Spanish resort La Manga serves well

Do you want it at full speed?” he asks from across the net. Somewhat delirious from the combination of heat, my lack of fitness and my innate arrogance, I agree, foolishly adding “let’s see what you’ve got!”

Before I know it, the tennis ball has flown towards me, hit the court in a puff of clay and whizzed past like a miniature rocket.

I’m at La Manga Club resort in southern Spain enjoying – despite the humiliation – a tennis lesson in the sunshine with one of the resident coaches Jose.

He is a former junior tour player, with a mountain of a job facing him over the next 45 minutes to install in me enough skill and training to actually hit the small green ball over the seemingly imposing net.

Boasting 28 tennis courts, including four hard and four grass as well as 20 clay, La Manga Club is an ideal location to practise your serve or master your volleys.

Jose is full of energy and enthusiasm, not put off my constant air shots, mis-hits and net-finders. By the end of the session, I’m returning balls and some semblance of a rally is taking place.

As we shake hands, he tells me how popular tennis is, with Brits heading into the midday sun to ensure a court and repeat clients coming back year after year to brush up on their backhand.

Infamous for once being the hangout of footballers’ wives and the like in the 1980s and 1990s, La Manga Club is now trying to position itself differently, using its recreational facilities and the glorious weather – 2,500 hours of sunshine a year and average highs of 22C – as its two main calling cards.

It is not just tennis that La Manga Cub boasts. Its biggest draw is probably the three exquisite golf courses, two of which lie at the heart of the complex with luxury villas caressing the fairways, and the third just slightly to the west of the others. They are kept in pristine condition and are challenging yet entertaining for novices and pros alike. And for those who are finding the rough more than the green, there is a Leadbetter Academy, the chain founded by coach to countless PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour and Champions Tour players, David Leadbetter.

There is also a football centre, comprising eight full size pitches, and even a cricket square – which while not quite Lord’s has the added appeal of being able to be played upon from February onwards and as such often attracts touring teams keen to get some winter practice in before the new season.

Such physical exertions deserve some relaxation afterwards, and high up on one of the hills that enclose La Manga Club sits its spa.

Some of its fittings have seen better days but the 25m pool is blessed with stunning views across the complex, the gym is state-of-the-art given it often has to meet the needs of professional sportsmen, and there are a range of treatments available to unwind after a hard day on the course.

Alternatively, in a somewhat stereotyped but seemingly accurate portrayal of clientele, there is a special four-hour treatment for women, designed to be the same duration as a round of 18 holes for their other half.

It is now wonder then the resort is currently seeing more units being built to accommodate the growing demand, as miserly rates at home see people looking abroad to invest their money wisely while being able to enjoy the facilities on offer.

Along with use of all the facilities, La Manga Club has everything you need, from a supermarket and a petrol station to a health centre and even a lawyer. For those wanting a night off from self-catering there are range of restaurants too, with the Spanish themed La Bodega the pick of the bunch, offering authentic tapas matched with some fine local wines.

Post-dinner drinks can be found in the same central strip, from the boisterous Mulligans Irish bar – karaoke was in full swing when we dropped by – to more chic establishments; all shiny surfaces and big LCD screens with cocktails the order of the day.

The resort even has its own “private” beach of sorts. While it is actually a public beach, the only access on land is through the private resort so unless they own a yacht, those enjoying the crashing waves will be residents of La Manga Club.

The spot itself has a wonderful British feel to it – more a cove than a beach, it has shingle and seaweed and cliffs either side. Sitting just off the shore is the small La Cala restaurant with great views out to the Mediterranean, bursting with all manner of seafood – definitely recommended with a glass of crisp white wine.

The resort is divided into 38 “communities”, each with its own architecture and style.

More are being added with an extra 1,000 units planned for the next 10 years which are being been snapped up already.

ESSENTIALS

* Las Acacias: Plots from €220,000 
* Buganvillas: Plots from €230,000
* Custom Villas from €550,000
* Las Lomas: Units (not refurbished) from €78,000 for a studio to €290,000 for a three-bedroom property
Flights: Fly to Murcia with Easyjet from Gatwick, from £50 one-way.