Design Hills Marbella by Dolce and Gabbana: the complete residences guide (2026)

A 90,000 square metre gated community of 92 branded apartments on Marbella’s Golden Mile, furnished throughout by Dolce and Gabbana Casa and developed by Sierra Blanca Estates, with prices starting from around EUR 5 million and delivery targeted for late 2026 to early 2027.

What is Design Hills Marbella by Dolce and Gabbana?

Design Hills Marbella is a luxury residential and hospitality development created through a partnership between Italian fashion house Dolce and Gabbana and Marbella-based developer Sierra Blanca Estates. Unveiled at a private presentation in September 2023, it is Dolce and Gabbana’s first residential project in Europe, bringing the brand’s sartorial design language into architecture and interiors on a scale not previously seen on the Costa del Sol.

The project comprises 92 large-format apartments, ranging from 280 to 900 square metres with up to five bedrooms, set across a 90,000 square metre plot at an average elevation of 40 metres above sea level. Every residence is furnished with exclusive Dolce and Gabbana Casa creations, from kitchens to bedroom suites, making the interiors a cohesive expression of the brand rather than a post-build styling exercise.

The development sits on the Golden Mile, the most supply-constrained residential corridor in Marbella, directly opposite the EPIC Marbella by Fendi Casa development. Both projects share the same developer, Sierra Blanca Estates, which has four decades of experience delivering ultra-luxury branded residences on the Costa del Sol.

Where is Design Hills located on the Golden Mile?

The Golden Mile (Milla de Oro) is the stretch of coastline between Marbella town and Puerto Banus that concentrates the area’s highest-value properties. Design Hills occupies a elevated position on the inland side of the Golden Mile, on the road towards Istan, opposite the EPIC development.

Landmark	Position relative to Design Hills
EPIC Marbella by Fendi Casa	Directly opposite, same developer
Puente Romano Beach Resort	Within the Golden Mile corridor
Puerto Banus	Short drive west along the coast
Marbella old town	Short drive east
Beach	Walking distance down the slope
Malaga Airport	Approximately 45 minutes by car

The elevation gives residences unobstructed sea views while keeping them within easy reach of the beach clubs, restaurants and hotels that define the Golden Mile as a social and cultural hub. The location is a short drive from Los Monteros and East Marbella, another beachside area undergoing branded-residence development.

What residence types and sizes are available?

Design Hills offers 92 apartments across a range of formats. The sizes and configurations are designed for ultra-high-net-worth buyers who expect the space of a villa in an apartment setting.

Residence type	Size range	Key features
Ground-floor units	From 280 m2	Private gardens and pools
Duplex apartments	Mid to upper range	Rooftop terraces with private pools
Penthouses	Up to 900 m2	Panoramic sea views, largest terraces

All residences include master bedrooms with dressing rooms and private bathrooms overlooking the sea, home automation connecting residents to concierge and hospitality staff, and full Dolce and Gabbana Casa furnishing. The rooftop terraces on duplex units feature private swimming pools, extending the living space outdoors.

What amenities does the community offer?

Design Hills is planned as a self-contained luxury ecosystem. The communal facilities extend the branded experience beyond the front door, with amenities designed to rival a five-star hotel.

The sports and wellness facilities include a high-performance sports centre, outdoor infinity pools, a fully equipped gym, meditation and yoga areas, golf simulators, an indoor five-a-side artificial turf football pitch, and a spa with a wellness centre, beauty salon and barber shop.

The social and leisure spaces include a private club featuring a cinema room, bar, wine cellar and cigar cellar, a kids club with indoor and outdoor playgrounds and a camping area, and a pool club with an infinity pool overlooking the sea, a heated indoor pool and an Italian-style ice-cream parlour.

A commercial boulevard forms the retail and dining spine of the community, featuring international luxury brands, signature restaurants, cafes and gastronomic offerings. This makes Design Hills one of the few residential projects on the Costa del Sol to integrate retail into the residential envelope.

What is the delivery timeline and project status?

