Michelle Obama Travels to Spain & Books 5-Star Marbella Hotel CheapOair Staff August 5, 2010 general Michelle Obama and her 9-year-old daughter Sasha enjoyed a visit to a historic cathedral in the southern city of Granada, Spain Thursday as the first lady kicked off a little summer break. While vacationing in Spain with “30 to 40 close friends”, Mrs. Obama will be staying at the 5-star Hotel Villa Padierna, a five-star Ritz-Carlton resort located in Marbella. So what exactly does this hotel offer visitors? Take a look at the amenities and features below: Indoor and outdoor swimming pools. An on-site hair salon. A 21,000-square-foot spa with eight themed baths & two saunas. Three golf courses. Two tennis courts. Rooms include a terrace with outstanding views of the Mediterranean Sea. Marble bathrooms. Poolside beds. State of the art gym. Four restaurants and a traditional English pub with a fine selection of cigars and aged whiskey. In other words, they are not going to be roughing it overseas. Crowds of people have been swarming the first lady and her entourage as they ventured around Granada Thursday with many yelling “guapa” or beautiful as Obama walked down the street. Local tourism is buzzing with excitement as Obama’s visit means big bucks for the region. Talking to the Associated Press, Marbella’s tourism chief Jose Luis Hernandadez said: “The fact that the Obama family is coming to Marbella is a clear indication that Marbella is considered a leading tourist destination, and it is testament to all the positive changes that have been made in the city since our council was elected four years ago.” What’s more a local Spanish public relations company believes the Obama visit will be reported on by over 8,000 media outlets around the world and will generate publicity worth roughly $1 billion USD (800 million euros). Source: Associated Press