Bela Vista Hotel & Spa
As if from another world...
08/20/2024 Reading time: 2 Minutes
An iron gate separates the forecourt to vacation hell from perhaps the most heavenly (and certainly the most extraordinary) luxury hotel in the Algarve. On one side: the bed castles, cheap stores and beer pubs of Praia da Rocha, the beach district of Portimao. On the other: the Bela Vista, a white villa from the 19th century, decorated with turrets and bay windows, surrounded by a large pool terrace and connected to the kilometer-long beach by a pretty garden.
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As the Relais&Châteaux, built as a private summer residence , does not have a traditional reception, the friendly check-in takes place over a glass of espumante in a lounge, which gives a first taste of the eclectic interior of the entire hotel: Here, cobalt blue ceilings meet kiss-lip red sofas and black and white striped armchairs meet an all-encompassing tiled design. The classic azulejo tiles also set the tone and style mix in all other public areas as well as in the rooms and suites.
This means that user-friendliness sometimes suffers . My "Character Room" in the main building is a dream in yellow, white and Portuguese blue; however, the desk in the middle of the room is just the width of my Macbook, which also has to share the limited space with the TV. On the other hand, the pretty bathroom with a sea view from the bathtub and amenities from L' Occitane is very appealing. Incidentally, treatments with products from the natural cosmetics label are also offered in the Bela Vista Spa - exclusively in Portugal. Annoying: If you want to use the sauna, steam bath and plunge pool without a treatment, you have to pay! 25 euros! per hour! ! I'd rather save the money and invest it in the hotel restaurant Vista, which has been awarded a Michelin star. For four and a half hours of wellness, you can enjoy the ten-course "Sea & Sustainability Menu" - including deliciously creative creations such as "razor clam with pear" or "flounder with celery, anchovies and almonds".
This means that user-friendliness sometimes suffers . My "Character Room" in the main building is a dream in yellow, white and Portuguese blue; however, the desk in the middle of the room is just the width of my Macbook, which also has to share the limited space with the TV. On the other hand, the pretty bathroom with a sea view from the bathtub and amenities from L' Occitane is very appealing. Incidentally, treatments with products from the natural cosmetics label are also offered in the Bela Vista Spa - exclusively in Portugal. Annoying: If you want to use the sauna, steam bath and plunge pool without a treatment, you have to pay! 25 euros! per hour! ! I'd rather save the money and invest it in the hotel restaurant Vista, which has been awarded a Michelin star. For four and a half hours of wellness, you can enjoy the ten-course "Sea & Sustainability Menu" - including deliciously creative creations such as "razor clam with pear" or "flounder with celery, anchovies and almonds".
