The addition of new pool-access rooms has made this luxury retreat an even better option for those travelling to southern Portugal’s coast. These spacious sanctuaries allow you to step directly from your sun-soaked terrace into the pool, before retreating indoors to make the most of thoughtful features and relaxing facilities.

In the family area, you’ll find two outdoor swimming pools and another pool designed for babies and toddlers. In the adults-only area, there are two outdoor pools to choose from, both heated in winter, plus the indoor Vitality Pool. Here you will also find the Palms Suites with a living area and dinner table to give you peace and privacy as a couple. Butlers will attend to your every wish, while high-end extras include a pillow menu, cotton dressing gowns and slippers, coffee-making facilities, and evening turndown.

If you’re travelling as a couple, head to Botanic – an exclusive venue with the feel of an indoor botanical garden, a menu of signature cocktails, and a collection of the world’s finest gins and premium tonics. It joins other bars and restaurants at the Anantara Vilamoura, including the adults-only Ria, a seafood bistro using produce from the Ria Formosa and the Algarve coast, grilled in front of you and served by the pool.

Other lovely spots include Anantara Lounge & Bar with its bespoke cocktails and afternoon teas, including pastéis de nata, and there’s a signature collection of menus served in romantic settings, with a private chef and waiting service – enjoy golf course views or bask in the sunset while a guitarist serenades you. You can also learn to cook Portuguese dishes in the resort’s Spice Spoons experience where an expert chef will show you how to use produce from the local market to create the likes of cataplana fish stew and razor clam rice.  

With sculptures, paintings, and installations by native artists dotted all around, this five-star retreat is a place to indulge – sipping Veuve Cliquot in poolside cabanas, booking yourself an ancient Mediterranean or Ayurvedic therapy in the award-winning spa, or hopping aboard a short shuttle ride to Purobeach Vilamoura beach club with its daybeds and DJ sessions.

The resort’s experts can also help you discover this gorgeous area through curated authentic adventures. These can include visits to local vineyards and wineries, a cruise around the Ria Formosa islands with their unique ecosystems, and even a hot air balloon ride over orange groves and cork trees, culminating in a gourmet picnic.