Villa La Manga Blog | rental villa in La Manga Spain

Sea levels around Spain are rising by 2.5mm each year as the polar ice caps melt. Doesn’t sound much, but climate experts estimate that by the middle of the century Spanish Mediterranean costal resorts will lose an average of 10 meters of beach.The La Manga strip is particularly vulnerable, because it is so exposed. Greenpeace recently published an album of photos including a series of computer-generated images which show how the effects of global warning could have a catastrophic effect on the La Manga strip.

Not surprisingly the photos caused a great deal of unease in Murcia – local farmers even turned to the Virgin of Fuensanta, the region’s patron Saint for divine intercession.

The individual may seem powerless, but the Internet can help. It not only increases awareness of the issues, but provides a range of tools that provide practical advice.

Please take a look and share them with your friends

Google
UK Government
World Wildlife Fund

Villa La Manga is taking its own small step by encouraging websites to display the Save Our Strip campaign button. This simple device not only highlights the problem, but also provides a gateway to some of the solutions.

Use your web page to spread the word about the dangers of climate change – educate visitors with a Save Our Strip web banner.

To add a banner to your website, blog, or social networking profile (such as MySpace), just copy the entire code below and paste it into your web page.

<a href=”http://www.villalamanga.com/villalamangablog/”><img src=”http://www.villalamanga.com/la_manga_images/save_our_strip.jpg” alt=”Villa La Manga | Rental Villa in La Manga Club Spain” border=”0″ /></a>

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Photos in and around La Manga Club October 2007

Office of Mar Menor Management

 Par 47 pitch and putt - the ball eating pond.

La Manga Rent-A-Car ‘mobile’ office Murcia Airport.

Par 47 - one of the early holes.

Par 47 - the pay booth, putters and pitching clubs available for hire.

 Arriving at the airport by Monarch - our favourite airline

Arrivals terminal at Murcia airport

Upper - the enarest large suppermarket outside the La Manga Club resport

View from the Spa looking over the La Manga Club resort

 The Indian restaurant above the Spa

Luigi - kid’s preferred place to eat

More views View from the Spa looking over the La Manga Club resort

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La Manga golf offers three world-class courses simply known as The South Course, The North Course and The West Course.

The first La Manga golf course to be completed was The South Course. Originally designed in 1971 by Robert Pullman, it was remodelled in 1992 by Arnold Palmer. The latest refurbishment was completed in 2004. This is a world championship standard course, measuring 6,499 metres from the white tees.  While long, the wide fairways and general topography, the course is laid out in a shallow valley, make this a fair test right across the ability range. Hazards and other pitfalls are few and far between, with an emphasis on punishing wayward shots rather than creating obstacles for the careful player. Over the years, The South Course has hosted many professional tournaments including PGA Championships.

The La Manga golf North Course is slightly shorter, with narrower fairways and larger greens. This is a course that will particularly delight players with a precise game, rather than heavy hitters. The greens, which are all built to USGA specification, offer an exciting challenge, with interesting features which demand concentration.

The La Manga golf West Course is for the aesthete, set in pine woods it follows the natural contours of the countryside and is very different in style to the championship North and South Courses. The breathtaking views make this a firm favourite with golfers looking to experience the visual delights of the games. The short Par 3 holes are outstanding tests.

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Every world-class resort needs a luxury hotel at its centre and La Manga Club is no exception.  Strangely this addition came quite late in the development of the La Manga resort. The first incarnation of the hotel came with opening of the 47-room La Mimosas hotel which opened its doors back in 1982.

The real boom years of the La Manga resort were still some years off and it wasn’t until the take over by P&O in 1987 that plans for a large international hotel took shape.  Designed by Jaime J Bourne, the current hotel was built on the land previously occupied by the Mimosas and the old club house. This new hotel managed by Hyatt International was finally open for paying guests in 1993.The next major step for the La Manga resort hotel was the addition of a casino in 1998.

During these years the La Manga resort also expanded rapidly in other areas. It became a self-contained community which many visitors never leave. The addition of shops, post office, several banks, chemists and a petrol station provide short stay visitors with everything the need.

The P&O era for the La Manga resort came to an end in 2004 when it was sold to the MedGroup, Spain’s leading developer of residential communities. MedGroup made clear from the outset its commitment to continued investment in the resort. It most significant move to date is the launch of the multi-ownership apartments known as the Las Lomas village. It has also completed a through refurbishment of the public spaces with the hotel, creating a more contemporary atmosphere and adding a piano bar.

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La Manga Club has undergone a number of name changes in its history. Originally known as La Manga Golf Club, it became La Manga Country Club and in 1984 the branding transformation was finally completed when the old logo of a golfer was replaced with the now well-known palm tree.

The move was a logical one, as the resort developed from just offering golf to becoming a fully developed sports and country club. Golf was joined by tennis and the next logical addition was football. While these three sports are still the dominant offering, with La Manga Golf Club lying at its heart, the management has always been quick to add diverse sporting facilities.

No-one could have imagined when La Manga Golf Club was launched that it would hit the headlines for hosting top international football sides and provide first class cricket facilities in a country with limited interest in the sport.

