- Algarve Holidays
- Armacao de Pera
- Vilalara Thalassa Resort
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Vilalara Thalassa Resort
Portugal, Europe
Armacao de Pera
The five-star Vilalara Thalassa Resort is an exclusive space in a unique landscape with access to a golden sand beach, and totally dedicated to your well-being. Everything in Vilalara is thought to your total comfort, all blended in to the surrounding hills and cliff tops. In-between magnificent 11 hectares of seaside garden cared to perfection and amongst five delightful swimming pools, you even have a wellness center that is home to one of the five best Thalassotherapy Centers in the world and to a Longevity Medical Spa. Choose to stay in a place surrounded by natural beauty, with a private sandy beach and amazing sea view.
Facilities
- Tennis*
- Billiards
- Spa treatments*
- Massage*
- Steam bath
- Sauna
- Entertainment programme for adults
- Sun loungers
- Children’s swimming area
- Outdoor freshwater pool
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent1,057 reviews
Excellent
71%
Very Good
18%
Average
6%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Lovely and Tranquil Resort with Great Team Members.
Tranquil, beautiful and charming resort on the coast in Porches. Great staff and teams. 3+ pools, plus a lovely beach with trails along the bluff tops. Main pool and spa pools are lovely, the pool by the Italian restaurant is in need of extensive tile repair and a good scrubbing, but it's the most quiet. Very relaxing (albeit pricey for Portugal) atmosphere overall. It was relatively quiet during our stay. Clean rooms, crisp A/C, good wifi. We were upgraded to the 1500 square foot suite, which was a real treat, with full kitchen, washer, full patio and 2 beds/2 baths. The grounds are extensive, so keep a map handy the first few days to find your way. Paddle boards and kayaks are available, but unfortunately there is an additional fee which is above average for Portugal pricing, and they did not open early enough for my tastes. If you are going to dine at the onsite restaurants, be sure to book upon arrival. There are some "walkable" local restaurants if you are ambulatory and can walk a few miles r/t. Breakfast was included with our room rate, and we really enjoyed their extensive selection, including champagne, overlooking the pool and the coast. Parking was very easy, staff will park your car underground or you can park by your room. Again, lovely place with an outstanding team of employees.
Review by EmenPea San Diego, California
Fabulous hotel in beautiful surroundings
We have just come back from 6 days here and we had a really good time. The staff are so knowledgable and friendly and Danielle the concierge was brilliant. We ate at the Trattoria twice and the food was excellent both times, Antonio the manager was so welcoming, one of the reasons we went back there! Breakfast was great too, never had to wait more than two minutes to get a table and the choice was extensive, anything you could wish to eat at breakfast time with an amazing view of the pool and ocean. We swam in the pool by Vento and it was so easy to get a sun bed there every day and the pool was huge. The only downside is the fact that there wasn’t a rail to help you get into the pool if you can’t manage the steps unaided. It was the same with the pool by the trattoria. I didn’t venture to the beach as there were 150 steps and I couldn’t manage it but We had a really lovely time and will leave with wonderful memories.
Review by Melissa1611 London, United Kingdom
A wonderful hotel
We (an American couple) stayed 5 nights at Vilalara and had a wonderful and relaxing time. As others have written, the complex is very large, and some rooms take about 5 minutes to reach, with steps and uphill treks. Not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind. The breakfast buffet and breakfast setting are spectacular and set the stage for your day. Pool lounge chairs/sunbeds can be difficult to secure and the practice of placing a book or towel on a pair of them is common. We did not eat at the hotel restaurants as we prefer to venture into town for dinner where there were a number of simple but wonderful fish restaurants on the beaches. A car is needed, and the nearby town, Armação de Pera, is a different world from Vilalara. We stayed at Vilalara over a Friday and Saturday night where an adjacent hotel has a live band that played from about 6PM to 11 PM. Be warned as I was told this is a weekly event.
Review by georgehW1275WY New Hope, Pennsylvania
Great property.
Fabulous property. Gardens are spectacular. Several pools. Small one is heated. Others are cold but filled with salt water. Buffet breakfast all you can eat is wonderful. Staff are friendly, professional and helpful. Beach is over 100 steps down and UP. Multiple restaurants. Many restaurants off site are definitely worth trying. Lots of walking from one place to another. October weather was perfect. Highly recommended.
Review by Lloyd S Massachusetts
1 week stay in Vilalara Grand Hotel, Algarve.
The location and grounds at Vilalara are stunning and deserve five stars. Unfortunately, the accommodation itself fell well short of what we would expect from a five-star hotel. Our room was extremely dark and dated and very much stuck in the 1960's, with dreary , dull decor, uncomfortable furniture, pillows were the worst we ever slept on! The bathroom also needed attention, with tiles and grouting in need of a thorough cleaning. Housekeeping was disappointing too, as the room did not appear to be properly cleaned or hoovered. Balcony was also dull and uninviting, the only view was of the roof below which certainly did nothing to improve the experience.
Breakfast was another let down with a very limited choice. I ordered poach eggs on our first morning and they were under cooked and lukewarm. I foolishly ordered the same the next morning and again they were under cooked and lukewarm! We also ate in 2 of the 5 restaurants and found both very disappointing. The food was not up to five-star standard and was, in our opinion, grossly overpriced for the quality offered.
Overall, while the grounds and setting are beautiful, the staff are friendly, the dated accommodation, standard of cleanliness, limited breakfast and disappointing, overpriced dining fell far short of five-star expectations. Sadly, the hotel did not live up to the standard we had anticipated.
Review by Brenda G Shankill, Ireland
