When most of us think of Marbs, our minds go to hen parties and champagne-soaked pool parties swarming with influencers. But here I am right in the heart of Marbella, morning sun coming up over the Sierra Blanca Mountains, sweating through a pre-breakfast padel tennis tournament with an eclectic crowd of teenagers all the way up to 60-somethings.
Little had I realised before, but Marbella is Europe’s home of padel tennis. And Club Med Magna Marbella might just be the hottest place to play it. Think six high-spec padel courts, an accompanying school of instructors ready to put you through your paces and — perhaps most importantly of all — a luxe Cinq Mondes spa for soaking those aching muscles afterwards. You certainly won’t find that at any of the (growing number of) UK hotels boasting padel facilities just yet.
Indeed, there’s something enchanting about trying your hand at the world’s fastest-growing sport in the place where it first blew up in Europe. The tennis-squash mashup was born in Mexico in 1969 and more than 25 million people now play worldwide — at least six million of them in Spain, where it’s bigger than tennis and more popular than football.
At Club Med’s shiny new Marbella outpost, it’s not hard to see why. At breakfast, you almost look out of place if you’re not in padel kit and happily — as per the sport’s reputation — it’s everyone playing, not just the parents. Guests from toddlers to grandparents can be seen kitted out in Babolat, the resort’s partner brand for its popular padel facilities. From all-inclusive feasting to Alhambra excursions after your morning hit, here’s what to expect.
Where is it?
Right in the heart of Marbella, at the foot of the Sierra Blanca Mountains in Andalusia. The Venus and La Fontanilla beaches are less than 10 minutes away, and the old town and beachfront are just a mile and a half stroll away downhill.
Style
Don’t come for child-free tranquility or any kind of high-end beach break. Do come for sun, sport and every facility you and your young family could want.
The vibe at the four-star resort is expansive and relaxed. It is set over 14 floors and among 12 acres of terraced gardens. This Club Med outpost opened its doors in 2022 after the complete renovation of the Don Miguel Hotel and it now accommodates 1,000 guests with a clever design that means you don’t feel on top of other guests.
Expect bright red parasols, turquoise blue swimming pools and Spanish-inspired design. The whole place is solar-charged, with 663 square metres of solar panels on the roof, plus thermal insulation, smart sensors that control light and temperature, and three multipurpose heat pumps to reduce the resort’s carbon footprint.
Which room?
All 486 rooms come with their own balcony, tea and coffee stations, mini fridges, monsoon showers and double sinks. Half have views of the sea, while a number of them look over the La Concha, one of the peaks of the Sierra Blanca mountain range. Rooms are bright and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows and large sliding doors into a white marble bathrooms.
Interconnecting rooms are available for families. Choose a mountain-facing room for the quietest stay.
Food and drink
There are three bars and two restaurants: Suenos, the main restaurant serving buffet-style Mediterranean dishes from seafood to pasta; and Tierra, an all-day gourmet lounge serving a la carte local dishes and table-service tapas set to live music and boasting an extensive wine cellar. Order the lobster tagliatelle and ask staff for wine pairings.
Breakfast is a buffet affair, with an expansive range of options from cook-to-order omelette stations to fresh fruit and pastries.
Single-use plastics are banned in the bars, restaurants and rooms as part of the hotel’s commitment to sustainability.
Facilities
It would be easier to list what facilities this place doesn’t have, quite frankly. Club Med’s motto is “a happy child means happy parents”, and that’s clear in the layout of the resort, from the family waterpark, to the play area, to the circus school offering trapeze lessons. The ‘Made In Club Med’ kids’ club is for children aged four months to 17-years-old and features Andalusian-inspired arts and cultural activities.
But there’s also plenty for the grown-ups, from the 14 hectares of lush gardens and five swimming pools to the 15 meeting rooms and countless sports on offer. On top of the six padel courts there are ten regular tennis courts, an archery range, gym and mini golf course, plus facilities for table tennis, golf, archery, bocce, basketball and volleyball.
An adults-only Zen Zone is available too, featuring a pool and juice bar. And the spa is extensive, with 14 treatment rooms, a double indoor-outdoor relaxation room and a hammam. Try the Indian Ayurvedic massage, a hot oil treatment using vanilla and cardamon fragrances. The club also puts on regular excursions to the historic city of Ronda and the UNESCO World Heritage Site The Alhambra of Granada.
What to Instagram
The view from the beach club-themed lagoon pool, or your padel squad against the Andalusian mountains.
Best for?
Frazzled sporty parents and padel fans looking for an all-inclusive beach break just three hours from London. As with all Club Med resorts, most clients are French so don’t be surprised if you’re greeted with a bonjour or merci in the lift.
How to get there
Flights from London to Málaga are just under three hours, then it’s a 40-minute transfer at the other end.
From £1,604 per adult (based on double occupancy) for seven nights all-inclusive with return flights from London and transfers included. clubmed.co.uk