History of La Manga Club
| 1971 | Work began on the North and South Courses (designed by Robert Dean Putman). |
| October 1972 | Opening of La Manga Golf Club, the first in Spain to open with two championship courses. |
| 1973 | Opening of the Tennis Centre with 15 courts. |
| 1973-1977 | Five Spanish Golf Opens were held at La Manga Club. |
| 1981 | The resort was purchased by Dennington España SA, the Spanish subsidiary of European Ferries, a freight and passenger shipping company. |
| 1987 | European Ferries was taken over by P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company), one of the leading companies in the field of maritime transport, present in over 40 countries. |
| 1988 | Opening of Las Lomas apartments. |
| 1991 | Davis Cup match between Spain and Canada. |
| 1992 | The South Course was remodelled by Arnold Palmer. |
| 1993 | Opening of the Hotel La Manga Club Príncipe Felipe hotel, managed by Hyatt International. Women's Spanish Tennis Open celebrated at La Manga Club. |
| 1995-2001 | Fed Cup qualifying rounds celebrated at La Manga Club (except in 1997). |
| 1996 | Opening of the West Course as an 18-hole course. |
| 1997 | Agreement with the Norwegian Football Federation. |
| 1998 | Opening of the Professional Football Centre with five pitches. Opening of the casino. |
| 1999 | La Manga Club voted 'European Golf Resort of the Year' at the Hertz International Golf Travel Awards. |
| 2000 | Building of two new tennis courts and three football pitches. |
| 2001 | Reopening of the North Course after complete renovation. La Manga Club named 'Europe's Leading Golf Resort' at the World Travel Awards. |
| 2002 | Six new tennis courts were built as a result of the Tennis Centre being appointed by Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) as their winter training base. |
| 2003 | Opening of 60 new apartments and deluxe guest rooms at Las Lomas. Addition of two cricket grounds. La Manga Club is chosen by the German PGA and the Bavarian Tennis Federation as their official winter training base. La Manga Club named 'Europe's Leading Golf Resort' at the World Travel Awards for the second time. Hotel La Manga Club Príncipe Felipe, the resort's five-star hotel, voted 'Europe's Leading Conference Hotel' at the World Travel Awards. |
| 2004 |
Opening of Spa La Manga Club, new banqueting facilities and India Restaurant at Las Lomas Village. |
| 2005 |
La Manga Club purchased by MedGroup, Spain's leading developer of residential communities. |
| 2006 |
MedGroup launches new condo hotel ownership option at Las Lomas Village. |
La Manga Club has become one of Europe's most prestigious tourist destinations. Like almost all successful projects, this initiative was the brainchild of an almost legendary personality in the area, Gregory Peters. This American 'magnate' arrived in our region in the mid 1960s, at the same time as the early development of La Manga. Impressed by the enormous possibilities of the Mar Menor and aware of its huge potential as a tourist attraction, he started to participate in a number of investments, purchasing several properties.
His experience and knowledge of the world's finest golf resorts in the United States, especially California, meant that a much bigger project soon began to hatch in his mind: the first golf course in the area as a high-level tourist attraction.
In the initial project, Gregory Peters and his partners intended to build a nine-hole golf course and a small residential development, for which, in February 1970, they purchased 500 acres of land in a valley some ten kilometres from La Manga. It was the perfect place to play golf, with over 3000 hours of sun a year and an average temperature of 17° Celcius.
The project was received with considerable excitement, so much so that the owners of the adjoining properties wanted to participate and gave up their land in exchange for a shareholding in the real estate company created to promote the development. As a result, the initial project, involving the construction of a nine-hole course and a small residential development, became the construction of two golf courses, and the development as a whole grew to 450 hectares called 'La Manga Golf Course' which, years later, would become La Manga Club as we know it now.
