Portugal resorts: high-end hotels for a luxury holiday in the sun

This fully refurbished 19th-century manor features sweeping views of the Douro Valley and its renowned river. With its red brick facade and towers, it has a palatial aesthetic and the facilities to match. Rooms here have a clean and contemporary feel, in stark neutral tones accented by pale grey furniture and crisp bedding. Deluxe options offer river views from floor-to-ceiling windows.

With a spa featuring whitewashed treatment areas and valley vistas, relaxation is high on the agenda. Bask in the heated indoor pool – set inside a gorgeous room with sky-high ceilings – or achieve zen with a massage influenced by ancient Asian practices, from Tibet to Thailand. Recline on the wooden-decked sun terrace crowned by a gleaming pool and surrounded by alpine scenery.

When it’s time for a different type of indulgence, pick from seven dining experiences. By day, relaxed tapas nibbles are available in between the bookcases at the Wine Library & Terrace with its rustic wooden tables and sumptuous sofas. When evening falls, taste regional dishes at airy eateries Vale de Abraão Restaurant and The Dining Room, where ingredients are sourced from the resort’s extensive vegetable and herb gardens. Or gather around a cooking station with a wood-fired oven to watch your chef prepare your meal for an interactive dining experience with a difference.

Housed in an 18th-century National Monument with a Baroque facade, this resort near Porto has luxury at its heart. Recline on sun beds overlooking the Douro River under the fuchsia-pink parasols lining the rooftop pool. Or head to the pontoon extending out onto the water for unparalleled views of one of northern Portugal’s most majestic waterways.

For dinner, there are two resplendent choices – as can be expected from a resort that’s a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World consortium. Admire the restored frescoes from 1850 while sampling your thoughtfully prepared amuse-bouche at Palatium, or ​gaze at paintings by Júlio Resende beside the fireplace at the poolside Nasoni Dining & Bar. Either way, a jazz concert at the opulent Hall of Mirrors – accompanied by an expertly mixed drink from the well-stocked gin bar – rounds off your evening in style.

A blissful few hours at the Jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath in the spa await. After a relaxing interlude here, or an afternoon exploring the famous port cellars in Porto, return to your stylish room. Decorated in a blend of soft tones, these spaces are designed for rest. Upgrade to a Standard Suite to savour views of the Douro while sipping on a freshly brewed coffee from your Nespresso machine.

A 10 minute drive from UNESCO-listed Sintra, this hotel is near enough to the sights for excursions yet retains a restful ambience for when relaxation beckons. From the golf course, which is surrounded by 40,000 trees (oak, palm, pine, magnolia and cedar), you’ll see the town’s castle-lined hills looming in the distance.

Once you’ve mastered all 18 holes on the course, head to the sauna, Jacuzzi and hammam. The indoor pool has a Moroccan flavour, with a royal blue palette and arches that wouldn’t seem amiss in Marrakech. A North African theme also permeates the bar and restaurant at the hotel, with their bold red colours, richly printed curtains and mystical lantern-style light fittings.

Family-friendly rooms at Pestana Sintra Golf are brightly coloured in warm tones for a cheerful effect; choose a mezzanine suite for a kitchenette to prepare snacks and a separate space for the children to sleep. The little ones can make a splash in the fountains at one of the two hotel pools, while parents achieve a blissful state of mind with a hot stone massage, shiatsu, aromatherapy or reflexology treatment. For an experimental choice, try the cleansing and exfoliating vinotherapy, which puts wine grapes to creative use.

Sitting beside the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria Formosa Natural Park, Conrad Algarve combines soul-stirring natural scenery with high-end facilities. Choose from rooms designed with comfort in mind – soft feather-filled pillows, private balconies and blackout curtains come as standard, while upgrades offer marble bathrooms with freestanding tubs.

