Top 5 hotels in Portugal - ideas for a relaxing vacation.
- mari
- Aug 2, 2023
- 3 min read
You've spent the whole year working or maybe exams have completely wiped you out... Well, now is the time to meet the hotels to visit this summer for a weekend of relaxation 100% deserved. On the agenda, only: sun, pool, spa and lots of rest!
With my seal of approval, founder and CEO of Breakfast in a Silk Dress, here is my Top 5 hotels in Portugal to visit for an unforgettable weekend!
We are starting this trip in the beautiful Douro, in Castelo de Paiva, with a hotel that I always knew as Eurostars, but whose name has already changed twice since the time I visited it mevery month or so. Well, during my adolescence, the Panoramic View suite quickly became my second home, always ready to welcome me with its view of the Douro River and the hotel pool. Combining the rurality of the stone and a luminously minimalist decoration, on the golden slopes of the northern cradle, imposing in its typically northern tranquility, stands the Octant Douro.
Images courtesy of Octant Douro
It was on an impulse that I decided, in 2022, to buy a ticket to the MEO Sudoeste festival for the sole purpose of seeing Rex Orange County. And it was in my mother's impulsive nature that we arrived at Zambujeira without a hotel — "Trust me, we'll find somewhere to stay" — after a night in Algarve, in one of the worst hotels ever, with all our favorites without vacancies. The Enigma hotel in São Teotónio was the right choice. The only vacancy was precisely the Presidential Suite that was worth for its amplitude and attractive view. What really won us over though was the staff, of a remarkable friendliness, with a new northern friend – to be the transfer to the festival and back to the hotel.
First Image courtesy of @thegirlinsilk; Images courtesy of Enigma Nature & Water Hotel
Back in Douro, as if we had never left it, the Douro Royal Valley was a pleasant surprise in the summer of 2021. It marked the Silva group's last vacation as a family of 4, initially 5, after my older sister moved house in 2020. But this is not important, because this hotel is for everyone: large families or not! With an infinity pool blessed by the breathtaking view of the Douro and Spa not to be missed, it quickly joined my Top 5! But for less is not the hotel's highly awarded restaurant, with a staff concerned and attentive to food intolerances and allergies. My celiac sister did not miss a tasting menu at Palato D'Ouro. And finally, a jazz concert in the hotel's main bar.
First Image courtesy of @thegirlinsilk; Images courtesy of Douro Royal Valley Hotel & Spa; Second to Last Image courtesy of @thegirlinsilk
If you don't know, it's time to know! Built by ARSoluDesign, reformulated for the now known Assuntos Geométricos, Lda, this northern resort is an example of futuristic architecture inspired by the nature that surrounds us. From Eco Houses to Tree Houses, the experience is unique for the stay itself. The brightness, however, falls on the park in which the dwellings are inserted. Pedras Salgadas in their most natural state, from a fountain with decades of history and free bikes for guests. Since the time of its construction, one of my favorite hotels to visit with the family in the spring months.
Images courtesy of Pedras Salgadas Spa & Nature Park
Interestingly, the hotel I visited most recently, in April of this year. Which, after a stay of just one night, has become my favorite resort in the entirety of Algarve. In an intimate style typical of the Algarve, Anantara offers an experience of luxury and tranquility without elitism. A hotel that shelters you and greets you always with a smile — and a kitten in the breakfast space — from day to night. The décor is cozy in light wood tones and bright white sheets that accompany the light stone structure of the space. A stay for zen days of sun, rest and smoothies to try by the pool, away from the tourist hustle and bustle of other areas of southern Portugal.
Images courtesy of Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort; Second & Third Images courtesy of @thegirlinsilk
I'm already planning this summer's vacation... Can you guess which hotels I'm keeping an eye on? For those who are going to spend the summer working or prefer to stay at home, Breakfast in a Silk Dress recommends a mojito and good readings!
Words by Mariana Silva
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