After a few days exploring the south of Portugal, we decided to spend some relaxing days in a luxury hotel in Algarve, at Vila Vita Parc resort.
Vila Vita Parc is a 5 stars hotel situated in Porches in the Algarve region of Portugal. The location is great if you would wish to visit the area but the hotel is so nice so you won’t probably want to leave anyways (excursions can be booked at reception though).
The setting of the hotel is dreamy, with a lot of green and water fountains. Also, the hotel has everything you need there from restaurants to shops, a hairdresser and of course plenty of areas to relax: pools and direct access to the sea!
Rooms at Vila Vita Parc
While there we stayed in one of the rooms in the main building. The room was spacious with very beautiful decorations such as vases from the nearby pottery village and we had a big balcony with garden view. I really loved the room as we stayed there as a couple. If you travel with a group or with children you might want to consider a room in the nearby building or even a villa with your own infinity pool 😉
Great food offer and even a Michelin restaurant
There are 11 restaurants at Vila Vita, both on and off-site so you have plenty of choices when it comes to food.
Let’s start with breakfast. There are two options, one buffet breakfast in the main building and one à la carte breakfast at Atlantico restaurant. While I loved the choice at the buffet restaurant, I preferred the à la carte breakfast at Atlantico as it is a culinary experience in it already in the early morning. In my opinion, this was the best breakfast I experienced in a 5-star hotel so far!
One of the things I love the most while traveling is to experience local dishes. We tried Adega restaurant in a taverna-style atmosphere that serves specialties from the region. I had some fish filet and it was delicious.
We tried also Atlantico restaurant that serves traditional Portuguese dishes as well but revisited and served with ingredients from Algarve. This was a highlight as the food was not just tasty but also very beautifully designed.
During day time, we tried Whale, the restaurant / bar by the infinity pool. It is the perfect spot for a cozy lunch or some cocktails!
If you are a fan of fine dining, you might be interested to know that there is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant on-site : Ocean, by Hans Neuner that serves a 12 courses menu inspired by the seaside.
After dinner, you can hit one of the many bars, listen to some live music or rock the dancefloor at the hotel discotheque! There is definitely something to do until late in the night!
Relaxing at Vila Vita Parc
With 8 pools there are infinite choices to relax. My favorite pool was the infinity pool, so Instagram friendly and I loved laying by the sunbeds in the grass nearby. There is really plenty of room so that it never feels crowded.
The beach’s resort is really nice as well and typical for the region, located between high cliffs. The beach is not private but since it is quite a walk to get there for anyone not from the resort it is really empty and you have the beach almost just to yourself.
If you prefer long stretches of sand, the resort also has it’s own beach club and beach restaurant at Armação de Pêra that you can access with the free shuttle.
Activities as Vila Vita Parc
If you want to do more than just relax, there are plenty of activities to do at the resort. There are complimentary yoga and meditation classes and a hotel gym that is fully equiped.
If you wish to do other activities, from golfing to playing tennis or doing some water sports activities. it is available on site as well but are quite pricey which might be the only negative point of the resort.
Spa at Vila Vita Parc
Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to visit the spa but it is Sisley so I guess it’s more than alright!
Is Vila Vita Parc family-friendly?
I have always considered Vila Vita Parc quite family friendly, Oasis Parc has really nice and spaceous family suites and a children’s/family pool, a play ground and Annabella’s Kid Parc, a creche and a Teen’s Club with special activities and a special Teen Wellness programme. During holiday season, you would probably see children of all age groups.
Fazit – Vila Vita Parc Review
Vila Vita Parc was definitely the best resort to spend a few days after our road trip through Algarve. We had an amazing time with no boring moments. Indeed, the resort is large and there is always a new area to discover. Also, unlike many 5 stars, it didn’t feel like we could be anywhere. You still could feel that you were in Portugal thanks to the attention to detail in the decoration but also the food offer. Plus, the staff was super friendly and helpful.