Vilamoura Garden Hotel ★★★★

We rolled into the marble floored, spotless lobby to the reception desk, ready to be granted access to our Double Garden Room. My friend and I were happy with the spaciousness of our humble abode, along with the breath-taking views from our balcony. Here we would look out over the pine trees in the morning, as we waited for everyone to get dressed for breakfast.

Every sun-soaked day we dangled our legs over the cool, turquoise waters of the pool, the beautiful wooden decking complimenting the rustic colour of the hotel exterior. We also spent a great deal of time on the beach, to nobody’s surprise. If we got hungry, the hotel had a tapas lounge bar for a light lunch, serving everything from salads to glazed prawns. Evening dinners were very tasty, I especially liked the desserts, elegantly decorated with chocolate dusting and sprinkled with colourful pansy flowers.

The award winning Vilamoura Marina is home to numerous shops and restaurants. We took nice, scenic photos by the boats and enjoyed an ice cream from Amorino, uniquely molded into the shape of flower petals. You can hire a bike from the hotel and cycle by the coast if you wish. If you travel with a car, you’re in luck! Portugal’s capital – Lisbon, and Seville, the capital of Spain’s Andalusia are both a mere two-hour drive away.

Our holiday of sun, sea and sand was everything we wished it to be along the golden Algarve coast, and the charming Vilamoura Garden Hotel **** made our trip all the more memorable.