La Manga Club in Murcia

As a haven for holiday-makers and sports enthusiasts, La Manga Club is among one of Europe's finest. Synonymous with luxury, this golf and leisure pursuit mecca is located on the south-east coast of Spain in the region of Murcia. The phrase La Manga literally means "the sleeve" and refers to the 13 mile strip of land which separates off the Mediterranean sea and the Mar Menor (little sea). This lagoon, which is home to thousands of species of birds including flamingos, provides the perfect location for water-sports fans and is just one of the many attractions of this award-winning resort.

Travel to La Manga Club

For those travelling by plane, Murcia Airport is the closest airport and flight providers include bmibaby, Monarch, Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.com. Direct flights to Murcia Airport currently operate from Belfast International, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle.

If you have not arranged Murcia Airport car hire, then you can get a taxi from right outside the terminal building or La Manga Club can pre-book a taxi for you from both Murcia and Alicante Airport, the second closest airport, at a cost of approximately €47.00 and €130.00 respectively (one way).

While there is no shuttle bus service at the airports, it is possible to organise private transfers from companies such as Shuttle Direct. This is a good idea for those travelling as a large group, with young children or if any member has mobility problems. With this option a driver meets you in arrivals, chauffeurs you to the club to register and collect keys, before taking you onto your accommodation.

An approximation of fees for a transfer from Murcia Airport is around £30 per person return, with a minimum booking fee of £90, while from Alicante it is £68 per person return, minimum booking fee of £225. An additional fee of £12 is payable for a child or booster seat.

If there are no flights to Murcia from your area, then the other option is to fly into Alicante Airport. Depending on the route you take it is either a 121km/1 hour 13 min drive along the AP-7 or a 139km/1 hour 30 min journey down the A-7 and A30 to La Manga Club. The AP-7 is a toll road which costs €6 in peak season (June to September and Easter) and €4 the rest of the year.

Direct flights to Alicante go from Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Coventry, Doncaster, Dublin, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gatwick, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich, Nottingham, Shannon, Southampton and Stansted.

Sports Facilities at La Manga Club (including children's activities)

The region offers the ideal environment for this holiday paradise with over 300 days of sunshine per year meaning even the winters are mild. Best known for having not one, not two but three championship golf courses with a five-star club house and golf academy, an 80 bay floodlit driving range, practice bunker and two chipping greens, La Manga Club is quite literally a golf fanatic's wildest dream come true.

These facilities are but the mere tip of the iceberg however and is why La Manga is regularly chosen as the European category winner in the prestigious World Travel Awards. Besides golf, La Manga Club boasts a tennis centre with 28 multi-surface courts, 8 international-standard grass pitched complete with floodlit exhibition pitch and grandstand for 650 spectators, 2 artificial grass cricket pitches and 4 full-length practice nets.

There is also an equestrian centre just 5km from the resort and nautical firms on Mar Menor offering sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, scuba-diving and the hire of powerboats and jet-skis. For those that like to get back to nature there are plenty of walking paths dotted through the surrounding countryside affording breath-taking vistas. A bike hire company offers equipment for those who want to explore the terrain on two wheels.

As if all that wasn't enough to keep the youngsters entertained, the club even lays on a plethora of kids clubs to keep them happy. From the junior golf club through to football, rugby, dance, tennis and even a Spanish Academy, children of all ages get to be trained by professionals and hopefully make some lifelong friends while learning new skills.

Spa & Leisure Facilities at La Manga Club

On to more relaxing pastimes and the Spa La Manga Club provides the ideal way to smooth away any aches and pains and revitalise before an evening of festivities. From facials through to Swedish massage and reflexology and more unusual treatments such as the delectable sounding chocotherapy, the list is endless. Facilities include saunas, steam rooms, a fully-equipped gymnasium and 25m indoor pool set in a semi-tropical environment for the ultimate in luxury.

There are several other pools situated around La Manga Club, but the only one accessible to those not staying in accommodation on the resort is the outdoor pool next to the tennis club. Those staying at the Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe or Los Lomas Village have access to three other outdoor pools, the pool outside the hotel being heated.

Alternatively the resort also has its' own secluded beach called La Cala just 10 minutes drive from the hotel complete with shower facilities and a restaurant, which the hotel does regular shuttles to and from.

 

Accommodation & Amenities at La Manga Club

Depending on requirements, La Manga offers a range of different accommodation from the five-star Principe Felipe Hotel to the four-star apartments and townhouses of Las Lomas Village. There is also almost 2000 villas dotted around the locale, many with their own pools.

Utterly self-contained, La Manga Club is its' own little community and those staying inside the grounds need never go outside as almost everything is catered for. There are over 20 bars and restaurants to choose from offering everything from traditional Spanish fare through American, Italian, Mexican and Asian, as well as cafés in which to grab a quick bite.

An Irish-themed bar offers sports on TV, while a piano bar provides a more sedate ambience in which to enjoy a cocktail. For those that like a quick flutter there is the Gran Casino de Cartagena complete with roulette, slot machines, blackjack and poker tables. Entry is for over 18's only and passports must be shown on entry.

Among the other amenities are shops including a post office and pharmacy, a bank and even a petrol station, plus on-site security and a medical centre. Guests can also take advantage of the superbly manicured gardens with a restorative stroll after a day's hard enjoyment.

 

Michelle Elkins is a regular contributor to the Murcia Airport Guide which provides all the information you need to know about Murcia Airport, including help finding the cheapest quote on Murcia Airport car hire.