The project was unveiled in September 2023, with construction beginning at the end of that year. A building licence was secured in mid-2025, according to project tracking sources. A pilot home was unveiled in 2025, allowing prospective buyers to experience a finished residence before committing.

Milestone	Status
Project presentation	September 2023 (completed)
Construction begins	Late 2023 (completed)
Building licence secured	Mid-2025 (completed)
Pilot home unveiled	2025 (completed)
Project completion	Late 2026 to early 2027 (target)

Buyers considering an off-plan purchase should confirm the current delivery date with the developer before exchanging contracts. The off-plan buying mechanics guide explains the bank guarantees and stage payment structure that protect buyers during the construction period under Spanish law.

What do Design Hills residences cost?

Prices for Design Hills residences start from around EUR 5 million, according to listing sources tracking the project. The upper end of the range extends to approximately EUR 20 million for the largest penthouses, reflecting the spread of residence sizes from 280 to 900 square metres and the premium for sea views and rooftop pools.

The pricing positions Design Hills firmly in the super-prime bracket. For context, Tinsa’s IMIE General index, which tracks completed residential property values across Spain, showed a 15.4 per cent year-on-year increase in May 2026, according to the latest release from the valuation firm. The Costa del Sol market has been outpacing the national average, and branded residences typically command a further premium over comparable unbranded properties.

Buyers should factor in the total cost of ownership beyond the purchase price. The cost of buying property on the Costa del Sol guide details the 10 to 13 per cent in additional acquisition costs, while annual holding costs for non-resident owners include IBI, Modelo 210 imputed income tax and community fees.

Who is Sierra Blanca Estates and what is their track record?

Sierra Blanca Estates is a Marbella-based luxury developer with a portfolio spanning some of the most prestigious residential and hospitality projects on the Costa del Sol. The firm holds a four-decade track record in prime residential development in and around Marbella’s Golden Mile.

The firm’s current or recent projects include EPIC Marbella by Fendi Casa, the branded residence directly opposite Design Hills on the same stretch of the Golden Mile. Sierra Blanca Estates positions itself as a developer of branded residences, partnering with global fashion and hospitality brands to create integrated design-led communities rather than standalone luxury builds.

This track record matters for off-plan buyers. A developer with a delivered portfolio and secured licences reduces the construction risk that sits at the heart of any off-plan purchase. The off-plan buying guide explains the legal protections, including bank guarantees under Ley 57/1968, that apply to stage payments during construction.

How does Design Hills fit the branded residence trend in Marbella?

Marbella is experiencing a wave of branded residence development, with fashion and hospitality houses attaching their names to residential projects for the first time. Design Hills and EPIC Marbella by Fendi Casa, both developed by Sierra Blanca Estates on the Golden Mile, are the two flagship projects in this shift.

The branded residence model offers buyers a guarantee of design consistency and quality that a standalone luxury build cannot match. The brand’s involvement typically extends from the furniture to the architectural detailing, creating a cohesive aesthetic that is recognised in resale markets.

For investors, the relevant question is whether the brand premium is sustained at resale. Branded residences in mature markets such as Miami and Dubai have historically traded at a premium to comparable unbranded properties, though the Marbella market is at an earlier stage of this cycle. Buyers considering a rental strategy should also review the short-let rules on the Costa del Sol, as the VFT registration requirement and the 60 per cent community approval rule for short letting affect the yield case for any branded residence.

What should a buyer do next?

Prospective buyers should register interest through the official project page to access the full residence breakdown, pricing schedule and payment plan. The developer releases detailed information to registered prospects rather than publishing it openly.

Before exchanging contracts, buyers should engage an independent Spanish lawyer to review the planning status, the bank guarantee structure for stage payments, and the community rules that will govern the completed development. The common mistakes guide for buying property in Spain outlines the due diligence steps that apply to any off-plan purchase, including title verification and developer solvency checks.

Design Hills represents the most ambitious branded residence project on the Costa del Sol, combining a global fashion brand, an established local developer and a Golden Mile address. For buyers who can wait until the late 2026 to early 2027 delivery window, it offers a turnkey super-prime home with a design language no existing Marbella property can match.