Desert Springs Resort Awarded as One of the Top 100 European Golf Resorts 2023
Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almeria region of Andalucía, south-east Spain, has been awarded as one of the top 100 European Golf Resorts 2023 by National Club Golfer Magazine.
National Club Golfer commented; “We can vouch for every single entry on this list – our definitive guide to the finest ‘Stay-and-Play’ destinations on the continent. Competition is fierce and nowhere breaks the Top 100 without being amongst the best.”
This Award shines a spotlight on those who offer the best of the best in the golf travel market.
With the knowledge that the ranking criteria is judged by a panel of industry experts, this award confirms a true vote of both recognition and confidence to our business and one that all at Desert Springs Resort are extremely proud to have received.”
Desert Springs Resort Awarded One of the Best Golf Resorts In Continental Europe
Desert Springs Resort, Europe’s only international award-winning luxury family resort and championship desert golf course in the Almeria region of Andalucía, south-east Spain, has been awarded as one of the top 100 Golf Resorts in Continental Europe by Golf World Magazine.
The ranking criteria used by Chris Bertram, editor of Golf World Top 100 Courses & Resorts, and his international team of panellists, are made up of four areas: course(s) (up to forty points), accommodation (up to twenty), environment (up to twenty) and complementary facilities (up to twenty).
This Award shines a spotlight on those who offer the best of the best in the golf travel market.
El Torrente Restaurant 2022 Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice Award
El Torrente restaurant at Desert Springs Resort has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2022 Travellers’ Choice award winner.
The award celebrates restaurants that have received great reviews from diners around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months, standing out by consistently delivering positive experiences and denotes El Torrente restaurant being honoured as one of the top 10% performing restaurants worldwide, as reviewed by diners.
There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by one’s customers. With the Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.
‘Andalucía Segura’ (Andalucía Safe) Certificate
We are proud to announce that we have been awarded the ‘Andalucía Segura’ (Andalucía Safe) certificate which states that we comply with the Security measures and material necessary for health protection as set out in the official Junta de Andalucía Tourism Guide.
Due to the serious concerns that COVID-19 is causing around the world, we at Desert Springs Resort would like to re-emphasize our commitment to the health and welfare of all our guests and collaborators during these unprecedented times.
We want to reassure you that we are constantly monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak situation closely and following the guidelines of the global and local health authorities.
Our main priority continues to be the health and welfare of our guests and team members at all times.
We are taking maximum precautions at Desert Springs Resort and are applying the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and health experts. All of our team members have received specific guidelines and enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures have been put in place across all properties and facilities, aiming to provide safe and clean environments for our guests and colleagues.
Desert Springs Resort – European Tour Qualifying School Venue through to 2022
In 2018 & 2019 Desert Springs Resort had been selected to host the European Tour Qualifying School Second Stage and, in 2019 it shall again be host, for what is a third consecutive year.
Mike Stewart, European Tour Senior Tournament Director & Qualifying School Director commented:
“Over the past two years Desert Springs has proven that it has exactly what it takes to host some of the world’s best players and has proved to be a successful host venue for the Qualifying School 2nd Stage.”
Due to the success of hosting the event in the last two years, Desert Springs Resort is delighted to announce that it has now entered into an agreement to be host to the European Tour Qualifying School 2nd Stage through to and inclusive of 2022.
Mike Stewart, European Tour Senior Tournament Director & Qualifying School Director remarked:
“The outstanding facilities, both on and off the golf course, make it an easy decision for us to enter into a new agreement with the venue and we are delighted to be playing 2nd Stage at Desert Springs until at least 2022.
Our sincere thanks go to the management and staff at Desert Springs.”
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‘Excellence in Management’ Award from Junta de Andalucía’s 2017 Tourism Awards
It is with pride and pleasure that we announce that Desert Springs Resort has been awarded Andalucia’s Premier Tourism prize for 2017. This is the coveted and prestigious ‘Excellence in Management’ Award, the first of eight categories awarded by the Junta de Andalucía each year during the Andalucía Tourism Awards.
This award recognises Desert Springs Family & Sports Resort, developed in Cuevas del Almanzora, as generating a positive touristic impact throughout the Levante Almeriense and the Almanzora region of Almeria and as the only desert resort & golf course in Europe thanks to efficient and innovative water management.
The awards committee, Chaired by the Deputy Minister for Tourism and Sports, Diego Ramos, is composed of the heads of Tourism and Sport for each of eight delegations, representing the Andalusian Confederation of Businessmen, the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs and the UGT-A and CCOO-A Unions, as well as prestigious personalities in the tourism sector.
Simon Coaker, Desert Springs Resort Sales & Marketing Manager commented;
“This award generates a true sense of pride in the entire team at Desert Springs Resort.
