Located in Portugal’s stunning Algarve, The Westin Salgados Beach Resort (now A Marriott Bonvoy Hotel), recently re-opened after extensive renovation work and a re-brand that sees them now incorporate a nature-focused wellness approach.
Visiting in Winter
Portugal might not be your first thought for a winter break away, but less than three hours away from the UK, the Algarve benefits from a mild microclimate and 300 days of sunshine a year. Flights are much cheaper at this time of year (ours was £30pp with Ryanair) and the beaches are both stunning and deserted. While temperatures can quite easily get up 18 degrees Celsius (64 fahrenheit), the nights can be chilly, but you’ll still be getting a healthy daily dose of vitamin D. At the height of summer, it’s common to reach the mid 90s with warm evenings and plenty of sun.
Getting There
Fly into Faro from many of the UK’s many airports (our flight was three hours from Newcastle International Airport), and then it’s a pleasant and easy 40 minute drive to The Westin Salgados Beach Resort. We hired our car from RecordGo and would recommend. There’s also ample parking at The Westin for around £5 per day.
Hotel Design
Embodying the Westin’s commitment to its Six Pillars philosophy – Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well, you feel immediately calm as you enter the expansive lobby. You can feel your body almost slow down on the approach to the desk – such is the effect of the colour palette with soft neutral tones and plenty of natural light flooding the communal spaces. It’s a truly beautiful hotel where you can see every single design feature has been thoughtfully curated. Mood lighting plays its part creating a serene atmosphere.
Hotel Rooms at The Westin Salgados Beach Resort
The Westin Salgados Beach Resort boasts 95 incredible rooms and suites as well as 60 private residences ranging from deluxe twin to the three Bedroom Suite Sea View. The glass lift carried us swiftly up to our junior suite which boasted an expansive terrace overlooking the palm trees and one of the six swimming pools. A definite ‘sun trap’, it felt warm on our balcony all day, even if the thermometer said otherwise.
Stunning views were available from every angle of the spacious, beautifully laid out lounge and dining area, while the separate luxurious bedroom also benefitted from floor-to-ceiling glass. The slatted wooden sideboards, round table and curved sofas in natural fabrics were bathed in light for our entire stay and Atlantic ocean views were visible over the tree tops.
I loved the bed – a mattress that engulfed you as you fell into a deep slumber, aided by the thoughtful sleep spray left on the bedside table. We discovered later that The Westin’s iconic Heavenly Bed is a hotel signature designed for top class comfort with a pillow-top mattress and a gel-infused memory foam. It’s definitely one of the best sleeps I’ve had in a while. Blackout curtains lived up to their name so we could wake up naturally, while White Tea Heavenly bath products which were beautifully scented and cute little extras like the mouthwash and body moisturiser were a nice five star touch.
Salgados Beach & Pools
The gardens at the The Westin Salgados Beach Resort are designed for leisurely and thoughtful walks and they really make you feel at one with nature. A wooden boardwalk takes you down to Salgados Beach in just a few minute once you snake your way through the pools and plants to a sweeping long golden sandy beach which is known for its calm waters. Even though it was November, we swam in the sea and after the sudden shock to the system, it was incredible rejuvenating.
Restaurants
With a reduced menu on offer in Serenity Bar, we nevertheless enjoyed an excellent meal accompanied by a bottle of Portugese wine from a local vineyard called Paxa who champion Portugal’s very own Negra Mole grape variety. We loved it so much we bought several bottles to bring home! Seabass was served in a flavourful broth with roasted fennel, potatoes, saffron and lemon, while the rib-eye Yakitori is one of the tastiest cuts of meat I’ve tried in recent memory. Known for its rich fatty composition and usually marinated in Japanese style marinades, it was perfectly cooked and soaked up all the juices it had been cooked in while maintaining a charred exterior.
We enjoyed breakfast in the buffet style In-Season restaurant – a very pleasant setting in which you can help yourself to a selection of cold breakfast foods while ordering eggs and other hot items from the menu.
Wellness Hub Algarve
Perhaps the The Westin Salgados Beach Resort’s best feature is its Wellness Hub housed in a separate building just a minute’s walk away on the opposite side of the road.
This 2000 sqm wellness retreat and sanctuary is deeply relaxing from the moment you step inside. With an expansive 24 hour fitness gym, it features a full sauna and steam experience, ice fountain and spacious vitality pool with hydromassage jets.
I enjoyed a luxurious facial with was deeply restorative for my dry skin, using a range of ESPA products to hydrate and plump. Afterwards, you’re free to further unwind in the several relaxation areas with comfortable loungers and seating and plenty of refreshments. The treatment list is extensive and I’d definitely recommend indulging yourself while you’re in the Algarve.
Having only been open a few months, The Westin Salgados Beach Resort didn’t appear to have any teething problems whatsoever. Staff were helpful and friendly, service in all areas of the hotel was professional, and visiting in November, the resort was quiet, peaceful and completely stress free. Plus of course in winter, room prices are lower too. An outstanding hotel that ticks all the boxes any time of the year. Book your stay here.