Adele & John's journey to finding their perfect property on Hacienda Riquelme
Golf-mad Adele and John met on a golf course, play three times a week and bought a holiday home on a Spanish golf development. It was their life-long dream to buy a home when John retired, and although the couple have never been to Murcia on Spain’s southeast coast, they identified it as being an affordable area with great golf courses. “We aren’t beachy types, not want hustle and bustle, we just want greenery and nice views,” says Adele, 58, who is able to practice her swing in their Bedfordshire garden.
They’d been saving hard for 10-15 years when they headed out to Spain in 2022 with a budget of £110,000 for a two-bedroom property with outside space. You may have just seen them on the latest series of A Place in the Sun when they were shown house-hunting with Ben Hillman across Murcia’s gold resorts – La Torre Golf, El Valle and also Hacienda Riquelme. They were delighted to get the property they wanted at Hacienda Riquelme, a golf resort with a par 72, 18-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 2007. Their apartment cost £85,000 and currently two-bedroom properties are selling from a similar price: €99,000.
“After getting the keys we put in a new kitchen, extending it slightly, and decided we would rent it out to cover the €140 per month community charges,” says Adele, who says the bill covers 24-hour security, TV and WIFI as well as the upkeep of the resort.
“We rented it out to golfers on a five-month contract and it proved to be a pain in the neck,” she says. “They were constantly ringing up, asking for trivial things, there were breakages, and we decided never again. We put in all brand-new cooking equipment which got ruined so I think if you are considering renting, you have to realise that this might happen – not everyone will respect your home.”
That said, they love the golf course, though do remark how tricky it is, echoing other golfers reviewing the course. “It’s a very difficult course with lots of bunkers and water hazards,” says Adele, who plays off 20, John off 28. When they get out to visit more often they hope to play some of the other 17-20 courses there are in the region including La Manga Club, Alhama and Roda Golf Course.
“I am also my mother’s carer, so we don’t get out to Spain so much right now,” adds Adele who retired last year. Back at home, their favourite place to tee off is Bedfordshire Golf Club’s Stagsden course. “But we also fell in love with the traditional town of Sucina nearby that we discovered when we last visited. “We had a great experience and really enjoyed the filming,” she concludes. “I’d do it all over again,” she says of flying out with the A Place in the Sun TV crew. But definitely not opening the door to paying guests!
search for properties in MURCIA
Read more:
