Anantara turns its luxurious attention on Portugal

Marking its European debut, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has stamped its particular form of luxurious authenticity on this 280-room hotel, with its trademark emphasis on local heritage. Artisanal pottery, Portuguese wines and bounty from the neighbouring Atlantic Ocean also create a real sense of place.

Location 7/10

The hotel is a 15-minute drive from Faro airport, set in the Algarve and just over 10 minutes by car to the bars and restaurants on the Vilamoura Marina, the largest marina in Portugal. The hotel itself looks onto the tranquil, landscaped green of the Arnold Palmerdesigned Victoria golf course, which annually hosts the Portugal Masters.

Style/character 7/10

This vast 280-room hotel, which is marble clad in many places, boasts exteriors inset with carved sculptures and columns. Inside, the emphasis is on Portuguese art. The lobby is the main hub of the hotel and here many local touches have been introduced, from a nightly Fado singer to furniture of wicker and cane, items of cork and regional pottery.

Service/facilities 9/10

The staff are friendly and proud to share their cultural heritage. Activities include cooking classes with a visit to the local market; a golf guru; and for children the hotel has a partnership with the Worldwide Kids Company. A spa features treatments by Elemis, a gym and an indoor pool. There is complimentary yoga, pilates or tai-chi in the mornings. There are also four pools outside (one for adults only). A shuttle runs to Vilamoura, the golf courses and the beach.

Rooms 8/10

Rooms are contemporary, clean-lined and comfortable in a soft palette of creams, whites, greys and a pop of red. All come with terraces and views onto the golf course, the gardens or the pool. The semi open-plan bathrooms, with Elemis amenities, have both rain showers and tubs.

Food & drink 8/10

Seafood restaurant Ria offers a traditional menu, including the likes of cataplanas (seafood stews cooked in copper pots). Its marine-coloured décor exudes beach-shack chic. In Emo, chef Bruno Viegas and wine guru Antonio Lopes provide a gourmet twist to the region’s food with dishes such as scallops with avocado, pistachio, and seaweed salad paired with Vale da Capucha Arinto 2013. Breakfast, in the Victoria Restaurant, offers a range of breads, fruits, cheeses, hams and eggs.

Anantara Vilamoura

Value for money Family-friendly?

Yes. Worldwide Kids Company looks after babies, from four months old to four years (€35 per morning or afternoon). They also have a kids’ club for four to 11-year-olds, and a hub for children from 12 to 18. There is a football academy (€35 per session) for four to 14 year-olds. Av dos Descobrimentos nº 0, 8125-309 Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal (vilamoura.anantara.com).

Vilamoura’s Anantara hotel is beautifully designed