Once the project began to take shape, it was decided to appoint Robert Dean Putman (a Californian and a renowned professional of great prestige around the world, with 20 years' experience and also a great golfer) as the architect and designer of the courses (North and South). The design of the courses and the lie of the fairways were left in his hands in order to make the game and the positioning of trees in the area as attractive as possible. To him we owe the more than 3000 palm trees, which presently grace the courses, and the general impression that the resort is an enormous garden, rather than just some golf courses. This is still the key to success and its great popularity among those who visit us.
Work began on the courses in January 1971. In the early days of the resort, Gregory Peters used all his business contacts to promote the golf courses, which, in a very short period of time, gained enormous prestige among golf professionals and fans, earning a place amongst Spain's finest.
Part of this prestige was due to the agreement reached with the Spanish Golf Federation to hold the Spanish Open here between 1973 and 1977. During these five years, this business venture was consolidated with numerous golfing number ones playing the courses. Over the years, mythical names such as Arnold Palmer and Colin Montgomerie have graced its fairways.
If golf has been important to La Manga Club, tennis has also been an essential counterpoint, developing in tandem with the golf. Even in the early projects from 1971, the construction of a 15-court Tennis Centre was included, to be headed by none other than Manolo Santana, one of the greats of Spanish tennis. The first resident pro was Antonio Solana, Spanish champion in 1972.
Towards the end of the 1970s, the holding company went through a period of crisis. Despite the deteriorated conditions and a shortage of money for maintenance purposes, the resort facilities struggled to keep operating and remained open for business.
In 1979, the first news arrived about negotiations with Dennington España SA regarding the purchase of the resort.
1980-1989: Years of GrowthHis experience and knowledge of the world's finest golf resorts in the United States, especially California, meant that a much bigger project soon began to hatch in his mind: the first golf course in the area as a high-level tourist attraction.
In the initial project, Gregory Peters and his partners intended to build a nine-hole golf course and a small residential development, for which, in February 1970, they purchased 500 acres of land in a valley some ten kilometres from La Manga. It was the perfect place to play golf, with over 3000 hours of sun a year and an average temperature of 17° Celcius.
The project was received with considerable excitement, so much so that the owners of the adjoining properties wanted to participate and gave up their land in exchange for a shareholding in the real estate company created to promote the development. As a result, the initial project, involving the construction of a nine-hole course and a small residential development, became the construction of two golf courses, and the development as a whole grew to 450 hectares called 'La Manga Golf Course' which, years later, would become La Manga Club as we know it now.
Once the project began to take shape, it was decided to appoint Robert Dean Putman (a Californian and a renowned professional of great prestige around the world, with 20 years' experience and also a great golfer) as the architect and designer of the courses (North and South). The design of the courses and the lie of the fairways were left in his hands in order to make the game and the positioning of trees in the area as attractive as possible. To him we owe the more than 3000 palm trees, which presently grace the courses, and the general impression that the resort is an enormous garden, rather than just some golf courses. This is still the key to success and its great popularity among those who visit us.
Work began on the courses in January 1971. In the early days of the resort, Gregory Peters used all his business contacts to promote the golf courses, which, in a very short period of time, gained enormous prestige among golf professionals and fans, earning a place amongst Spain's finest.
Part of this prestige was due to the agreement reached with the Spanish Golf Federation to hold the Spanish Open here between 1973 and 1977. During these five years, this business venture was consolidated with numerous golfing number ones playing the courses. Over the years, mythical names such as Arnold Palmer and Colin Montgomerie have graced its fairways.
If golf has been important to La Manga Club, tennis has also been an essential counterpoint, developing in tandem with the golf. Even in the early projects from 1971, the construction of a 15-court Tennis Centre was included, to be headed by none other than Manolo Santana, one of the greats of Spanish tennis. The first resident pro was Antonio Solana, Spanish champion in 1972.
Towards the end of the 1970s, the holding company went through a period of crisis. Despite the deteriorated conditions and a shortage of money for maintenance purposes, the resort facilities struggled to keep operating and remained open for business.
