Leading names from the past and present teamed up to help Spain's world-famous La Manga Club resort celebrate its 45th anniversary in style in London last week.Leading names from the past and present teamed up to help Spain's world-famous La Manga Club resort celebrate its 45th anniversary in style in London last week.

The likes of former British tennis star Jo Durie and ex-Arsenal and Republic of Ireland defender Terry Mancini   joined other guests from the sporting world and key figures from the UK travel industry and national media for the resort's 'Theatre of Dreams' evening at the Cervantes Theatre in Southwark.

Hosted by La Manga Club general manager José Asenjo and the resort's non-executive chairman PY Gerbeau,  the event – which was compered by BBC television presenter Georgina Burnett – offered guests the chance to not only celebrate the award-winning venue's historic past, but also learn more about its plans for the future via a new 10-minute resort video shown on the 'big screen'.

Entertainment was provided by acclaimed Spanish guitarist Maria Camahort, and to give the evening an added Spanish flavour, the invited audience was treated to a mouth-watering selection of traditional Spanish dishes and refreshments.

“This year is a landmark year in the history of La Manga Club and we wanted to do something special to celebrate it,” Asenjo told guests.

“Right from the very beginning, La Manga Club has been at the forefront of sports and leisure resorts across the continent, and it's a pleasure for us to be able to welcome people from all walks of life and of all ages.  

“The resort is unique in so many ways, it has enjoyed an amazing past and we want to create a new history over the next 45 years to ensure that we maintains a position at the very top.”

Set in an area three times the size of Monaco and just a 20-minute drive from Murcia airport, La Manga Club's outstanding facilities include three 18-hole golf courses and newly rebranded Golf Training Centre, a 28-court tennis centre, a new European Cricket Performance Centre – the first of its kind – and eight full-size FIFA-approved football pitches.

In addition, the resort offers a wide selection of sports academies for boys and girls of all ages including golf, tennis, football, cricket, rugby and athletics, while its array of other outstanding sports and leisure amenities, bars and restaurants have helped establish it as a firm favourite with active travellers.

Widely regarded as Spain's flagship resort, La Manga Club – which is also the official overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association – has won numerous leading accolades in recent years including being voted 'Best Golf Resort in Spain' by UK readers of Today's Golfer magazine for the sixth year in a row, while it will host the World Golf Awards for the first time in November.

A popular destination for some of sports most famous names including Barcelona, Liverpool and Great Britain's Davis Cup team, the resort's other facilities include a 2,000m² luxury spa and fitness complex, a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses and more than 20 bars and restaurants.

For more details on La Manga Club, visit www.lamangaclub.com

ENDS

Information for journalists

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

About La Manga Club

Located in a magnificent natural environment next to Calblanque National Park and the Mediterranean Sea, with a mild year-round climate and enjoying exceptional security and privacy, the exclusive resort of La Manga Club (Los Belones, Cartagena, Murcia) offers luxury, leisure and sport in the same place, and is set just 20 minutes from Murcia airport and an hour away from Alicante.  Founded in 1972, the resort now covers an area of 566 hectares  containing accommodation, professional sports facilities, relaxation zones, first-class redevelopment and a private community of 2,300 residents, in a region which boasts more than 350 days' of sun and is surrounded by natural parks and untouched beaches. La Manga Club's extensive facilities include:

- A five-star hotel: Hotel Príncipe Felipe 5*
- Tourist apartments: Las Lomas Village 4*
- Luxury villas
- Three 18-hole golf courses
- A 28-court tennis centre
- Eight Fifa-sized football pitches
- 2,000 m2 Spa and fitness centre  
- The resort's famous La Cala beach and restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean 
- More than 15 bars and restaurantsAdditionally, there is the opportunity to rent a property, purchase a plot of land or buy any of the villas already available that have been built on the complex, and benefit from the services and commodities that a five-star hotel has to offer, such as the sports facilities on the resort. With the variety of activities and facilities available, La Manga Club has firmly established itself as one of the best sports and leisure destination resorts in Europe, and has been the proud recipient of a host of prestigious international awards and accolades over the last four decades.

www.lamangaclub.com  

• High-resolution images of La Manga Club may be downloaded for editorial purposes from https://goo.gl/oi837y  

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