A little diamond in the best part of the street of stars, Villa 172 was chosen by P&O for its Managing Director as his home in the sun. It has a wonderful combination of privacy, beautiful views and location on Calle de la Estrella, with, in the 1980s, Seve Ballesteros as a neighbour.
Its location and the orientation of the villa, moulded, in the Gaudi style, to nestle into its landscape, means no matter the time of day or year you can always choose sun or shade. In an elevated position, framed by beautiful palm and pine trees and views over Lion Mountain and the Mar Menor as well as over the rest of the Club, the setting is quite beautiful. Backing on to the tennis and padel courts below with a garden gate that gives you quite a short cut through a small wood down to the LMC Tennis Centre and the restaurants and shops of Las Sabinas beyond. When playing in the pool, the clever architecture and surrounding wall sitting high above the pavement outside, together result it in being easy to forget you are in the centre of La Manga Club.
Entering the impressive, front door – reportedly reclaimed from a former monastery – the grace of the living area opens up in front of you and the views across to the Mar Menor and Lion Mountain over the pool terrace are apparent. From the small cloaks on the left, round to the curved dining room with bookcase and floor to ceiling windows, leading on to the fitted kitchen with Farrow & Ball painted cupboards, to the doors taking you either outside to the eating area by the pool or the front entrance, and then utility room beyond with laundry appliances and coat hooks. Villa 172 is functionally very easy to live in.
The villa flows on one level, with only minor steps, from the kitchen, through the dining room, into the lounge and on to the master bedroom and bathroom. Guests bedroom are conveniently located at different levels down a spiral staircase as is the gym and the owner’s store providing space and privacy.
The existing owners choose to retain the original character of the interior and exterior and polish it using bespoke walnut furniture, made to order in England, which, combined with high quality soft furnishings and carefully selected feature lighting showcasing the fil de feu chandelier (adopted by the V&A, in London), results in a warm, welcoming vibe throughout.
Great care has been taken with the finishings, from non-degradable Corten Steel garden bollards, to Fil de Feu internal light fittings and roman blinds which are almost all British designers including the moleskin blinds to the lounge and dining room. Outside, a handmade marble table created by a local company for the rear garden terrace and potted topiaried olive trees enhance the secluded terrace to the ground floor guest bedroom.
The kitchen was extended and, along with the bathrooms, upgraded in 2014. The private olive terrace was created at the same time. The pool and pool terraces along with the roof terrace and the rear dining and sun terraces were completely replaced in 2016.
To the front of the villa lies the pool Terrace which in summer enjoys full sun all day and, in winter, from sunrise until around three in the afternoon. If you’re looking for shade, from the Pool Terrace downstairs is the Olive Terrace which provides cool shade year round. To the rear of the property, there is a small dining terrace, which, in winter, catches the Sun from 3 o’clock until sundown and in summer enjoys sun all day. Up a few steps from here, there’s a small rooftop lounging terrace for sun lovers who prefer a quiet read to a splash in the pool.
From the lounge and down two steps past the main staircase, is the Master bedroom suite with a balcony and a small terrace and extensive fitted wardrobes and cupboards leading to the large traditional marble Master bathroom with two sinks, loo, bidet, bath and shower with modern fittings. Downstairs the first double guest bedroom is en suite and looks over the rear garden to the wood. Further down, there is a large gym and an integral, lockable owner’s store, which could be converted into additional living space if desired. A few steps further down takes you to the ground floor to a large traditional bathroom with bath and shower shared by two more bedrooms, one with doors to the outside terrace.
Outside there is a store room and, externally, there is a garage and extensive landscape gardens.
Outside there is a store room and, externally, there is a garage and extensive landscape gardens.