In 1979, the first news arrived about negotiations with Dennington España SA regarding the purchase of the resort.
In 1981, the resort was bought by Dennington, the Spanish subsidiary of European Ferries, a freight and passenger shipping company. At this point a decisive stage in the development of La Manga Club began.
The new owning company was ready to relaunch the resort with a much-needed investment programme. During the 1980s, Severiano Ballesteros was a legend on the world's professional golfing circuits. For that reason, he was appointed as La Manga Club Touring Professional and his brother was taken on as a professional. Thanks to these links and their effect, within a few months the facilities would once again play host to major competitions.
Those years were also fundamental in the subsequent development of tennis. Right from the beginning the tennis facilities had been growing, both in terms of infrastructure and the number of courts. In 1985 British Davis Cup doubles star David Lloyd was appointed director of the Tennis Centre.
The resort had one major shortcoming and that was the lack of hotel bed space. A four-star hotel project was thus developed and the Las Mimosas hotel with 47 double rooms opened in 1982, managed by the HUSA Group.
Between 1971 and 1982 the resort was known as 'La Manga Golf Club'. When Dennington took over, it was decided to change the name to 'La Manga Country Club', but in 1984 there was a complete change in corporate image and the logo with the palm tree replaced that of a golfer making a swing from the early years. The reason behind this was quite logical; with the old name and logo the resort was focusing its image only on golf when, by that time, La Manga Club was developing in terms of housing, the Tennis Centre was already a reality and the Las Mimosas hotel was also fully functional. The objective of the change in name was to say that La Manga Club was golf plus many other things besides.
The resort and its population were growing. This called for an infrastructure in terms of minor and major roads, street lighting and general services. For instance, La Manga Club has over ten kilometres of streets. For this reason, the General Community of Owners was formed by representatives from each of the communities with the aim of assuming control of general services such as water supplies, sewage treatment, rubbish collection, street lighting, maintenance of public garden areas, security and, in short, all the services required by the new property owners.
The construction of Las Lomas in 1987 is worthy of special mention. Quite some time before the Hyatt hotel and also during its construction, Las Lomas was temporarily the only hotel accommodation option in the resort. Designed by the architect Jaime J Bourne, the original Las Lomas project consisted of three phases, with plans for 123 apartments with particular emphasis on the leisure facilities, which included a pool, tennis court and various premises dedicated to leisure and commercial areas.
In 1987 something happened that would prove fundamental and would completely change the future and development of the resort. As we have already said, the owning company was a subsidiary of European Ferries. This company was taken over by P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company), one of the leading companies in the field of maritime transport, present in over 40 countries, and which employs 70,000 people. It is under the ownership of this business giant that the greatest investments in infrastructure have been made.
1990-1999: New Hotel. Football takes offThe new owning company was ready to relaunch the resort with a much-needed investment programme. During the 1980s, Severiano Ballesteros was a legend on the world's professional golfing circuits. For that reason, he was appointed as La Manga Club Touring Professional and his brother was taken on as a professional. Thanks to these links and their effect, within a few months the facilities would once again play host to major competitions.
Those years were also fundamental in the subsequent development of tennis. Right from the beginning the tennis facilities had been growing, both in terms of infrastructure and the number of courts. In 1985 British Davis Cup doubles star David Lloyd was appointed director of the Tennis Centre.
The resort had one major shortcoming and that was the lack of hotel bed space. A four-star hotel project was thus developed and the Las Mimosas hotel with 47 double rooms opened in 1982, managed by the HUSA Group.
Between 1971 and 1982 the resort was known as 'La Manga Golf Club'. When Dennington took over, it was decided to change the name to 'La Manga Country Club', but in 1984 there was a complete change in corporate image and the logo with the palm tree replaced that of a golfer making a swing from the early years. The reason behind this was quite logical; with the old name and logo the resort was focusing its image only on golf when, by that time, La Manga Club was developing in terms of housing, the Tennis Centre was already a reality and the Las Mimosas hotel was also fully functional. The objective of the change in name was to say that La Manga Club was golf plus many other things besides.
