Family luxury, Algarve style!
First visit was to the Hilton Vilamoura Cascatas Golf Resort and Spa. It is located on the outskirts of Vilamoura but this is not a problem as they have their own train to run you down to the Marina and private beach area! A lovely 4-star property with a lagoon style pool and stylish rooms/apartments. The pool is great for children as it has a beach-like profile with a large shallow end for splashing about it. Rooms are great with spacious bathrooms and views out to the golf course or to the swimming pool. There really is something for everyone here with its new spa and golf course next door. Absolutely the best feature of the hotel is the kids club, it’s the best I have ever seen. It is huge and set mostly outdoors with lots of lovely shading from trees, lots of wooden climbing frames, slides, a zipline and a swimming pool! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this hotel.
Next up, the Anantara in Vilamoura, a stunning 5-star hotel which focuses on the customer experience. The staff were very welcoming and knowledgeable and can organise anything you desire. From the moment you step into the beautiful atrium it is bliss and you are treated to a welcome of freshly squeezed orange juice and local snacks. They have so much to enhance your experience, from a wine cellar where you can do wine tasting to a garden where you can go with the chef and help select ingredients to use in the cooking. You could also accompany the chef to the local food market to learn about local ingredients and Portuguese food. They even have their own tuk-tuk tours of Vilamoura and a private beach club in the Marina at the Tivoli hotel. Next door is the world-renowned Victoria Golf Course, the hotel is well set up for golfers with golf lockers, a golfers lounge and they will book all the tee times for you. No doubt it would be a luxury experience staying here!
My third visit was to the 5-star Vila Vita Parc. Honestly, I would give it more stars if I could, it is sensationally beautiful. Gold dolphins at the front of the hotel give a hint at what is to come as you enter into an opulent reception area and get a glimpse through to the grounds and ocean beyond. The low-rise white buildings dotted around the immaculate grounds, perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea. The suites and villas, decorated in subtle hues of Algarve colours, greens and blues of the sea, bathrooms with typically Algarve tiling. I would describe the rooms as sumptuous, with scatter cushions and beautiful chairs and sofas to relax on. The beautiful infinity pool and state of the art spa, need I say more. A stunning array of gastronomic choice, 11 restaurants all offering delicious food. There is a Japanese restaurant, a Teppanyaki restaurant, Grill, Beach restaurant to name a few. The top drawer choice though is the 2 Michelin Star Ocean restaurant with sea views that would be difficult to match! I would live here if I could!
Finally I visited Pine Cliffs Resort, a 5-star resort spread out over 70 something hectares and with over 700 units. It is large, but it is peaceful, walking around you would think just a few guests were staying. It is set in the loveliest and best keep grounds, you can take a botanical tour to find out all about the different trees, plants and flowers! 7 swimming pools, a 9 hole golf course on the cliffs and with a focus on health and well-being it is just fabulous. Very high standards prevail at this mostly self-catering luxury resort, the rooms, villas and townhouses all similarly decorated in typical Algarve colours, soft greens and blue. You can pre-order your food shopping so it is there when you arrive, there is even an elevator down to the beach! Highly recommended for those after a self-catering option within a luxury resort.
If that has piqued your interest or you want to find out more, just get in touch!