Without a doubt, it is one of the best hotel resorts in Europe if not the world. The Sheraton Pine Cliffs is a wonderful resort in the south of Portugal. This hotel really deserves all the accolades that have been heaped upon it, including the most recent, it was awarded by the "World Travel Awards" as "The Best Resort of Portugal for 2005."
We (that’s my wife and I and our two young children) regularly visit this resort mid-September, early October when the hotel is relatively quiet but is still catching the good weather Portugal is famed for by having over 300 days of sun per year, we think it’s one of the best holiday destinations in Europe.
The hotel is absolutely amazing in its design and with its facilities for both children and adults, service standards, wonderful grounds, and the spectacular views as you descend the lift to the white sands of the unspoiled Falésia beach, the only one in the Algarve classified with the EU Golden Flag.
Each time we visit we stay in a two-bed golf suite with a large balcony overlooking the wonderful, but challenging, nine-hole course. The apartments are beautifully laid out, with full kitchen and laundry facilities, TVs, DVD/CD player, etc., all you would expect from a 5-star resort. I have just read that each suite has been refurbished, not that they needed it.
A couple of the main reasons we visit Pine Cliffs are the fantastic sports and leisure facilities, which include Indoor/outdoor pools, five tennis courts, a gym, a sauna and Jacuzzi (all these areas are beautifully maintained). If you love the beach, the resort has enough to keep you occupied for days–pedaloe’s, body boards, windsurfing hire/lessons, catamaran lessons, waterskiing, etc., not that we have tried all these, pedaloes being a family favourite.
If you love golf you cannot visit a better place. Not only does Pine Cliffs have its own nine-hole course, the resort has some of the most famous courses in the world on its doorstep. Although its own course is not long, it is very challenging and has the World famous "devils parlour," a challenging PAR 3 hole. Crossing the cliffs, this hole offers breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean. Visit http://www.pinecliffs.com/en/sports_leisure/golf/ course/ for more info. The practice area includes a driving range, a chipping and pitching area, and a large putting green.
The second, and more important reason to visit, is Pine Cliffs' famous Porto Pirata, our children’s favourite place "in the whole wide world"… so far, anyhow. It is a fully enclosed children’s play area of 7000 sqm; our two children cannot wait to get there, with its two purpose-built wooden ships, swimming pools, a separate pool for remote control boats (supplied), a playground, a bouncy castle, a bike track, etc.,—we lose them for hours. The staff is always very friendly, and as far as we can tell have not changed in the several years we have visited. Porto Pirata has been voted the most complete facility for children in Portugal and has recently been enlarged with an 18-hole Mini-Golf facility.
There are several wonderful restaurants and bars, with our favourites being O’Pescador, (seafood) and Aldar (Moroccan), both of which offered an amazing selection of fantastic food in wonderful surroundings. There’s also Mirador Bar, where you can sit at sunset and sip your G' and T', or as I do, try one of the local beers and admire one of the most spectacular views in the Algarve… although having said all of that, the children much prefer Porto Alegrte; great Italian ice cream, pizza, milk shakes, need I say more.
The staff throughout the resort are courteous and friendly at all times, nothing is too much trouble. I could go on forever about this hotel. I cannot wait until October 2006 when we will be there again.
by nigeljon on March 9, 2006