Marbella Fitness Boot Camp: 7-Day All-Inclusive Weight Loss & Wellness Retreat

The programme is built around variety rather than one discipline. Over a week you'll cycle through circuit training, boxercise, Hyrox-style conditioning, running, road cycling, hiking, spinning, gym strength sessions, yoga, reformer Pilates and stretching. The camp has been running since 2011 and uses five training locations: a beach gym between the Marbella Club and the Puente Romano Nobu hotel (with a post-workout dip in the Mediterranean), the Marbella promenade and beaches, a gym in the heart of Puerto Banús, Mike's Gym, and inland locations around Istán and Benahavís for cycling and hiking. A 10km stretch of the paseo runs from Marbella to Puerto Banús, used for jogs and rides.

What separates this from a standard fitness holiday is the operation behind it. Jan Dendauw founded the camp and still leads the coaching personally, and the instructor line-up includes a dedicated nutrition coach, Dr. Vanessa Garcia Ohnimus, plus three yoga and stretching teachers. Guests are split by ability so beginners aren't dropped into advanced sessions — reviews repeatedly mention people in their sixties and seventies completing the bike rides and Hyrox sessions and finishing the week surprised at what they managed.

Training is also tracked with Myzone heart-rate technology: the camp is an official Myzone partner, so you can see your effort and progress through the week rather than guessing. That's on top of the standard programme, not instead of it.

The reviews are consistent about two things: the food, and Jan. Guests describe being fed enough that they never felt hungry while still losing weight — one lost 3kg over the week — and describe Jan as the person who holds the whole week together, from the schedule to the small logistics, so you don't have to think about anything except showing up and training. Groups tend to bond quickly, which matters given most people arrive alone.

Beyond the standard week there are two other formats. Boot Camp Marbella Extreme is a harder version of the same formula, and the Platinum Health Week is a tailor-made package that leans on the more upscale side of Marbella. For a week that combines structured training, a beach location and a hotel rather than a barracks, this is one of the longer-established options in southern Spain.

What's included

- 4 or 7 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel - 3 calorie-controlled meals per day - Full daily fitness programme (circuit training, boxercise, Hyrox, spinning, running, gym sessions) - Yoga, reformer Pilates and stretching classes - Hiking and cycling sessions (with non-cycling alternatives) - Full day at Mike's Gym in Puerto Banús, including the 4.7km obstacle course - Use of all training locations, including the beach gym - Nutrition advice and workshops with the on-site nutrition coach - Myzone heart-rate tracking during sessions - Access to the coaching team throughout the week - Pool and spa recovery facilities - All-inclusive with no hidden costs

What's not included

- Flights and travel to Marbella - Airport transfers (confirm with the operator at booking) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and shopping - Optional massage and spa treatments (available, charged separately) - Alcoholic drinks - Anything not expressly listed as included