Hi Jennie

Just a quick email to say we had a great time in Villaricos – the apartment was lovely and had everything you could possibly want and the village was also lovely. It was “more” Spanish than we had thought which was brilliant, as we like to experience the culture when we visit abroad. It was also quiet and suited us.

The golf club were very good as we had to cancel the second game of golf and they rearranged for another day for us.

Thanks for all your help and we hope to go back at some point.

Regards
Yvonne

Hi Jose,
 
Hope your well.
 
Just wanted to say I had a great time at your resort last week with Glen Nash and wish I could have stayed longer but was short and sweet!!
 
I have to say I thought the golf course was in superb condition and the greens were amazing. The greens were like carpet and the ball rolled true every time. Please pass my comments onto the owner and green keeping staff; I had a great golfing experience!!
 
Upon my return at work I have been singing praises to my colleagues about the resort and hope to venture to you in the near future. I may even be looking at week commencing 18th June 2012 with my dad and his 2 friends. Do you know how busy the resort is then for say a week’s stay?
 
Thanks again Jose!!
Kind Regards
Stuart Pain

Hello Ellie,

Thank you for your email. We took a chance and came over on Friday evening anyway, had a lovely meal with some friends, food was excellent and the service was superb, credit to you.

Thanks for the info. and look forward to our next visit.

Regards,

Debbie

Sandra

Thank you.

My guests & I all had a fantastic time. All the staff were extremely friendly & helpful. 

We all enjoyed the golf course, though most of us failed to do it justice.

I think we were all surprised at just how good the food was in the restaurant, so I would certainly recommend the resort to others.

Thanks

Andy

Jennie and Sandra
 
Thank you for your letter/email.
 
This was our second visit to Desert Springs and we were once again impressed by the high quality of the accommodation and services offered at the resort.
The extended clubhouse hours allowing us to take evening meals as well as daytime drinks and snacks in the El Torrente Restaurant was a welcome addition to this splendid facility. The quality and price of the food were both excellent.
 
The golf course maintenance was as good if not better than we remembered and the Caddy Master staff were helpful and friendly.
 
We expressed an interest in seeing some of the available properties and Paul Gutierrez was most helpful in showing us the properties and advising on various purchase options. He also offered a 2-night break for us to visit the resort if we are considering a purchase.
 
We shall certainly be returning to Desert Springs in the future and your offer of a 5% discount for former guests booking a return visit is much appreciated.
 
All the staff at Desert Springs could not have been more helpful and are to be congratulated on their attitude and commitment to the welfare of the guests.
 
The initial booking and reservations procedure before our visit was made very easy with the help and cooperation between the UK and Desert Springs staff and I should be very happy to deal directly with the Almanzora Group for any future bookings.
 
We look forward to our next visit.
 
Kind regards
Carolyn Hall

Dear Steve and Tania,
 
Where do I start? So many thankyous.
 
Desert Springs more than exceeded my expectation and also the expectations of the motley crew who came with me.

Thank you both so much for looking after us all so much, it was truly appreciated by everyone.
 
Loved the villa, the course, the food, the wine, (we did have wine didn’t we?) and especially the very friendly and attentive staff, they were all lovely and everyone one of them seem to go the extra mile, please convey our sincere thanks to them all.

Loved the Cave and that incredible bar-b-cue you put on for us, I don’t think my stomach and I will ever forget it.

Thank you too for showing us round and organising that amazing Paella lunch on Sunday.
 
It was sad to leave but I know we will be back, bad luck!

Roy spoke with Simon about a golf tour, he is a member of two societies, so no doubt spin offs will occur, I don’t think you’ve seen the last of us, so sorry.
 
I only hope both you and Steve got some fun out of us too and didn’t feel it was too much entertaining.

Wouldn’t advise you came back to the UK just yet, the weather is appalling, very jealous!
 
All the best, and thanks again for everything,      
 
Regards

Henley Smith

Hi Sandra

Thank you again for your first class hospitality during our recent stay. The food facilities and accommodation were all very good and perfect for our cricket preparation.

We will definitely be trying to come back in 2014.

Thank you again

Kind regards
Scott
Click here to find out more about Trent College:  

Trent College Cricket Squad pictured during pre-season training at Desert Springs in south – east Spain

 

Trent College Training at Desert Springs

 

A cricket squad of 20 players aged between 16 – 18 years and two officials from Trent College – followed in the footsteps of other teams such as Cheltenham College, by enjoying the facilities of the Cricket Academy established at Desert Springs for their pre–season training camp between Saturday 14th – Wednesday 18th April.

During their four-night stay, the Trent College players and officials were accommodated in some of the privately-owned apartments normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the resort’s award-winning El Torrente restaurant.