Six world-class golf courses are found a 5 minute drive away from the hotel – including the Quinta do Lago South Course, where the Portuguese Open Championships has been held no less than eight times. Work up an appetite on the fairways here, then return to the hotel for a multi-course Mediterranean feast. Your meal comes courtesy of three-star Michelin chef Heinz Beck in Gusto, one of five on-site restaurants, with its stylish Scandi-inspired interior.

When it’s time to find respite from the Portuguese sun, carve a couple of hours out of your itinerary for a session by one of the Conrad’s four swimming pools. Gaze out over the lip of the infinity pool, or make your way to the spa, a peaceful environment with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow abundant natural light to seep through. Refresh yourself in the ice fountain and experience showers, or awaken your sense with an oxygen infusion therapy in a private spa cabana outdoors lined with flowing curtains.

This elegant complex may feature refined facilities, but it also puts a focus on welcoming and entertaining families. While you recline on your balcony’s plush daybed or at the adults-only pool in the spa, the children can play games, cook, swim and dabble in arts and crafts at the Adventurers Kids’ Club. Teens have the opportunity to hone their dance or football skills at specialist academies – at the same time as parents detox in the tranquil sauna and steam room or release tension with a Thai massage.

Pre-dinner, unwind with one of 350 carefully chosen wines at Emo Restaurant’s terrace, with sweeping vistas of the hotel’s golf course – where the Portugal Masters is hosted annually. Recommended dishes here include Portuguese-inspired fare such as braised octopus and stewed pork cheeks.

Rooms are decorated in mellow neutrals with dark woods and feature views of the garden, pool or golf course. Upgrade to a suite with butler service to level up on luxury; you’ll also be provided with a smartphone for the duration of your stay to help you navigate your way around the glorious Algarve beaches.

Eastern-inspired palazzo Vila Joya has all the charms of a boutique hotel fused with the facilities of a resort. Take a massage in open-air or couples’ treatment rooms at the ambient spa – ideal for reconnecting with your other half – or hone your swing during classes at the golf academy. The pool is tucked behind a sandy beach, while the manicured gardens surrounding the complex feature palms and cypresses interspersed between tropical flowers.

Each individually designed room at this hotel treats guests to mesmerising views of the Atlantic Ocean. Moorish influences abound in the décor, with bathrooms covered in intricately detailed tiles and oversized ceramics dotted across plush rugs. For an added dose of luxury, opt for the Royal Suite Alegria with its private plunge pool and open-air shower.

Dinner comes courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Dieter Koschina, who uses local ingredients to conjure up gourmet dishes. Dine on black truffle-filled guinea fowl or roasted goose liver accompanied by broccoli purée and smoked eel. There’s also an ingenious update on Portugal’s beloved bacalhau (dried and salted cod) served confit and teamed with beetroot coulis and yoghurt. Cap off your meal with a wine from Vila Joya’s cellar – the only challenge may be choosing from the 12,000 local and international bottles stocked here, curated by the award-winning sommelier.

Set 200 metres from Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, yet only 3 kilometres from the Portuguese capital, this hotel is ideal for a quick trip to Portugal’s exuberant capital. Make the most of exploring Lisbon’s diverse neighbourhoods, then bask in the well-equipped spa once your ‘working’ day is over.
Discover the Jacuzzi, waterfalls, sauna, hydromassage facilities and hammam, nestled in rooms decorated in blonde woods and neutral tones. This serene environment provides a striking contrast with the hotel’s glass-front exterior, with its angular, avant-garde shape.

Test out traditional Portuguese dishes in the Colinas De Lisboa restaurant, where the open-plan kitchen means you’ll watch chefs producing your meals. The red, white and black Terminal Bar, located inside an aeroplane wing, is an atmospheric spot to sip a nightcap later on. Retire to your soundproofed room afterwards, which continues the theme with décor that’s also influenced by travel and aviation – all white and silver tones. Select the spacious family option if you have children in tow, or pick a Premium Room to bask on a sumptuous, premium bed.