It recognises and confirms our unwavering commitment to the delivery of excellence on a daily basis through our service, our accommodation and food and beverage offer, our leisure and sports facilities; all provided for the enjoyment of our guests, residents and the general public. It is a part of our on-going development of quality tourism as a viable long-term alternative economy for the Almanzora region within Almeria.
Receiving this award permits Desert Springs to make use of its recognition by the Ministry of Tourism of the Junta de Andalucía and its corporate identity, which it shall do with pride.”
The Enivironment - The Spanish National Madera Verde Prize for Environmental Sensitivity
Desert Springs was awarded the Spanish “Madera Verde” 2005 Prize for Environmental Responsibility, by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment’s Association for the Promotion of
Socio-Cultural Activities and The Royal Spanish Golf Federation, out of no less than 60 entries for the award.
The objective of the award is to both recognise and to publicise the many positive aspects of environmental conservation that can be achieved by the voluntary efforts and work of those involved in promoting, running and managing golf courses, providing they act with all due regard, respect and care for environmental issues.
The Awards Committee highlighted the tremendous response to the awards received from Spanish golf courses; some 60 courses entering the competition for the award, demonstrating in itself a high degree of environmental awareness and concern in the golfing industry. Following assessment of all sixty by the Technical Committee, seven were selected for the short list, being Desert Springs, La Herrería, Montanya, El Saler, Los Arqueros, Buenavista & RSHEECC.
The Awards Committee considered three main criteria in making their final decision: -
- The method of construction of the golf course
- The management and maintenance programmes introduced for the golf course
- The awareness and protection of the environmental issues brought to the attention of golfers and non-golfers by the Club’s management
According to the Citation for the final award, Desert Springs represented a clear example of an institution with a high degree of environmental observance and respect. Within their Citation, it was exceptionally gratifying to read that: -
"In Desert Springs case, the scrupulous work that was carried out during the construction of the course in a desert environment was evident, an extraordinary and exceptional case of respect for the natural environment. Special mention is to be made in respect of the careful use of water in a closed circuit system of irrigation, allowing for the correct minimum necessary consumption, based on systems typical of those used in Arizona USA. It should also be mentioned that Desert Springs do not irrigate the "rough" area of the course, only the tees, fairways and greens, and this encourages the growth and well being of the local flora and fauna."
Director of Golf, Simon Coaker commented - “The world of golf has a responsibility to both respect and enhance the environment in which it resides and it is wonderful to have the efforts of all involved, in particular those of our Golf Course Superintendent, Anthony Brooks, and Chief Naturalist, Joel Lodè, recognised. Furthermore, I believe that this award can only be positive for the future of golf course development in our area”.
The Bentley International Homes Award for Best Spain Development
Desert Springs Resort was awarded The Bentley International Homes Award for Best Spain Development.
The International Property Awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals from around the globe. They celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. An International Property Award is a world-renowned mark of excellence.
The awards are split into regions covering Africa, Asia Pacific, Arabia, Canada, Caribbean, Central & South America, Europe, UK and USA. Participants are judged by a highly experienced team of professionals who cover the whole range of property disciplines.
The highest-scoring winners from each region are automatically entered into the overall International Awards, which ultimately determine the world’s finest property companies.
The Bentley International Homes Award for Best Architecture
Desert Springs Resort was awarded The Bentley International Homes Award for Best Architecture.
The International Property Awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals from around the globe. They celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. An International Property Award is a world-renowned mark of excellence.
The awards are split into regions covering Africa, Asia Pacific, Arabia, Canada, Caribbean, Central & South America, Europe, UK and USA. Participants are judged by a highly experienced team of professionals who cover the whole range of property disciplines.
The highest-scoring winners from each region are automatically entered into the overall International Awards, which ultimately determine the world’s finest property companies.
The Daily Mail Best Almeria Development Award
Desert Springs Resort was awarded The Daily Mail Best Almeria Development Award, which quickly gained status as the most prestigious honour available to UK property companies.
The Awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals from Almeria with participants judged by a highly experienced team of professionals who cover the whole range of property disciplines.They celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry, with the award denoting a world-renowned mark of excellence.
The New Homes Gardens Gold Medal For Best Overseas Landscape
Desert Springs Resort was awarded The New Homes Gardens Gold Medal for Best Overseas Landscape.
The New Homes Garden Awards is the most respected national programme to recognise and reward the house builders, garden designers, landscapers, landscape architects and contractors who create the innovative and sustainable gardens and landscapes around new homes.
The awards is acknowledged as the garden and landscape ‘Oscars’ of the new homes building industry. The New Homes Garden Awards celebrate and share the achievements, not just nationally but, with the world. Winning the New Homes Garden Awards is a prestigious symbol of excellence, creativity, innovation, sustainability, environmental responsibility and true customer care.
The Castillo de Cuevas Award for Sevices to Tourism
Desert Springs Resort received The Castillo de Cuevas Award for Services to Tourism.