 

Scott Boswell, Cricket Coach, Trent College

 

I met with Scott Boswell, Head of Cricket at Trent College, for an informal interview to receive his feed-back on the whole experience at Desert Springs Resort.

(Jose) This is your first time at Desert Springs; after spending some days at the Resort what is your overall impression?

(Scott) I´m very happy with our stay so far. Initially the Cricket Camp was going to take place at a different Resort; however, at the very last minute the venue had to be rescheduled and I was quite apprehensive about going elsewhere. After speaking to Kim Parsley from Cheltenham School I was more confident and thought that Desert Springs would be the right choice.

(Jose) How do you rate the cricket facilities at Desert Springs?

(Scott) The cricket facilities are definitely a strength at Desert Springs. I didn’t expect such high a quality wicket, which thanks to Anthony and his team was superb. Also, weather conditions have enabled us to practice intensively every day which is the purpose of this trip.

(Jose) A group of 22 people can provide us with helpful feedback about other important matters such as accommodation and meals. Moreover, resting and eating properly is vital to any athlete.

(Scott) The resort accommodation was lovely. All of the Apartments at Desert Springs are nicely furnished. The food was actually fantastic and considering that the boys eat a lot, both the quantity and quality were superb.

(Jose) Considering your positive feedback concerning the Camp, is there an opportunity to see Trent College back at Desert Springs?

(Scott) Definitely. Every aspect of the Training Camp has surpassed my expectations and we have been able to do a lot of productive work. We shall be back in 2014 and maybe next year as well!

(Jose) Is there anything else that you would like to comment?

(Scott) Actually the staff at Desert Springs deserve to be mentioned. The service received from the departments was great; everyone offered assistance and we communicated with the managers frequently.

Click here to find out more about Trent College:  

Hi Tania

Just a quick line to say how much we enjoyed our trip out to Desert Springs.  

So relaxing, great staff – Daniel was lovely – fab weather, beautiful golf course, just perfect for a quick break.  

Will definitely go again – probably with girlies as we didn’t get into the spa at all!!!  

Your evening menu is such fantastic value at 17 euros – and good food.  

Please thank Jennie for her help and advice.

Speak soon and thanks again. xxx

Kate Dymoke

 

Cheltenham School Cricket Squad pictured during pre-season training at Desert Springs in south – east Spain

 

Cheltenham School Training at Desert Springs

 

A cricket squad of 27 players aged between 10 – 13 years, accompanied by seven officials from Cheltenham College Junior School – enjoyed their seventh cricket pre-season training camp at the facilities of the Cricket Academy established at the Desert Springs Resort between Saturday 7th – Wednesday 11th April.

During their four-night stay, the Cheltenham School players and officials were accommodated in some of the privately-owned apartments normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the resort’s award-winning El Torrente restaurant.

I met with Kim Parsley, Director of the Cheltenham College Cricket Team, and one of the attending students Will Hardie, for an informal interview to receive their feed-back on the whole experience at Desert Springs Resort.

Interview with Kim Parsley:

(Jose) This is now your seventh cricket pre-season training camp held at Desert Springs, how would you rate this years visit?

(Kim) Being back at Desert Springs is always a pleasure. I can rest assured that the facilities and service are always great. Because we schedule various training sessions each day, we get a lot done and the work becomes very effective.

(Jose) In previous years the Team was accommodated in a Hotel, how would you compare that with the apartments that the team now stay in on the Desert Springs Resort?

(Kim) Accommodation has never been an issue on our trips. I must say that staying at Desert Springs has been far better than any other choice; I have realised that the time saved in commuting in and out of the Resort every day can be used to program our training more effectively.

(Jose) At Desert Springs we aim to provide schools and clubs with “value for money” packages, coupled with the highest standards of quality for both service and facilities. I´m aware that your son has attended the Pre-Season Training Camp before; as a father, how would you rate the cost of the trip for your son?

(Kim) On a value for money ranking, it´s definitely a 10/10. The service is great, facilities are awesome and the cricket pitch together with mild temperatures are all we can ask for. The quality of the food was brilliant and always on time.

Interview with Will Hardie:

(Jose) It must be lovely to train in short sleeves whilst it´s raining at home in the UK, and I´m aware that some of you have used the swimming pools located in Las Sierras.

(Will) That’s correct. The weather has been fantastic throughout the camp and we have also enjoyed the swimming pool in the evenings. Water was a bit cold, but still great compared to the UK!
(Jose) As other activities on top of cricket, you have had an “Introduction to Golf” session at the Golf Academy and also a night out at the nearby village Garrucha.

(Will) I´m happy that we did those. Golf was loads of fun and all the boys loved it; actually next year there could be more golf sessions added to the Camp or an optional golf round. Also, I liked the visit to the spanish village whilst we were here in Spain.

