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Holidaymakers can choose from 170 rooms, all different, and all dotted inside this huge, gated resort
If guests so desire, a butler at Vila Vita Parc will drive them in a golf buggy from their room to their chosen restaurant for dinner, or breakfast, or ferry them around at a whim. View more pics...
Nothing, it seems, is too much trouble, with the emphasis at this high-end Algarve resort, which is a hit with celebrities such as singer Anastacia and former footballer Luis Figo, on relaxation and indulgence.
Perched on a clifftop, near the town of Porches (a 40-minute drive from Faro airport), the award-winning Vila Vita – a member of the Leading Hotels Of The World – is renowned for its luxurious accommodation, very attentive staff and lush surroundings, boasting 54 acres of beautiful, tropical gardens
Guests can arrange sailing, canoeing, water skiing, windsurfing and deep sea fishing – and there’s also a beach
Holidaymakers can choose from 170 rooms, all different, and all dotted inside this huge, gated resort. There are standard rooms, grand suites, family villas – all offering something unique; a pool, a garden view, a stunning rooftop terrace.
Ours is a deluxe – one of the newest additions to Vila Vita, only completed in summer 2014.
It’s split over two levels, with a king-sized bed and bathroom on one, and the living room and terrace overlooking the landscaped gardens on another.
It has a contemporary feel throughout, with bold lines and vibrant blues.
There’s a huge flatscreen TV opposite the bed, a study area, as well as a comfortable velvet blue, Italian-designed sofa on a wooden floor, and light pouring in through the large patio doors making the room feel spacious and airy.
The dominating white-washed hotel sprawls across its acres almost in a colonial way, with swathes of vibrant green grass winding their way around the building – huge areas reserved for beds for those who want to soak up the rays
Guests can choose to dine in an impressive wine cellar which is located eight metres under the ground
The resort has eight pools – our favourite has Cleopatra-style day beds suspended around it – with waiters on hand to ferry over food and drinks as required (there are also personal trainers, and juice bars, for those who prefer a healthy holiday)
Our large bathroom is modern, with a rainforest shower, a double sink, and a mosaic of Portuguese tiles. Artefacts are dotted around – local pottery, plates, vases, and rugs decorate every room in the resort.
As our accommodation is close to the main hotel and restaurants (as, really, are most properties), we decline the offer of a buggy ride – but the sight of other guests being whizzed around isn’t uncommon.
My husband and I stroll around the grounds, along the terracotta-hued pathway; well-kept landscapes at every turn, with colourful flora, palm trees, waterfalls – and seagulls. Everywhere. In their tens. Pecking at the ground and picking up crumbs.
The dominating white-washed hotel sprawls across its acres almost in a colonial way, with swathes of vibrant green grass winding their way around the building – huge areas reserved for beds for those who want to soak up the rays.
As our accommodation is close to the main hotel and restaurants (as, really, are most properties), we decline the offer of a buggy ride – but the sight of other guests being whizzed around isn’t uncommon
Inside the two-Michelin-starred Ocean restaurant, which boasts an elegant interior and breathtaking sea views
We also spot mini-lakes and bridges, tennis courts and golf courses. Guests can arrange sailing, canoeing, water skiing, windsurfing and deep sea fishing – and there’s also a beach.
It’s a climb down some narrow steps, but it’s worth the trek – the small, yet secluded cove offers white sand and blue (chilly) waters – right on your doorstep.
We visit in October, so we get most of the resort pretty much to ourselves. The beds by the pool are half-empty, and reservations at the restaurants can be made last-minute, there’s no scramble for breakfast, and ordering a drink at the pool bar doesn’t take for ever.
The resort has eight pools – our favourite has Cleopatra-style day beds suspended around it – with waiters on hand to ferry over food and drinks as required (there are also personal trainers, and juice bars, for those who prefer a healthy holiday).
The beach is a climb down some narrow steps, but it’s worth the trek – the small, yet secluded cove offers white sand and blue waters
Food is something the resort takes seriously. Along with its two-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, Ocean, there are a further seven restaurants from which to choose – along with seven bars and an impressive wine cellar which is located eight metres under the ground.
We opt to dine in Adega for dinner – a traditional Portuguese eatery with a large, rustic-designed terrace overlooking a lake.
The menu is brimming with delicious-sounding dishes; from rustic meats and fresh fish, to wholesome veggie options – options include baked cod with potatoes and egg melange, octopus, Iberian pork, corn-fed chicken and lobster and prawn risotto.
My husband and I sit outside and enjoy a glass (or three) of the local wine as well as what turns out to be a delicious dinner – and by the end of our three-hour cuisine marathon, I’m slowly starting to see what the appeal of the buggy is.
The next morning, we gorge (again) on the all-you-can-eat, five-star breakfast buffet, which boasts most foods from around the world that you could ask for – nothing is too much trouble; eggs any way you like them; about 20 different juices to choose from; cooked meals; pastries; jams, sweets – the list is endless.
Dine inside the beach-front restaurant before soaking up the rays on the golden sands close to the resort
My husband and I then go our separate ways – he with a book in hand to laze by the pool, and me to the spa for a relaxing massage.
Featuring a steam bath, a Jacuzzi, two saunas, and 12 treatment rooms, it is a vast area, inside a round, beautiful-looking building. The décor is stunning – mosaic-style beds, looking up at the high, decorated ceilings.
My therapist gets to work, ironing out all the knots and tension in my back, and within an hour, I’m almost asleep. Thanking her, I wander – map in hand – to find my husband.
I’m dazed from the massage, and the sun is shining down – I’m lost among the landscape and have no idea where he said he would be.
Along the pathway, whizzing along, is a buggy. The driver stops and greets me, asking me whether he can take me anywhere.
I hop in – it seems these little vehicles do come in handy after all.
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