Spain's padel story starts in one hotel garden in Marbella. The court itself is gone. A rock with a bronze plaque marks where it stood.
This page covers both halves. First the story of how padel reached Spain through Marbella, with a source for each part. Then the clubs on that stretch of coast where a visitor can actually get a game.
1974: a tennis court with chicken wire
Padel began in Mexico. The FIP and the LTA both credit Enrique Corcuera, who built the first recognised court at his home in Acapulco in 1969. The full early timeline is in our history of padel.
The Marbella part starts with his friend, Alfonso de Hohenlohe. Hohenlohe had founded the Marbella Club in 1954, according to the Olive Press, as a private residence and meeting place. The FIP says he spent summer holidays at Corcuera's house. The LTA says he played the game on a visit to Mexico in 1974, loved it, and built Spain's first two courts at the Marbella Club when he got home.
The hotel's own account adds the detail that most padel histories skip. One day in 1974, workers took the net off the club's tennis court and put up cement walls at each end. A regular guest remembered "a sort of chicken wire along both sides". Hohenlohe told people it was a brand new game that would one day be played all over the world.
He was right. Spain now has about 17,000 courts, according to FIP figures published in February 2025. The Spain guide has the national numbers.
How it spread from one garden
At first it was a game for the Marbella set. Andalucia.com says the game had "a fairly elitist following" when it arrived in Marbella in the mid 1970s, and that Hohenlohe brought it to the Marbella jet set.
Tennis players picked it up fast. Andalucia.com and the Olive Press both name Manolo Santana, the former Wimbledon champion, as one of them. The Olive Press says the sport "soared in popularity" once he started playing. Andalucia.com says tournaments were soon being organised along the Costa del Sol as more clubs built courts.
Marbella also passed the game on. The FIP describes Julio Menditeguy, the man who took padel to Argentina, as a member of Hohenlohe's tennis club in Marbella. So the town that brought padel to Europe also sent it on to South America.
What's left of the first court
Not much. The Marbella Club says Hohenlohe's courts disappeared in 1995, when they made way for one of the hotel's expansions.
What remains, in the hotel's words, is "a bronze plaque embedded in a large rock" marking the spot. It sits just in front of the hotel's Herb Garden.
Padel didn't leave the hotel for good, though. A SheerLuxe review of the Marbella Club describes a court named after Prince Alfonso among the gardens today. Guests can book private lessons or hire kit for a match there. It's a hotel facility, so check with the hotel before you plan around it if you're not staying.
Where to play padel in Marbella today
Here's a short list of clubs in and around Marbella. The court counts, hours and facilities come from each club's Playtomic page, read in October 2026, unless noted. Things change, so check the live page before you go.
| Club | Area | Padel courts | Book via |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Naranjos Padel Club | Nueva Andalucía | 18 | Playtomic |
| Nueva Alcántara Club (NAC) | Nueva Alcántara | 16 | The club |
| La Finca Club de Pádel | Benalmádena | 5 | Playtomic |
| Manolo Santana Racquets Club | Carretera de Istán | 4 | Playtomic |
| Padel Center Banús | Banús | 4 | Playtomic |
| Royal Tennis Club Marbella | El Rosario | 2 | Playtomic |
Los Naranjos Padel Club, Nueva Andalucía. The biggest on the list. It has 18 courts: 12 outdoor, 4 semi-covered, a singles court and a glass-walled central court the club describes as built to Premier Padel standard. The clubhouse has a bar-restaurant, gym, padel shop and changing rooms. It's open every day, 08:00 to 22:00, and lists equipment rental. Padelism is not affiliated with Premier Padel or the FIP.
Nueva Alcántara Club (NAC). Padel Magazine reported in July 2025 that NAC had been voted best padel club in the world in 2023 and 2024, by an international jury and more than 360 voters. It has 16 courts. It isn't one of the Playtomic clubs listed here, so contact the club directly to book.
Manolo Santana Racquets Club, Carretera de Istán. The club carries the name of the player who helped make padel popular in Spain, which makes it a nice one to tick off. It has 4 outdoor padel courts alongside its tennis, plus a restaurant and equipment rental. Hours are 09:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday, and 09:00 to 17:00 on Sunday.
Padel Center Banús. Four outdoor glass courts on Calle Ana de Austria, with an academy the club says is run by professional players. It's open late every night: 09:00 to 23:30, seven days a week. Equipment rental is listed.
Royal Tennis Club Marbella, El Rosario. Mostly a tennis club, with 9 tennis courts and 2 glass padel courts. Open 08:00 to 22:00 daily, with equipment rental. Useful if you're staying east of the town centre.
La Finca Club de Pádel, Benalmádena. Further along the coast towards Málaga, with 5 outdoor glass courts. Open until 23:30 on weekdays. Worth knowing if you're based between Marbella and the airport.
If you're staying in Málaga city instead, Playtomic's Málaga page lists more than 20 clubs.
Getting a game as a visitor
Five of the six clubs above have open booking pages on Playtomic, so you can reserve a court online. Every club on the Playtomic list above also lists equipment rental, which means you can leave the racket at home if you'd rather travel light. Ask what's included when you book.
Booking a few days ahead is sensible in busy holiday months, especially if you want an evening slot.
What to pack for the trip, from shoes to a warm layer for the evenings, is covered in the padel holiday packing list.
After the match
I've played padel in Malaga myself. With most clubs here open until 22:00 or later, an evening court here can run straight into dinner.
For that part of the day, the Padel & Pizza tee and the Padel & Pints tee both fit the brief. Each is a 100% cotton heavyweight tee at 305 g/m2 with an oversized unisex cut. Take your usual size for the roomy look, or go one size down for a regular fit. Pick any two £48 heavyweight tees and the 2 for £90 price comes off at checkout. The rest of the range is in tees.
FAQ
Can you still see the first padel court in Spain? The court has gone. The Marbella Club says it was removed in 1995 during an expansion. A bronze plaque set in a large rock, in front of the hotel's Herb Garden, marks the spot.
Do I need to be a member to play padel in Marbella? Not always. Clubs such as Los Naranjos, Padel Center Banús and Royal Tennis Club Marbella have open booking pages on Playtomic. For NAC, contact the club directly.
What's the biggest padel club in Marbella? Of the clubs on this page, Los Naranjos in Nueva Andalucía is the largest, with 18 courts. NAC has 16.
Is there padel at the Marbella Club Hotel? A SheerLuxe review describes a court named after Prince Alfonso in the hotel gardens, where guests can book lessons or hire kit. Check with the hotel if you're not a guest.
