Cascais Miragem Hotel Health & Spa ★★★★★

I am comfortably sat on a Cascais beach breathing in the fresh and natural sea air whilst I have an afternoon snack. My mind thinks of nothing but the blissful instant which I am experiencing at this moment in time, my husband by my side and a cooling breeze blowing through my hair as I face the constant waves of the Atlantic. It feels as if this should all be a dream, a miraculous mirage but the taste of the sweet port and snack confirms this is all very real.

We finish up our delicious delicacies and decide to make our way back up to the hotel to luxuriate in an afternoon siesta before waking up hungry for an evening meal. We walk through the spacious, light and airy reception, tiled in white, and we are greeted by the reception staff. Our door swings open and we breathe in the view of the Atlantic Ocean that greets us, framed by the transparent glass doors. Our little terrace has chairs facing the sea and glittering pool, placed on a carpet of green which make it the perfect place to chill out of an evening. A large bed takes centre stage, with rich metallic shades of red and gold for bedding. In one corner sits a writing desk and one wall was lined with wardrobes with plenty of room for all our clothes. The light coloured wood and beige walls give the room a fresh and spacious feeling, which was carries through to the marble bathroom. Relaxing and glossy, the bathroom has a large bathtub and two sinks.

We arise from our afternoon slumber, and head to the spa for our booked massages at the Day Spa Sensations with its sleek and relaxing atmosphere. We spend an hour feeling our muscles being unknotted and breathing in the heady aromas that release our stress. We pass the well-equipped and modern gym and finish with a swim in the indoor pool, before returning, refreshed and revitalised to our room. I glance at my watch, eight o’clock, which means it’s dinner time! I slip on an elegant little black dress whilst my husband selects one of his best shirts and we head to the hotel’s Gourmet restaurant.

Yesterday we dined in the Oasis restaurant which has a laid-back, bright and colourful theme and serves large buffet. Altering the atmosphere slightly, tonight we had chosen to dine at the Gourmet restaurant. Its scarlet chairs dot the room partnered with pristine white tables. What follows is an evening of savouring delicious traditional dishes from Cascais, mixed with international and modern influences. Our stomachs satisfied, we make the most of the hotel’s elegant Cristóvão Colombo bar, named in honour of the great explorer. Sipping on an after-dinner liquor, we listen to the melodious piano, living another mirage- like moment, only it is again, very real.

The next day, we decide, is a pool day. We begin our morning with a replenishing breakfast eating alfresco by the glittering pool, then return again to lounge on its beanbags and reclining sun chairs. The large pool, poured into by a large fountain, cuts into the edge of the horizon and at a low angle looks as if it cascades into the Atlantic Ocean that lays just a few steps beyond. The ready and tasty provisions of the Aqua bar mean we never had to leave the poolside, and in the relaxing company of each other, it was there we remain, basking in the glorious Iberian sun!