The five-star La Manga Club destination resort has begun the new year in the same award-winning fashion as it ended the old one after being named as the best golf resort in Spain for an unprecedented fourth year in a row.

Fresh from being crowned as Spain's leading golf complex at the 1st World Golf Awards, the luxury venue in Murcia has enhanced its reputation as Europe's premier sports resort after being the overwhelming choice of readers of leading UK magazine Today's Golfer to win the top consumer travel award.

And La Manga Club was given further reason to celebrate with the status of its world-renowned South Course was elevated to a new high after it was voted runner-up in the 'Best Golf Course in Spain' category – second only to 1997 Ryder Cup venue Valderrama.

José Asenjo, La Manga Club's general manager, said: “To win the award for a fourth successive year is a wonderful achievement and shows that La Manga Club remains as popular as ever with UK golfers.

“We are very proud of our reputation as Europe's premier golf, sports and leisure destination resort and we will continue to offer the best possible service and facilities to our visitors. We invite any golfers who haven't yet visited us to do so in 2015 and discover the La Manga Club golf experience.”

La Manga Club enjoyed a year to remember in 2014 including opening a new €1m world-class golf tuition facility at the venue, with, as its centrepiece, a bespoke Leadbetter Golf Academy – the only one of its kind in Spain.

In addition, the iconic South Course – one three 18-hole championship courses at the resort – was the centre of attention for European golfers as it hosted numerous high-profile profile professional and amateur events.

As well as being chosen to stage the 2014 Spanish Seniors Championship and 2014 Children's Championships, the famous par-73 layout also held the 1st La Manga Club PGAs of Europe Pro-Am, the climax to the 2014 ECCO Tour Winter Series, and the 2014 Footballers' Classic – won for the third time by Liverpool and Scotland legend Kenny Dalglish.

La Manga Club was also one of only five esteemed venues nominated for the 'Best Golf Resort in the World' at the 2014 Telegraph Ultratravel 100 Awards alongside Pebble Beach in California, St Andrews – the Home of Golf – Sandy Lane in Barbados, and eventual winner The Gleneagles Hotel, host to last year's Ryder Cup.

Asenjo added: “It has been another amazing 12 months for the resort, including the opening of our new Leadbetter Golf Academy and the major improvement of our practice facilities, and the award is deserved recognition for the continued hard work of all the staff here.”

Set in an area three times the size of Monaco, La Manga Club is widely recognised as Spain's flagship resort and continues to set the benchmark for sports and leisure destinations across Europe.

Boasting three 18-hole championship golf courses, a nine-hole academy course and outstanding practice facilities, the resort has enjoyed a rich golfing history since its inception in 1972, while its array of other outstanding sports and leisure amenities, bars and restaurants has helped establish it as a firm favourite with visiting golfers.

In addition, the resort offers the ideal place for budding sports stars of the future to hone their skills with a wide selection of academies for boys and girls of all ages including golf, tennis, cricket, rugby, athletics, football and dance, and a range of fun-packed activities in its junior club.

La Manga Club features unrivalled facilities as a sports and leisure destination and, as well as its golf courses, includes a 28-court tennis centre and a 2,000sqm spa and fitness centre. It also offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses and more than 20 bars and restaurants.

For more information about the resort and to book a break, call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reservas@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com. 

ENDS

Information for journalists

Press release written and distributed on behalf of La Manga Club by the Azalea Group.

La Manga Club
La Manga Club – www.lamangaclub.com – is an unrivalled sports and leisure paradise which sits between the low hills that separate the Mediterranean from the Mar Menor Sea, just 20 minutes from Murcia airport and an hour from Alicante.

Set out over an area of some 560 hectares (approx. 1,400 acres), it enjoys a mild year-round Mediterranean climate and offers visitors a prestigious five-star hotel, luxury vacation apartments and extensive sports facilities, including three championship golf courses, a new Leadbetter Golf Academy – the only one in mainland Spain – a 28-court tennis centre and eight grass sports pitches. The resort is also home to innumerable leisure facilities, such as the 2,000m2 Spa La Manga Club with its 13 luxurious treatment rooms, comprehensive fitness centre and 25m indoor swimming pool; meeting, banqueting and incentive facilities, and more than 20 restaurants and bars.

As well as hosting both Davis and Fed Cup tennis matches, La Manga Club has signed a long-term deal to be the overseas training resort of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) until 2016. It has also staged the Spanish Open golf championship and regularly attracts professional and international football teams to the first-class year-round training facilities which are also used by rugby and cricket sides.

As a result of more than 40 years of continued investment, innovation and commitment to excellence, La Manga Club is widely recognised as Spain's flagship resort and as one of the finest sports and lifestyle destinations in the world. Evidence of this is provided by its numerous awards and accolades.

La Manga Club was the proud recipient of a 2013 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel website, for the facilities and service on offer at its five-star Hotel Principe Felipe. The resort has been voted 'Best Golf Hotel/Resort in Spain' by UK readers of Today's Golfer magazine for the last four years and was named 'Best Golf Hotel in Spain' at the 2014 World Golf Awards. La Manga Club has long been a staunch supporter of women's golf, being the official overseas resort partner of the English Women's Golf Association for three years as well as hosting the Ladies European Tour (LET) Qualifying School from 2009-12. La Manga Club was also the venue for the Ladies Murcia Open, an LET Access Series event, and regularly hosts top women's amateur events and teams.

• High-resolution images of La Manga Club may be downloaded for editorial purposes from http://goo.gl/pHbd5b 

For more information on La Manga Club contact Pete Simm on 01730 711920 or email petes@theazaleagroup.com