.
Do I pay more if I buy Royal River 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, a new build carries 10% VAT (IVA) and 1.2% stamp duty (AJD), plus notary, land registry and lawyer's fees. For the most affordable home in Royal River, 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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