The Spanish resort where footie stars train – and you can stay for £21pp a night

WITH the breeze rushing through my hair, I took the helm of the boat as we cut through waves on Spain’s Mar Menor.

I was ripping across the sparkling saltwater lagoon when suddenly Henry, the vessel’s owner, swiftly grabbed the wheel, seemingly regretting his choice of captain as I headed in the wrong direction.

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Returning to the deck of Gladiator III and stretching out as the spray washed over my feet, I glanced back at the La Manga Club.

The resort on the Costa Calida has more than 2,600 villas and a newly renovated 5H Grand Hyatt hotel, all set in 1,500 acres of olive and lemon groves.

But with three championship 18-hole golf courses, eight international-standard football pitches and 28 tennis courts in a choice of clay, AstroTurf or hard surfaces, this is no place to sit around.

The resort is well-known for providing pre-season training grounds for many clubs, and it is easy to see why.

After a flight of two hours and 40 minutes from London, followed by a 35-minute taxi ride, we were sweeping through the gates.

Our first stop was The Racquets Club. It is hard not to feel the urge to tie up your laces and grab a racket. After a game you can enjoy the buzz at the bar, where players share their tactics over a glass of white wine.

The world-class tennis centre is also home to seven professional courts for padel tennis — the new sport backed by former Wimbledon champ Andy Murray — that feature a smaller court and softer equipment.

For those looking to try another new sport, there is also a court for pickleball, which uses a hollow plastic ball and has seen a surge in popularity around the globe.

I grabbed a front-row seat to watch a game of doubles between a family of four, while sipping an iced limoncello cocktail.

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Suitably refreshed, we checked in to our villa. Tucked away in the Bellaluz Village of the La Manga Club, our three-bedroom Los Altos holiday home had a secluded roof terrace with panoramic views over the La Manga strip, which divides the mineral-dense lagoon from the Med.

Each of the three bedrooms, complete with one en suite and a family bathroom, had been immaculately prepared by our host, La Manga Getaways, with white towels on the beds and a welcome basket of fresh bread, herb-crusted cheese and green olives in the kitchen.

For those looking for peace and quiet, the shared pool is the perfect spot to stretch out on a sunlounger and take in the views of the club.

We headed to Flute Lounge Bar in the heart of the resort for an evening of shaking and stirring with our cocktail connoisseur Carlos.

I opted for the special of the week — a strawberry Moscow Mule — but there was no sugary syrup or artificial colouring in sight.

While watching Carlos crush the strawberries and fill a copper cup with ice, he beckoned me to join him to serve my tipple of choice, decorated with a ribbon of orange peel.

After working up an appetite behind the bar, we strolled through the resort for dinner at Abela Teresa, a quaint restaurant tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of the Bellaluz square.

The owner talked us through the tasting menu while pouring a glass of organic Spanish sauvignon blanc.

Soothing aroma

We started with oxtail croquettes and duck cannelloni, before a traditional Spanish paella was presented to our table.

For dessert, a meringue topped with strawberries and cream hit the spot.

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While La Manga Club is a hive of sporting activity, there is also the chance to switch off with an appointment at The Beauty Chambers.

I chose a 30-minute deep-tissue massage at the salon, which was filled with the soothing aroma of lavender and eucalyptus.

Staying at a resort with famed golf courses did not stop us heading to the La Manga Adventure Golf in the heart of Costa Calida, a ten-minute drive from our villa.

We were treated to a glass of Buck’s Fizz on arrival before being handed our clubs and then told how to master the first hole.

But golf on a smaller scale was not to be scoffed at, as even the most talented players were struggling to keep their cool as they hit balls into the bunker.

With more than 30 restaurants, bars and cafes on the resort, there is something to satisfy even the fussiest palate.

They cover various cuisines, including Mediterranean fine dining at La Finca, Eastern European-inspired dishes at Gimlet, seafood at La Cala and Asian street food at Paimans.

El Bistro is the oldest restaurant, opening in doors in 1988, and is home to the freshest bread, succulent prawns and deliciously spicy patatas bravas.

The owner kept our glasses topped with fresh sangria throughout our tapas lunch and recalled how King of Spain, Felipe VI, had once sat in the spot to enjoy the same delicacies.

While I was waited on hand and foot with a glass of sangria in hand, it was hard not to feel like royalty myself.

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