The resort and its population were growing. This called for an infrastructure in terms of minor and major roads, street lighting and general services. For instance, La Manga Club has over ten kilometres of streets. For this reason, the General Community of Owners was formed by representatives from each of the communities with the aim of assuming control of general services such as water supplies, sewage treatment, rubbish collection, street lighting, maintenance of public garden areas, security and, in short, all the services required by the new property owners.
The construction of Las Lomas in 1987 is worthy of special mention. Quite some time before the Hyatt hotel and also during its construction, Las Lomas was temporarily the only hotel accommodation option in the resort. Designed by the architect Jaime J Bourne, the original Las Lomas project consisted of three phases, with plans for 123 apartments with particular emphasis on the leisure facilities, which included a pool, tennis court and various premises dedicated to leisure and commercial areas.
In 1987 something happened that would prove fundamental and would completely change the future and development of the resort. As we have already said, the owning company was a subsidiary of European Ferries. This company was taken over by P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company), one of the leading companies in the field of maritime transport, present in over 40 countries, and which employs 70,000 people. It is under the ownership of this business giant that the greatest investments in infrastructure have been made.
The most significant investment was without a doubt the construction of the Hotel La Manga Club Príncipe Felipe hotel, designed by the architect Jaime J Bourne. The idea arose from the need to provide further high-quality hotel bed space: a new hotel would be built in the same location formerly occupied by the clubhouse and Las Mimosas hotel. The hotel was inaugurated in June 1993.
The 1990s bought about the definite take-off of La Manga Club, as the resort now is. The investments made by P&O in the development and maintenance of all the facilities have brought about spectacular growth over the last ten years. The evidence of this is seen not only in the increase in the number of visitors, residents and owners, but also in the expansion of the resort with everything a town normally has such as shops, a post office, banks, chemists, security...
Among all the improvements undertaken during the 1990s (apart from the construction of the hotel) is the construction of the new golf administration and clubhouse in 1992 and the expansion of the La Princesa course from nine holes to today's 18-hole West Course, becoming the official third course of the resort in 1996. There are very few golf resorts in Spain or Europe that can boast three courses on site.
Then there is the Professional Football Centre. It began in 1990 with the construction of one football pitch so that several first division teams, which had previously visited the resort and trained on the golf practice ground, had somewhere to train. It was not until 1997 that the Professional Football Centre project really took off as it was then that work began on the construction of five pitches.
Later the same year, an agreement was signed with the Norwegian Football Federation, turning La Manga into many Norwegian teams' winter training base. This agreement also brought teams from Sweden, Finland and Denmark because of their close links with the Norwegians. The La Manga Club Professional Football Centre officially opened in February 1998. Such was the success of this new market on an international level that in 2000 three more pitches were added to the Centre.
Another new development was the granting of a licence to open a casino next to the hotel in 1998.
In 1991 we were hosts to a qualifying round of one of tennis' most prestigious tournaments, the Davis Cup match between Spain and Canada. Other important tournaments that have been played here are the ATP, the Spanish Seniors Championship and classifying rounds of the Fed Cup. In its almost 30 years of existence, world number one tennis players, from Sergi Bruguera to Carlos Moyá, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario or Martina Hingis in the women's game, have played at La Manga Club Tennis Centre.
2000 - Present: Aiming at ExcellenceThe 1990s bought about the definite take-off of La Manga Club, as the resort now is. The investments made by P&O in the development and maintenance of all the facilities have brought about spectacular growth over the last ten years. The evidence of this is seen not only in the increase in the number of visitors, residents and owners, but also in the expansion of the resort with everything a town normally has such as shops, a post office, banks, chemists, security...