Investment in golf has continued throughout. Work on the North Course was completed in 2002, while the South Course was fully open in 2004. The La Manga Golf Academy has also seen considerable changes, quickly adopting innovation such the latest V1 digital coaching technology. The La Manga Golf Club is one of the most decorated courses in the world, picking up gongs at the World Travel Awards in 2001, 2003 and 2005.

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La Manga Spain was the brainchild of one man – Gregory Peters, an American who first came to this region of Spain in the 1960’s. At that time, La Manga Spain and the spectacular natural features of the Mar Menor were undeveloped and ripe for exploitation. Peters’ experience of developing golf resorts in his native California put him in a good position to tackle the difficulties inherent in taming the local arid topography.

Work on La Manga Spain started in earnest in 1971 and through shrewd public relations soon excited a great deal of interest in the international golfing community. The speed with which the resort established itself is truly remarkable. Within a couple of years the Spanish Golf Federation held the Spanish Open here.

The wider sporting credentials of La Manga Spain were set early. Tennis was established from the start with Spain’s No 1 becoming the club pro.

Prestige and expansion did not guarantee success however. By the end of the 1970’s the resort was in financial difficulties. The resort was sold for the first time in 1981 to new owners European Ferries. This injected a new vigour into the resort, with golf legend Seve Ballesteros becoming involved and tennis entrepreneur David Lloyd taking over as director of tennis.

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La Manga Club has maintained its position as the number one sports resort in Spain for over 30 years. This sports lovers’ paradise covers an area of 1,400 acres and offers an unrivalled selection of activities.

For the golfer, La Manga Club has three 18-hole championship courses, a par 47 pitch & putt course and floodlit driving range. Newcomers to the sport, or old hands looking to improve their game, can sign up for academy courses and private lessons.

For the tennis player, La Manga Club provides 28 courts with a variety of surfaces. The quality of the facilities on offer has earned the centre the honour of being the winter training base for the LTA and the BTV. Beginners and improvers are also catered for, with academies, private coaching and regular competitions for all levels.

La Manga Club has established itself as the number one destination for top club and international football teams. It boasts no less than eight international-standard pitches with a grandstand for spectators. More recently, the club has opened facilities for cricket and Gaelic football.

Other sports are also available, both within the La Manga Club resort and nearby. The Mar Menor and Mediterranean offer excellent watersports, while the nearby national park is a great place for mountain bikers.

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La Manga, or La Manga del Mar Menor (The Sleeve of the Minor Sea) to give the area its full title, is a stunning natural phenomenon.
La Manga is actually a narrow strip of land, no more than around 300 metres wide and 21 kms in length that juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. It encloses a huge salt water lagoon known as the Mar Menor (Small Sea), a protected piece of water that is shallow and warm, making it perfect for watersports. These conditions provide a safe place for beginners including relatively young children to learn the basics.
‘The strip’, as it’s known colloquially, has long since disappeared under high-rise flats and other buildings. While the view from the La Manga Club is breathtaking, it’s not worth a closer look.
The one exception is the small fishing village of Cabot De Palos. Despite small scale local development, the village at the southernmost tip of La Manga has retained its local identity. It is primarily a working port where fishing boats regularly unload the daily catch. The ‘catch’ is available in one of around a dozen restaurants. For those who prefer to self cater, take a look at the local fishmongers, the variety and quality of sea food on offer is simply amazing!

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Rentals in La Manga Club vary according to the season. Highest La Manga Club rentals are during the school summer holidays. I have listed the 2008 costs of renting our villa in La Manga Club below.

January: £550
1 - 17 February: £650
18 - 29 February: £450
1 - 15 March: £650
16 March - 14 April: £850
15 April - 24 May: £650
25 - 31 May: £850
June - 14July: £650
15 - 31 July: £850
1 August - 8 September: £950
9 September - 15 October: £550
16 - 31 October: £850

Other peak periods coincide with school holidays, although this varies according to the time of year. La Manga Club is a year round resort, so bargain hunters should look at off peak Winter rates. Generally Winters in this part of Spain are mild and the best time for golf and tennis. The Mar Menor stays relatively warm all year round, we have paddled and snorkelled in it right though October and into early November.

Rentals in La Manga Club generally run from Saturday to Saturday – however most owners seem to quite flexible particularly during the off-peak periods. With regular daily flights, mid-week fares can be extremely low, making a short Winter break very good value indeed.

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The simplest way to arrange La Manga Club accommodation is via the Hyatt Group. This company not only manages the luxurious 5 star hotel in the heart of the resort, but also offers a range of self catering accommodation. The marketing and sales are handled directly and through a number of holiday companies. While simple to find and book, it’s not necessarily the cheapest or the best. If you are looking for a home-from-home seek out the privately owned villas on the La Manga Club resort.

 The variety of property on offer from private owners is vast, from huge villas on generous plots, to small one-bed apartments. Owners market their properties directly through the internet, or advertising in papers and magazines.  Our private villa is suited to families with children – in particular very young children. We offer the basics any parent would expect, cot, high chair, stairgates, bedguards etc. The Las Brisas pool is also perfect for the very young, with a large shallow area tucked well away from the main area. Access to the pools and gardens is only through the villas the surround it – making it a safe area to let children play.

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