Miguel Girbes;
Aphrodite Hills
“I’ve lived in so many places, but Cyprus feels like home — a place where my family is safe and happy. It’s a relief to be settled and see my work make a real difference. I want to build a team that’s proud of what we do and a place where guests feel they belong. Our recent investments are about positioning the resort as one of the best in the region. It’s about matching demand with service, so guests always get great value.”
Lionel Gardes-Bus;
Terre Blanche
“I spend a lot of time on the golf course; otherwise, I’d probably spend 95 percent of my time in the office. With the experience I have today, I make sure to go out on the courses every day, because I know how important it is to stay close to the teams and the guests. It’s so easy to stay behind a screen answering emails. With the huge number of emails we receive each day, if I didn’t take the time to go out, I could easily spend two or three months without leaving my office.”
Rodrigo Ulrich;
Terras da Comporta
“Our golf courses are designed and operated with a deep respect for the environment. Sustainability guides every decision, from the selection of hybrid and electric maintenance equipment to our ongoing collaboration with GEO for course certification. For us, sustainability is not a marketing tool, it is a core principle that defines how we build, maintain and experience the game of golf.”
Enzo Lucian;
Royal Palm Marrakech
“I have to learn every moment of every day and the most important thing, I think, is the people. But my staff helped me a lot, changing the course and changing the services, and my staff is behind me and I am super proud of this. They were really receptive of what I said to them and they see the result. We have a square, that is for sure, but within the square they have complete freedom to let their personality work.”
Mike Bush;
St. Mellion
“St. Mellion is in my blood. I’m a proud Cornishman and actually grew up in the village of St. Mellion, so I feel a deep personal connection with the estate here. I’m so proud to receive such a prestigious award, and I am hugely grateful to 59club for this rare accolade, but I see this as much as a win for my dedicated team and for the glorious St. Mellion landscape which we have cultivated in this corner of Cornwall, as it is a personal accomplishment.”
Els Club Vilamoura;
Portugal
In the summer of 2025, golfing icon Ernie Els saw his prestigious Els Club brand reach European shores for the very first time, with Vilamoura being the location on the continent deemed worthy of the South African’s newest private members club, also now the first private members club in the Algarve. The connected Victoria Hotel & Spa — set to be in the safe hands of Fairmont in two years — possesses the Els Club’s very same identity.