Luxury amid the orange groves

By Claire Morrall, Birmingham Post

It took three hours of searching, but the relief of finally arriving at her hotel almost led to tears of joy

The tension in the car was at breaking point, panic was gradually setting in and the dead cat that we had now passed four times in the road was making me feel nauseous -not exactly what I had in mind from a getaway at a golf resort and spa.

And it had all started so well. My partner, Neil, and I had been like intrepid explorers when we landed at Spain's San Javier Airport in Murcia.

We were full of optimism and excitement, but a combination of my lack of navigation skills, the bad sign posting for our hotel and our absence of competent Spanish soon led to nearly three hours of driving around the small farming town of Torre Pacheco in our hire car.

When we finally found the Inter-Continental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa, we felt drained and exhausted and the relief of finally arriving almost made me weep.

Set amid countryside filled with lemon and orange groves, the complex is one of a number of similar resorts popping up in the traditional farming region of Murcia, as it moves from agriculture to tourism as its main source of income.

However, the difference between the InterContinental and its contenders is the pure unadulterated luxury and exclusivity on offer.

Every one of the 64 bedrooms in the rustically-designed hotel includes a whirlpool hydro bath, a plasma screen satellite television and a bowl of fresh fruit replaced daily.

Once we had sufficiently recovered from our hellish drive we headed like weary travellers to the hotel's Nomad restaurant in search of some refreshment.

The terrace restaurant, with views of the hotel swimming pool and golf course, serves a mix of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine.

While I could not resist the main of fresh grilled tiger prawns with peanut and coriander satay rice, my companion tucked into roast beef fillet with rosevall potato purée with baby onions and molasses.

Both were not only incredibly tasty but well presented and the fresh, local ingredients used really shone through.

Even though we were convinced a dessert was out of the question we could not resist the strawberry tart and chocolate fondue pudding. Mouthwatering.

Tempting as it was to hole ourselves up in the comfort of the hotel, we decided to be brave and head out once more into the breach to explore what the region has to offer.

As we are both history buffs, we were drawn to the fascinating historical walled seaport of Cartagena.

Defended by forts, the harbour was one of Spain's major naval seaports in the time of Philip II and is still the main military haven in the country, as the number of submarines we spied lined along the harbour confirmed.

Not only does the city have a long seafaring history but it has a wealth of Roman architecture, including a beautiful amphitheatre. Throughout the old centre there are a myriad museums with the remains of Roman buildings, many of which are still being restored.

There are two great ways to see the city. The first, ideal for land-lubbers, is from the top of Parque Torres, a pleasant park with panoramic views of the city.

The second, and for me the most enjoyable, is via sea. Boat trips taking in the various forts and walls surrounding Cartagena leave from the port every half an hour and are well worth the small charge of five euros.

All the sea air left us feeling rather thirsty so we headed in land to sample one of the region's most famous tipples.

A mixture of coffee and alcohol, Asiatico is similar to an Irish coffee which in the humid temperature of Cartagena was probably not the most sensible of choices but it was delicious.

If the harbour delights of Cartagena do not float your boat there is the nearby shopping city of Murcia, seaside town La Manga, where all Spaniards seem to flock in the summer months, and the caves and lighthouse of Cabo de Palos to explore.

But an enthusiastic golfer, my partner was itching to try out the nine-hole par 36 championship golf course at the complex, which was designed by the Nicklaus team, and not wanting to adhere to the female stereotype and head straight to the spa I volunteered to caddy.

He was not disappointed by the perfectly manicured greens.

But I did manage to slip away to the E'spa spa before we left and the holistic back, face and scalp massage with hot stones was a slice of pure heaven. It was the perfect end to our getaway - although I could have done with it on arrival!

* Claire Morrall flew to San Javier (Murcia Airport) with Monarch Airlines at a cost of £225 each, excluding insurance, and stayed at the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa.

* Prices at the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa start from 175euros (approx £120) per room per night staying in a deluxe room on a room-only basis.

* For more information on the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa call +34 902 500 322 or visit the website at ichotelsgroup.com

* One green fee at the InterContinental Golf Resort and Spa constitutes one round of golf either 9-holes at a cost of 43 euros or 18-holes at a cost of 76 euros and includes tax but not insurance.

* The holistic back, face and scalp massage with hot stones enjoyed by Claire at The Espa Spa last for 1 hour and 50 minutes and costs 195euros.

* For more information on car hire visit carjet.com