(Jose) Talking about cricket, this is your second year attending the Cheltenham College Training Camp at Desert Springs. Why do you think that it´s so important to attend in order to improve your cricket skills?

(Will) In the UK we only get about 2 hours of proper cricket training per week and sometimes we have to do indoor training due to the weather. However, here we have 2 full sessions per day and the intensive training scheduled in 4 days equals the training of months at home!

Click here to find out about Cheltenham College Junior School:

Neil Pullen reporting on his group of 8 golfers stay in the Colonial Apartments at the Desert Springs Resort with golf on The Indiana course between 4th – 8th April, 2012.

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for your e-mail.

I am very pleased to say we all had a wonderful time at Desert Springs. We were very pleased with the accommodation which was close enough to all the facilities. The golf course is in exceptional condition and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I would like to make special mention of your staff who were extremely helpful and accommodating in all areas of the resort. A special mention to young Michael and Dimetri who looked after us especially well.

Our group travel regularly in Europe and are booked later this year for a golfing trip to Portugal but we will be looking at your offers for short breaks during this year and next so we will definitely be back.

I very much look forward to our return.

Many thanks

Neil

I met with Patricia Heath (Warwick, UK), student from the Neil Evans International Golf School, for an informal interview to receive her feed-back on the whole experience at Desert Springs Resort and how she felt the Golf School Training Camp at Desert Springs held between Friday 30th – Wednesday 4th April, 2012 had gone.

Neil Evans Golf Scool at Desert Springs

(Jose) How would you rate the overall experience at the Resort?
(Patricia) Definitely it is an experience to repeat. I would recommend a Golf Camp at Desert Springs to anyone as this is my second year and I´m looking forward to coming back.

(Jose) The relationship with our clientele is important for us at Desert Springs, has the staff service been appropriate so far?
(Patricia) Service is excellent, with special attention to the Caddy Masters as they were always very helpful and nice.

(Jose) I’m aware that you have used one of the Colonial Apartments located in Las Sierras.
(Patricia) That is correct. I know that the Apartment where I have been allocated is privately owned and it is very well furnished.

Las Sierras luxury colonial apartments at Desert Springs.

(Jose) Is there anything else that you would like to comment?
(Patricia) I have been on Golf Camps to other destinations such as Portugal, and I find that Desert Springs is as good as any other venues I could possibly visit.

Find out more about:

The Belfry Training Camp

Alistar Davies returned to the Desert Springs Resort for the second consecutive year with a squad of 10 pupils for a warm weather pre-season training camp between 26th – 29th March 2012.

The group were accommodated in luxury colonial apartments at Desert Springs.

Desert Springs Golf Operations Manager, José Ignacio Olea met with Alistair Davies to receive his feed back on how the training camp had gone. 

Alistair remarked:
“Once again, as last year, the whole Desert Springs experience was very good, the staff throughout are all very helpful; everyone is always willing to assist us and make our stay one of convenience.

I selected to return once again to Desert Springs mainly due to the level of service we are provided with and the quality of the practice facilities at the Golf Academy and the course itself which provide a great place for a training camp.

Furthermore, the resort is not concentrated on volume traffic but rather quality, and this provides the perfect training environment for us to benefit from.”

Find out more about:

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Email of thanks following the Tri Dynamic Joe Friel Andalucia Training Camp.

Hi Carmen and Daniel,

I hope you are both well. We have come back to a heat wave in the UK which is a nice surprise! Just to say thank you to you both for helping us have our most enjoyable and successful event to date. You and your team were amazing and helpful and both myself and Joe Friel were very impressed with the set up at Desert Springs and would like to come back.

Joe Friel (left) is an endurance sports coach best known as an elite triathlon and cycling coach as well as the author of The Triathlete’s Training Bible, The Cyclist’s Training Bible, The Mountain Biker’s Training Bible, Going Long: Training for Ironman-Distance Triathlons, and Your First Triathlon.

Kind regards,
Martin Boddie
Director
Tri Dynamic Ltd
Find out more about Tri Dynamic:

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Reporting on the visit of Bryne Fotballklubb for their official Warm Weather Winter Training Camp.

Bryne Football Club Team Manager Tommy Bergersen, five coaches and his squad of 23 players– which currently competes in the first division of the Norwegian Football League, returned to the Desert Springs Football Academy established at the Desert Springs Resort in Almeria, south east Spain for their fourth consecutive year, to complete their 4 daywarm weather winter training programme between Tuesday 06th – Saturday 10th March.

Pictured during warm weather football training at the Desert Springs Football Academy are players from Norway’s first division Bryne Fotballklubb.

Tommy Bergersen, Bryne Fotballklubb (Football) Manager

I met with Bryne Football Club Manager, Tommy Bergersen, for an informal meeting to receive his views and opinion on how he felt the visit to Desert Springs Resort had gone.

