Last week, I took a four day break from work and headed off to the resort of La Manga Club, in Southern Spain. Heading off on a mid-year, mid-week (ish) break isn’t something I normally do, but with 200+ emails pinging through my inbox on a daily basis and the prospect of moving house ahead of me, it was a lovely little treat that I’d been looking forward to for awhile. So, with my mum in tow – we boarded the plane to Murcia and began our little girlie weekend away.
La Manga Club, if you haven’t heard of it before is an English based resort in Southern Spain with an on site golf club, tennis centre and spa. Playing host to 37 little communities (clusters of villas/apartments) the resort is the size of Monaco, so you’re never bored of something to do – and it has been a favourite holiday destination of my family for several years. A popular destination for sports fanatics or sun worshipers (I fall into the latter category), it is beautifully designed, has its very own beach and lots of traditional Spanish tapas bars to enjoy.
Arriving at Murcia airport (which is about 25 minutes away from the resort), our hearts sunk a little to find that the ‘rain in Spain really does land on the plain’ and that the forecast for the rest of our stay looked gloomy. However, determined to make the most out of our little mini-break, we got straight into our cab, eager to see our accommodation for the trip – the gorgeous 5* Hotel Principe Felipe
The hotel itself is set in the heart of La Manga Club, with a free shuttle service to take you/pick you up from the variety of restaurants and bars that the resort offers. With a spacious, bright and open entrance hall and staff constantly on hand to make your stay as comfortable as possible, we felt like queens – even more so in fact, when we saw the room we’d be staying in for the next few days.
After unpacking, the first thing we did was race down to the hotel’s Piano Bar to sample some of their cocktails, which was highly anticipated after reading several reviews online. I opted for a Pina Colada (despite the rain, a Pina Colada never fails to make me feel somewhat tropical) and my mum chose the same. After a few obligatory snaps of my drink (you can’t take the blogger out of….), mine had disappeared in a few sips and it was time for a tour of the resort.
From top left (clockwise): the gorgeous hotel lobby, the hotel’s pool (in a moment of sun), blogging from my bed with a gorgeous view of the mountains, chocolate coulant (the best thing ever).
With a few glimpses of sunshine, but with lots to do – our four days away soon passed in a flash and before we knew it, we were back on the plane, and back in the UK. I had a really lovely break from work, especially as the hotel was so accommodating and so welcoming during our stay. I wish I could return in a flash (summers just over the horizon) but I have a few more months hard work before it’s time to relax again.
If you’re planning a weekend getaway, or even planning your next summer holiday, I’d definitely recommend you take a peek at the La Manga Club website here. There really is something for everyone, and if you don’t fancy staying in a hotel, there are plenty of surrounding villas, apartments and townhouses to choose from (all of which have a community pool that is free to use).
From top left (clockwise) : selfie in the Piano bar, my mum and I drinking cocktails, ‘sun at last’, relaxing by the pool.
Out & About
There is no shortage of things to do in La Manga, whether it’s shopping, sports or relaxation that you prefer. If you (like me) are a self-confessed shopaholic, the resort has several boutiques, supermarkets and little shops to browse, however if you would like to spread your wings further afield, you could visit the shopping mall in Cartegena and find shops such as Zara, Pull & Bear (very similar to Zara and Mango, but more affordable), Primark, Mango and H&M.
If you’re heading off on a sporty holiday and need to kit yourself out, Only Sports Gear is a great place to start looking.
Dine
Again, there is a vast amount of restaurants on the resort to choose from, however one of my favourites is Asia, a gorgeous little Thai restaurant based near the Tennis centre. With healthy, yet tantalizingly tasty dishes on the menu (I had Teriyaki Salmon and stir fried vegetables), you leave feeling satisfied, but not sluggish. The breakfast at the hotel itself, is absolutely delicious – and has everything you could possibly want for the first meal of the day. The highlight of our mornings was coming down to see the array of fresh fruit on display and the cute pastries all neatly stacked on top of one another.
From top left (clockwise): my outfit on the first night, a few sips later and this Pina Colada was no more, our mini bar chocolate, it wouldn’t be Spain without Sangria!
The Best Thing
I love how quiet, peaceful and beautiful the La Manga Club resort is. There’s no loud music (although if you enjoy clubbing, there is an on-site nightclub) or no smelly cars whizzing past at all hours. If you’re looking for a place to relax and unwind (whilst still getting a killer tan) then this is the place to go. It’s great for couples, families (the Si! Bar has entertainment for children in the summer) and those on their own.
The Worst Thing
The rain, which unfortunately – could not be helped. Although we had two full mornings filled with basking hot sunshine (I even burnt my forehead), for some reason, the rain was there to stay. Luckily (well, unluckily for us) the weather is pretty good all year round in Southern Spain and the summer is baking hot!
Details: return flights to Luton – Murcia (£99), 25 minute journey from the airport to the resort, rooms from £136 and villa rentals from £500 (7 nights). Visit La Manga Club for more details (lamangaclub.com).
