At the heart of any golf resort is the golf course and Mar Menor has its own luxury clubhouse. However, for the non-golfer there is more to the resort than being a spectator or sunbathing by the pool. At Mar Menor there is a luxury spa offering in a beautifully designed spa operated by Espa. The Spanish Moorish influence that is evident in the rest of the hotel ripens here into a play of light and shadow that goes well with the decadence of a spa.

Colour and light meet with marble and stone to create a visual richness that compliments the nature of the experience available in the ultimate pampering of massage and treatments.

Many spas are somewhat surgical in their approach, or adopt an industrial set of finishes. However, at Mar Menor, there is visual pampering to match the physical experience. A rich series of visual and aural notes are struck by this luxurious design. On my list of spas designed or experienced this comes close to the top through its mix of materials, well controlled lighting and good planning.

Currently the spas in Britain do not seem to be of the high standard of those in Spain. The combined hotel and spa at Mar Menor has meant Intercontinental has added another high quality hotel to those in its management portfolio.

Patrick Goff


Design of Mar Menor was by Hunt Hamilton Zuch, London