Speaking of the teams experience at Desert Springs, Tommy Bergersen remarked:

“As always, the resort accommodation was excellent and very comfortable, the quality of the food was perfect and special thanks for the “Special Dinner Menu” on our final evening and also the special attention given for the two birthdays that were celebrated during our stay!

The quality of the football pitch was as we have come to expect, excellent, and the introduction of the new portable goal was very useful.

The new layout of the gym facilities at the Sierra Sports Club is a great improvement as it has allowed us more space for floor exercises for the players.

The Resort staff were all very friendly and helpful. Two of us had required medication whilst we have been here and a member of staff has been to the chemist, picked it up and delivered it to us. This is the kind of service that makes Desert Springs so special, and that’s why we come back every year.

We definitely would like to return next year and we will be in contact with you towards the end of the year for a quotation. I am also aware that Carmen has contacted a number of other teams in Norway and they have been in contact with me personally asking my opinion on the Resort and facilities. I believe that you will have enquiries from them for 2013 Training Camps!”

Apartments at Las Sierras used for accommodating Bryne Football Club.

The Bryne players and officials were accommodated in some of the privately-owned apartments normally reserved for holidays and short breaks at Desert Springs and the resort’s executive chef was on hand to cater for the special dietary requirements of individual players dining in the resort’s tworestaurants – the award-winning El Torrente and the Croc Restaurant, part of the family-friendly Crocodile Club.

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Neil Evans, Director of the Neil Evans International Golf School, commenting on his group of 10 golfers golf break at Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club between 19th – 24th February, 2012.

We have run many holidays to another resort and this was our first to Desert Springs. We were nervous but had no need to be. Our customers have loved being here and so have we – Here is to many more successful trips!


Neil Evans

Phil McCormick’s views on his families golfing holiday in a three bedroom Country Villa at the Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club between 19th – 26th February, 2012.

Hi Sandra

We had a great stay at Desert Springs and we all enjoyed our golf holiday.

All the staff were great with us during our short stay. The Villa was very well equipped and we found everything excellent as regards to cleanliness and servicing of the villa.

The golf course itself is a seriously hard test of golf and we had used the week as a pre season warm up session for our son who plays off plus 2 handicap and is hoping to join the professional ranks at the end of this year. He managed a 5 under par round of 66 during the week so it’s a good start to the season for him.

Thanks to everyone at Desert Springs, we will see you next year.

Kind Regards

Phil, Ann and James McCormick

Ricky Willison, Director of Golf at Ealing Golf Club, commenting on his group of 11 golfers golf break at Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club between 23rd – 26th February, 2012.

Hi Sandra

It was excellent!

Carmen & the rest of the reception staff, the Bar staff & the Caddie store staff, are without doubt, the best I have come across in 35 years in golf!

Ricky Willinson on The Indiana course at Desert Springs

The Golf course is always in great condition, so credit to Anthony and his team.

You should be very proud & we will be back soon.

Many thanks

Ricky Willison
Director of Golf
Ealing Golf Club

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Les Kennady reporting on his group of 3 golfers stay in a two bedroom Colonial Apartment at the Desert Springs Resort which included 6 rounds on The Indiana course between 6th – 13th February, 2012.

Hi Jennie,

I would just like to say thanks to everyone at Almanzora for our recent break at Desert Springs, as always we thoroughly enjoyed it.

We’re planning another trip for October this year and I would like to get some costs together if possible.  

Your recent letter referring to the 5% discount for return visits served as a timely reminder!

Kind regards,

Les Kennady

I met with Jeremy Bennet, Golf Instructor of the Golf Union of Wales, for an informal meeting to receive his feed-back on how he felt the Golf Union of Wales female squad warm weather winter training camp at Desert Springs held between Tuesday 14th – Tuesday 21st February, 2012 had gone.

Golf Union of Wales Female Squad Winter Training Camp at Desert Springs

(Jose) How did you find Desert Springs after your last visit?  
(Jeremy) Excellent as before. Desert Springs is very well known for maintaining top standards year round.

(Jose) Were the practice facilities / golf course / staff service appropriate?
(Jeremy) The golf course was in great condition, and the practice facilities were superb as always. The staff couldn´t be more helpful, they were simply excellent!

(Jose) How could we improve your experience?
(Jeremy) Nothing to add really.

(Jose) Why is Desert Springs the selected venue for your Squad?
(Jeremy) During several years in the golf industry I have tried and tested various venues. Desert Springs has all the ingredients that we need for a proper Training Camp.

(Jose) Would you recommend Desert Springs to others?
(Jeremy) No doubt. Anyone coming to Desert Springs for Golf Training would be pleased with his/her selection.

Jeremy Bennet
Golf Coach, Golf Union of Wales
Find out more about the Golf Union of Wales: