Luxury bespoke holidays to Bela Vista Hotel& Spa, Algarve
Facts in brief
Official star rating 5
Location The hotel is located on the Praia da Rocha beach near Portimao on the Algarve coast.
Closest airport Faro Airport
Distance from airport The hotel is about 1-hour's drive from Faro Airport
Hotel facilities and services
Michelin Star Vista Restaurant, Bar, Spa by l'Occitane - featuring 5 Treatment Rooms, Sauna, Hammam and Fitness Lounge, Swimming Pool, WiFi.
Out and about nearby
The Bela Vista Hotel & Spa is well-placed for exploration of the key towns and cities of the Algarve. The walled town of Lagos is just half an hour to the west, the beaches around Albufeira and Vilamoura, known for their red cliffs, are 45 minutes away, and the town centre of Portimao is less than ten minutes away. The fishing village of Alvor is worth visiting for its long narrow streets, its castle, and the shores of the Ribeira de Odiaxere.
Sports nearby
Water Sports, including Kite-surfing, Jet-skiing, Sailing, Fishing, and Diving; Golf, Hiking, and Cycling.
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
From about
Holiday Code EXH2034
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays to Bela Vista Hotel& Spa, Algarve
In a quirky, distinctively Portuguese mansion, the five-star Bel a Vista Hotel & Spa is a taste of wholly unique, boutique accommodation on the Algarve coastline. As you approach, the irregular architecture of this early 20th century property is immediately striking, with an exposed stone tower paired with white-washed walls, arched windows, and a porch topped with terracotta tiles and framed by stone pillars. The overall feeling of romance and individuality pervades within. Traditional Azulejos decorate the breast of the main lounge's chimney, beside bold statement furnishings, monochromatic floor tiles, ornate antiques, a sleek minimalist colour scheme, and an intricately decorated vaulted ceiling. Azulejos can also be found throughout the corridors, following the shape of the thick wooden door frames and the curve of the oak staircase. At the centre of the hall stands an unusually patterned yellow, blue, cream, and brown piano. Guestrooms are either equally eclectic, or deliberately modern, depending on which of the three individual buildings they are housed in. Illustrative tiles decorate the walls and mouldings of some rooms, paired with bright yellow sheets on four-poster beds, golden chandeliers, and plush blue and yellow sofas and armchairs. In others, the style adopts cool blues and matte silvers, with white and blue walls and furnishings, and striped bed clothes. The beams of the ceilings are painted pale blue to match. To the left of the main hotel building is a large swimming pool, lined with sun loungers and palm trees and backed by perfectly kept lawns and a wide, deep, golden sandy beach. Bela Vista Hotel & Spa has unrivalled access to this beach, which is unusually flat for the Algarve, but still has the characteristic rocky headlands on either side. After spending a few hours relaxing here, or exploring the culture of Portimao, dine in the Vista Restaurant. Cuisine at the Vista Restaurant is a combination of Mediterranean flavours, fresh ingredients, Portuguese specialities, and creativity. Each dish is presented with exceptional flair. The dining terrace becomes very atmospheric in the evenings as lamps are lit around the balustrades, illuminating the view out across the sea. Another luxury addition to the Bela Vista Hotel & Spa is the Spa by l'Occitane. Blue mosaic tiles of different shades cover the walls and the sides of the indoor pool, and blue and white cushioned loungers line the edge. There are also five treatment rooms for enjoying the signature Florence-inspired treatments of l'Occitane, a sauna, Hammam, wet relaxation area, and a fitness lounge. All of these facilities come together to establish a luxury hotel with reams of character that is both unique to the individual styling of the hotel and traditional in Portugal. We would highly recommend spending a few nights to a week here in order to see a different side to the Algarve.
Room descriptions
Bela Vista Hotel & Spa has 38 rooms with air-conditioning, WiFi, LCD television, telephone, hairdryer, safe, Iphone dock (on request), and l'Occitane amenities. Most have sea views and balconies.
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
From about
Holiday Code EXH2034
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays to Bela Vista Hotel& Spa, Algarve
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Bela Vista Hotel & Spa, Expressions Holidays includes scheduled flights with British Airways from London to Faro. The hotel is about 50 minutes’ drive from the airport and we recommend that we book a private car transfer for you. You may want to have the use of a hire-car for all or part of your holiday and this can be arranged by us for you in advance.
Additional information
Children: We would not recommend this hotel to families with children. Only children who are over the age of 12 are welcome.
We particularly loved the Hotel del Sogno on Lake Garda for its character, beauty and amazing views. Great service too from the reception staff. Also they gave us great recommendations for restaurants.Mr and Mrs S, June 2023
From about
Holiday Code EXH2034
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays to Bela Vista Hotel& Spa, Algarve
About Portugal
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Portugal's countryside bursts with pretty villages, glitters with historical treasures and World Heritage sites, as well as converted mediaeval monasteries, and elegant manor houses now hosting some of the finest hotels in Europe. Though Portugal's spirit is undoubtedly rural, its big towns Porto and Lisbon are lively, magical places making full use of their waterside setting, offering rich picking for those that like to wander, with colourful waterside cafes and boutiques, leafy boulevards and old-fashioned trams still rattling through the streets. Smaller towns offer their own enchantment, with well-preserved medieval quarters that invite exploring in towns like Évora, Coimbra, Guimarães and Braga. Outside the cities, travellers can enjoy Portugal's warm sunny weather, exploring centuries-old vineyards, visiting stone villages in the mountains or soaking up rays on the magnificent southern shoreline. Dramatic scenery lies all along the coast from windswept cliffs with edge-of-the-world views to wild dune-covered beaches. More than just a static backdrop, the scenery sets the stage for outdoor adventure. Hiking, surfing, windsurfing, horse-riding, big game fishing, kayaking, diving, golfing, and mountain biking are a few ways to spend a sun-drenched afternoon. 600 miles southwest of Portugal lies the island of Madeira, home to Reid's Palace Hotel, an elegant and glamorous five star hotel in a superb location, ideal for holidays all year round, due to the mild winter climate, and on an island renowned for its beautiful vegetation.
Highlights of Lisbon
The area close to the city of Lisbon is known for its variety of attractions. Moorish architecture left over from Arabic rule can be seen in the Castelo de Sao Jorge in the Alfama. Collections of Portuguese art are on display in the Museu Gulbenkian, the Museu de Arte Antiga, and the Berardo Collection. For a taste of Portugal's maritime history, visit the Monasteiro dos Jeronimos. Sintra, the favourite haunt of Lord Byron, is home to twin-peak-top castles and royal palaces. Beautiful, golden sandy beaches can be found in Cascais to the west of Lisbon, or on the Costa da Caparica to the south; particularly idyllic are the coves between Setubal and Sesimbra. Peniche is a picturesque seaside town renowned for being one of Europe's best surfing spots. You can explore all that the area around the city of Lisbon has to offer with our Tour of the City and Countryside of the Lisboa Region.
Highlights of the Algarve
Known for having some of Portugal's most scenic beaches, the Algarve is a popular destination for those looking for a beach or water sports holiday enjoying the Portuguese sunshine. Sagres and Tavira are recognised as the best places for this. In Albufeira, Armacao de Pera, and Lagos you will find an abundance of the light-catching rocky outcrops and peaceful coves that the Algarve is so well known for. Salema, Burgau, and Sagres were once busy little fishing villages, and now still stand as testament to this important aspect of Portuguese culture. The Reserva Natural da Ria Formosa lies just off the southern coastline, the islands of which can be accessed from many towns, including Faro, Olhao, Fuseta, Cabanas, and Tavira; most of which are also ideal starting points from which to try a little surfing. White-washed and serene Alcoutim is an example of the less-developed Portuguese towns, with a hint of Andalucia in its appearance, and Loule is the perfect place to wander around a bustling market. You may also wish to visit the Roman ruins at Milreu, the Moorish town of Silves, or the Spa town of Caldas de Monchique. For outdoor pursuits, head into the Serra de Monchique Mountain Range.
Highlights of Porto and the Douro Valley
At the mouth of the Rio Douro lies Porto, an atmospheric town with a dramatic aspect and almost Parisian lifestyle. Its streets are lined with historic buildings and wine lodges serving the best of Portuguese wines. The nearby wine towns of Penafiel, Peso da Regua, Pinhao, and Amarante are also recommended for wine-tasting, but have a much more rural location. Amarante, in particular, is believed to be the most attractive wine town in the area, with a central triple-arched bridge, tall stone red-roofed houses interspersed with verdant trees, and a gently flowing river. To witness a sample of Portuguese Baroque architecture, visit the pilgrimage town of Lamego. The main attraction of this town, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedios, lies at the top of an elaborate and intricately decorated set of zig-zagged stairways that pass through archways and across viewing balconies. In Porto, some of the greatest artistic triumphs of 17th century Portugal reside, the Se Cathedral in particular, in which every inch of the columns, archways, and altar have been adorned in golden floral and religious motifs, in true Baroque style. For something even more historic, visit the Palaeolithic rock formations of Vila Nova de Foz Coa, the largest outdoor gallery of stone age remains in the world, which have since been neighboured by flourishing vineyards. Along the rocky gorges of the river, you will find a number of castle-towns, including the Medieval walled town of Trancoso and the fortress town of Almeida.
Highlights of Madeira
A green and fertile island in the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is situated off the coast of Morocco. Its coastline combines beautiful sandy beaches with rocky cliffs, the latter of which can be best appreciated at Cabo Girao. The island's capital, Funchal, is packed full with historic buildings, including 15th century churches and convents and a Se Cathedral as ornate as the one in Porto. Enjoy the relentless joviality of the street markets, or visit more peaceful attractions, such as the basalt cave of Capela de Sao Vicente or the island's protected nature reserves. Rare Laurissilva forests can be walked, trekked, or hiked through, affording guests sensational views; and the crystal clear waters off the coast can be swam through, perhaps below the water's surface so the ecosystems that live in the reefs can be appreciated. One of the greatest pleasures of Madeira, however, is wandering over the beaches, surveying the rock pools, and taking in the sights from the clifftops. Aside from the key regions that our Portuguese programme focuses on, there is much to find and see in Portugal. Those willing to drive a little further during the day will enjoy a much more diverse touring holiday.
Facts in brief
Capital LisbonAirport There are international airports at Lisbon, Porto and Faro, served by a variety of airlines from the UK, including British Airways, EasyJet, bmibaby, TAP, Jet2.
Size 35,000 sq. miles
Population 10 million