Among all the improvements undertaken during the 1990s (apart from the construction of the hotel) is the construction of the new golf administration and clubhouse in 1992 and the expansion of the La Princesa course from nine holes to today's 18-hole West Course, becoming the official third course of the resort in 1996. There are very few golf resorts in Spain or Europe that can boast three courses on site.
Then there is the Professional Football Centre. It began in 1990 with the construction of one football pitch so that several first division teams, which had previously visited the resort and trained on the golf practice ground, had somewhere to train. It was not until 1997 that the Professional Football Centre project really took off as it was then that work began on the construction of five pitches.
Later the same year, an agreement was signed with the Norwegian Football Federation, turning La Manga into many Norwegian teams' winter training base. This agreement also brought teams from Sweden, Finland and Denmark because of their close links with the Norwegians. The La Manga Club Professional Football Centre officially opened in February 1998. Such was the success of this new market on an international level that in 2000 three more pitches were added to the Centre.
Another new development was the granting of a licence to open a casino next to the hotel in 1998.
In 1991 we were hosts to a qualifying round of one of tennis' most prestigious tournaments, the Davis Cup match between Spain and Canada. Other important tournaments that have been played here are the ATP, the Spanish Seniors Championship and classifying rounds of the Fed Cup. In its almost 30 years of existence, world number one tennis players, from Sergi Bruguera to Carlos Moyá, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario or Martina Hingis in the women's game, have played at La Manga Club Tennis Centre.
Golf is always at the core of the company's investment programme, and the latest news regarding the golf courses is the complete renovation of all three courses. Work on the North Course was completed in 2002 and work on the South Course was completed in August 2004. In 2003, the Golf Academy was completely refurbished, extended and re-equipped with the very latest V1 digital coaching technology. Through this commitment to keep up the golf courses and facilities to the highest standards, La Manga Club was voted 'Europe's Leading Golf Resort' at the World Travel Awards 2001, 2003 and 2005, and 'Spain's Leading Golf Resort' at the World Travel Awards 2006, it has also been the German PGA's official winter training base since 2003.
2005 saw the arrival on the scene of MedGroup, who purchased the resort from P&O at the end of 2004, bringing to a close that particular era. MedGroup is Spain's leading developer of residential communities and is firmly committed to continuing the investment in what is considered Europe’s top resort. Later in the year, the resort was chosen by the Danish Tennis Federation as its official winter training base.
In 2006 MedGroup launched an innovative condo ownership option at Las Lomas Village, which offers purchasers a unique combination of their own apartment at La Manga Club and rental income when they are not using it.
Today, there are a total of 28 courts at the Tennis Centre. Further evidence of the calibre of tennis facilities is provided by the fact that La Manga Club Tennis Centre has been appointed by Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the Bavarian Tennis Federation as the official winter training base for their elite competition squads. In 2001 the Tennis Academy was equipped with the V1 digital coaching system, one of the most advanced video analysis systems.
Further investments brought new and improved facilities: the extension and refurbishment of the Junior Club, two ClubTurf cricket pitches, the new Amapola Restaurant in the hotel, Asia Restaurant and the latest addition to the resort's wide choice of global dining: India Restaurant.
The dawning of the 21st century was to witness the most ambitious development to date at La Manga Club: Las Lomas Village, a first-class product unique in Europe. The success of existing accommodation at Las Lomas called for increased capacity and new services. As a result, the last phase of the Las Lomas project involved a new accommodation concept with the addition of 60 new apartments and 20 hotel-style guest rooms, which opened in 2003, an extensive spa with state-of-the-art facilities, a 25-metre indoor pool, a gym with the latest in fitness technology, a new meeting / banqueting suite and new restaurants.
Opened in 2004 Spa La Manga Club is a first-class wellness facility including jacuzzis, saunas, steam rooms, fun showers and a relaxation area, as well as a large gymnasium and fitness studio and 25-metre indoor swimming pool. A total of 13 treatment rooms and deluxe spa suites offer a vast array of pampering, soothing, rejuvenating and relaxing treatments using the finest quality products from Kerstin Florian and Natura Bissé and the most effective techniques.