The award recognises the objectives of the Almanzora Bay Group in the Almanzora which are the creation of a wide range of opportunities for a better quality of life for both residents and visitors alike and the development of high quality residential tourism as a viable long-term alternative economy for the Almanzora, its people and its new residents.
The Trade Leaders Club New Millennium Trophy for El Torrente Restaurant
El Torrente Restaurant at Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club has received the New Millennium International Gastronomy Award for the Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry. This award was created by the Trade Leaders Club with the aim of distinguishing companies from all countries, for the outstanding quality of their products or services.
EGTA 2016 European Group Travel Awards
Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club was awarded Best Golf Resort for Groups in Europe by the European Group Travel Awards (EGTA).
The European Group Travel Awards, staged as a partnership between Landor Travel Publications and leading international group specialist, HotelPlanner.com requested of leading group travel buyers their EGTA award nominees with voting for the shortlists for the 21 categories made open to a panel of industry experts as well as the general public to select the finest suppliers in the group travel industry.
The EGTA awards ceremony was attended by more than 350 industry executives, travel organizers, and trade publications from across Europe and abroad.
“The European Group Travel Awards shines a spotlight on those who offer the best of the best in the group travel market,” stated Tim Hentschel, CEO of HotelPlanner.com “This event gives us an opportunity to thank these companies and organizations for their support and dedication.”
The Golfers' Choice 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019 Outstanding Leading Courses
The Indiana Course at Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club has been recognised as the 6th Best Golf Course in Spain, based on the reviews of players who rated the course on the Leading Courses website. Out of the 345 courses present on this ranking the Indiana Course at Desert Springs occupies 6th place with a score of 8,8/10, and awards Desert Springs Golf Club with the “Outstanding” badge. This distinction is only given to the best 10 courses in the country.
Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club Awarded with the SICTED Distinction for Quality
Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club has been awarded by the Sistema Integral de Calidad Turística En Destino (SICTED) the distinction of “Commitment to Tourism Quality”.
Promoted by the Ministry of Tourism with the support of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), SICTED works with companies and touristic services throughout thirty-six (36) categories of business that include; hotels, restaurants, sports facilities and public transportation to name but a few, with the objective to ensure the quality of touristic destinations and to guarantee the positive experience and satisfaction of its visiting tourists.
Desert Springs Resort has been awarded the biannual distinction since the inception of the SICTED programme in 2015 and has now become one of only twenty-one (21) Golf Clubs out of the 398 in Spain and one (1) of only four (4) in Andalucía that have been awarded the SICTED Distinction.
The SICTED certification distinguishes those establishments that stand out for the quality of their facilities as much as the service provided in all aspects of interaction with the customer. In particular, Desert Springs Resort has been recognised for the quality of the superb Indiana golf course and its excellent practice facilities and standards of service provided to its guests. Additionally, SICTED has also awarded its Distinction to ‘The Lodge @ Desert Springs’ for the quality of it properties available to rent and the standards of service provided to our visitors, Desert Springs ICC Accredited Cricket Ground & Academy for its excellent facilities, and both El Torrente and the Crocodile Club restaurant for the quality of the service and food provided.
Advanced Good Practice Secure Destination Seal
El Torrente Restaurant has been awarded the SICTED seal of Good Advanced Practices for the reduction of the risk of infection by the SARS-CoV-19 coronavirus in the tourism sector.
These Good Practices have been adapted from the Guidelines for the reduction of the risk of infection by the SARS-CoV-19 coronavirus in the tourism sector, drawn up by the Secretary of State for Tourism and the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Spanish Tourism Quality Institute (ICTE).
The SICTED tourist services distinguished in this process have implemented and passed an external evaluation that guarantees strict compliance with all the requirements set out in the SICTED COIVD-19 Advanced Good Practices, offering their clients a more controlled and safer service.
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
Desert Springs Resort has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award for 2020. This award denotes Desert Springs being honoured as a top-performing holiday resort for the third consecutive year as reviewed by travellers on the world’s largest travel site.
The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Establishments awarded the Certificate of Excellence are located all over the world and represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the website.
When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that takes into account reviews ratings. Businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor, and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months and the popularity ranking on the site of the business.
Marc Charron, President of TripAdvisor for Business said. “TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional hospitality businesses for consistent excellence.
The Certificate of Excellence award gives top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve, based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers. From Australia to Zimbabwe, we want to applaud exceptional hospitality businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience.”
Travellers' Choice Winner
"Congratulations Desert Springs Resort on being a Travellers’ Choice Winner. Each year, we comb through reviews, ratings, and saves from Travellers everywhere, and use that info to award the very best. You’re part of an exclusive group, and we want to help you celebrate this major accomplishment.
You’re in the top 10% of hotels worldwide!"
