The five-star Grand Hyatt La Manga Club, owned by Grupo Inversor Hesperia, opened its doors in May last year, becoming the first Grand Hyatt in Spain following an ambitious renovation project. It is located at the heart of the La Manga Club resort, in an idyllic enclave off the Mediterranean coast, and is surrounded by the stunning Calblanque Natural Park with views of Mar Menor, a tranquil coastal lagoon.
The award was presented at the gala ceremony for the 31st edition of the World Travel Awards in Berlin on Wednesday 6th March. Ángel Holgado, general manager at Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa commented: “Receiving recognition of this magnitude in the most prestigious international awards in the sector, and for it to be in our first year since reopening as a Grand Hyatt, is a huge honour. It drives us to continue improving and delivering the finest sport and leisure experiences to all our guests”.
Since its creation in 1972 by Gregory Peters, La Manga Club and sport have always gone hand in hand. Most commonly known for its world-leading golf facilities, the resort is home to three of the best golf courses in Europe: the North Course, South Course and West Field. Today, Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa also offers golf academies for adults and children at all levels, a large practice area and other exclusive services such as the Clubhouse, the 37 Spikes & Sports Bar, Caddy Master and a renovated pro shop.
The hotel also has world-class facilities for a range of other popular sports, including football with eight FIFA-sized football fields and a stadium for 700 supporters, a total of 28 courts across a variety of surfaces at The Racquets Centre, as well as seven padel courts, a pickleball court and a high-performance gym.
The resort has also hosted a number of prestigious sporting events since opening over five decades ago, notably the Davis Cup, the Fed Cup, the Spanish Open and the ATP. Golf legends such as Severiano Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, and tennis stars, Arancha Sánchez Vicario, Andy Murray and Juan Carlos Ferrero, all play at its venues. The world’s biggest football teams have also trained at La Manga Club through the years, including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Liverpool FC, Galatasaray SK and Newcastle United as well as the national teams of both Spain and England.
Lastly, the golf courses at La Manga Club have also played a part in a number of Guinness World Record achievements. In June 1985, Otto Bucher, who was 99 years old at the time, putted a hole-in-one from the 12th tee of the South Course (Par 3), which to this day still stands as the record for a hole in one by the oldest person. In November 1995, two English players hit the longest shot at 310 metres on Hole 3 of the South Course.
About World Travel Awards
The World Travel Awards was founded in 1993 and annually recognises excellence in all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Considered the Oscars of Tourism, the awards are recognised worldwide as the highest seal of excellence in the industry.
About Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa
Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa opened its doors in mid-May 2023 following an extensive refurbishment, and is now one of Southern Europe’s leading, luxury sport and leisure destinations. Located in a secluded spot on the Mediterranean coast, the hotel is situated at the heart of the La Manga Club resort, in a stunning natural setting, with views of Calblanque Natural Park and Mar Menor. The 192-room, five-star hotel is home to a world class 18,298-square-foot wellness centre, state-of-the-art sporting facilities, with three 18-hole golf courses and a racquets, football, and cricket centre, as well as eleven distinctive dining destinations, including a an izakaya sushi bar and a high-end gastronomic restaurant, Amapola. Perfect for a family getaway, a kids tennis club, family pool and interconnecting rooms are all available, whilst adults only areas, including an infinity pool, poolside restaurant and the expansive subterranean spa provide calming spaces for couples and friends to unwind.