In 2007, MedGroup commissioned an ambitious refurbishment of the hotel, creating a new, more contemporary feel and greater sense of space, as well as stylish new facilities such as the Piano Bar, all designed by renowned interior designer Jaime Beriestain.
Celebrities2005 saw the arrival on the scene of MedGroup, who purchased the resort from P&O at the end of 2004, bringing to a close that particular era. MedGroup is Spain's leading developer of residential communities and is firmly committed to continuing the investment in what is considered Europe’s top resort. Later in the year, the resort was chosen by the Danish Tennis Federation as its official winter training base.
In 2006 MedGroup launched an innovative condo ownership option at Las Lomas Village, which offers purchasers a unique combination of their own apartment at La Manga Club and rental income when they are not using it.
Today, there are a total of 28 courts at the Tennis Centre. Further evidence of the calibre of tennis facilities is provided by the fact that La Manga Club Tennis Centre has been appointed by Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the Bavarian Tennis Federation as the official winter training base for their elite competition squads. In 2001 the Tennis Academy was equipped with the V1 digital coaching system, one of the most advanced video analysis systems.
Further investments brought new and improved facilities: the extension and refurbishment of the Junior Club, two ClubTurf cricket pitches, the new Amapola Restaurant in the hotel, Asia Restaurant and the latest addition to the resort's wide choice of global dining: India Restaurant.
The dawning of the 21st century was to witness the most ambitious development to date at La Manga Club: Las Lomas Village, a first-class product unique in Europe. The success of existing accommodation at Las Lomas called for increased capacity and new services. As a result, the last phase of the Las Lomas project involved a new accommodation concept with the addition of 60 new apartments and 20 hotel-style guest rooms, which opened in 2003, an extensive spa with state-of-the-art facilities, a 25-metre indoor pool, a gym with the latest in fitness technology, a new meeting / banqueting suite and new restaurants.
Opened in 2004 Spa La Manga Club is a first-class wellness facility including jacuzzis, saunas, steam rooms, fun showers and a relaxation area, as well as a large gymnasium and fitness studio and 25-metre indoor swimming pool. A total of 13 treatment rooms and deluxe spa suites offer a vast array of pampering, soothing, rejuvenating and relaxing treatments using the finest quality products from Kerstin Florian and Natura Bissé and the most effective techniques.
In 2007, MedGroup commissioned an ambitious refurbishment of the hotel, creating a new, more contemporary feel and greater sense of space, as well as stylish new facilities such as the Piano Bar, all designed by renowned interior designer Jaime Beriestain.
Over the years, a wide variety of social events has been held here, bringing with them many famous people.
The Spanish royal family has visited us on several occasions in the 30-year existence of La Manga Club. Prince Felipe stayed in a villa on the resort during the 1991 and 1992 sailing championships. The President of Spain, José-Maria Aznar, stayed at the hotel in 1997 during an official visit to the region. In 1989 an informal meeting of the European Transport Ministers was held here, as was the Third International Energy Conference in 1994. 2002 saw the EU Agricultural Meeting of the Ministers of the European Union, coinciding with Spain's presidency of the EU, and the world press launch of the new Seat Cordoba.
However, we have not just had representatives of the world of politics, finance or sport. Many other famous people have visited us such as actors Juliet Binoche, Angela Molina and John Malkovich; ballet star Rudolph Nureyev and flamenco star Antonio Canales; singers such as Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz, Joan Manuel Serrat, Sir Cliff Richard, Vonda Shepard, Robbie Williams, Jamiroquai and Deep Purple; and writers Vargas Llosa and Guillermo Cabrera Infante. However, those that have attracted the most attention from the national and international press have been football teams such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and the Spanish and English national squads.
