Bela Vista Hotel & Spa - Relais & Chateaux

everything! The service, the grounds, location, food, it was beautiful. Probably the best property we have Visited!

nothing

This hotel was our splurge. We wanted to spend 3 nights in a quiet, private location so we spent a little extra to get that, but we got exactly what we paid for. Rooms were perfect and serviced several times throughout the day. The amenities were perfect. The staff couldn’t be better. So attentive and helpful and st your be king call. Having never experienced this before, I almost felt uncomfortable at how well taken care of we were. Only because I’m not used to those kind of experiences. If you can splurge, this is definitely the place to do it in portimao. You will not be disappointed. And thank you to all the ladies serving during breakfast and by the pool. You were all wonderful.

Everything. One of the best hotels we have stayed at. The hotel is beautiful - fantastic building with some really interesting history, beautiful terrace with view overlooking the beach and a wonderful pool area. The building seems a little out of place given its surroundings but we thought this added to the charm of the hotel. From the moment we arrived, the staff just catered to all your needs - they were so welcoming, friendly and just couldn’t do enough for you. The breakfast selection was incredible, the cocktails by the pool were unreal (and very prompt) and dinner at the Michelin restaurant, Vista, was out of this world (quality, menu selection, service - just wow). The staff also looked after the hotel so well - the gardens, constantly ensuring the pool was neatly arranged. The rooms were spacious and very comfortable too.

I couldn’t fault this hotel at all - it was perfect.

The premium location and the unusual historic building itself are the strong points. These features seemed to be the main selling points rather than what one might otherwise expect in a luxury hotel at this price point. The staff were great and couldn’t have been more helpful. We loved the buffet breakfast offering served in a dining room with spectacular ocean views. Ask for the scrumptious eggs Benedict option! The evening Bistro dining options are delicious if somewhat on the pricey side.

We didn’t like that the main dinner option was a 2 star Michelin offering with very expensive tasting only menus and no a la carte - no meat and no choice for the diner. Our upgraded room was quite small with very limited storage for a one week stay. We had to ask them to take away some of the bedding and decorative items to create a little extra space and comfort.

We stayed for six nights in the middle of March, and were lucky with good weather, it just rained for a few hours on our second last day. Breakfast was delicious. The spa was excellent. We had the couples massage and it was the best massage we both had for a long time. The Michelin star restaurant was a once in a lifetime experience. The food was exceptional and the service also exceptional. It was interesting to see the kitchen and wine cellar beforehand. Nice touch of head chef Joao to present one of the dishes to us at our table. The cocktails at the bar were fantastic, prepared by Paolo. The food in the more casual restaurant was excellent also. On the hottest day it was lovely to lay out beside the outdoor pool. There was a short walk to the beach. The beach is beautiful for walks and very refreshing to swim in also. The hotel is gated and accessed with keycard only so we felt safe at all times. We were on our honeymoon (postponed from 2019) and there were some nice touches like a bottle of champagne in our room along with strawberries and some treats. As kids under 12 are not allowed it helps to make the hotel quieter and more relaxing. Close by we really enjoyed Restaurant F which is a blue and white, quiet restaurant upstairs off the main street. Our sheets were changed every morning and there was a turn down service every evening. We would definitely stay in the hotel again, and we look forward to it.

Just a note for next time, not a complaint. We rented a car and drove to the hotel. In hindsight everything is in the town Praia da Rocha. There is a decent shop a few yards from the hotel along with lots of restaurants and bars, and a pharmacy a short walk away. So we could have gotten a shuttle organised by the hotel or an Uber or taxi from Faro airport, and avoided the €15 a day charge for parking in the hotel.

Our stay at Bela Vista was a wonderful experience! From the moment, we walked in and until the moment we checked out, the service and attention to detail was top notch. Our room was spotless and the view was amazing. We relaxed by the pool and the hotel even had their own access to the beach. One of the highlights of our stay was dinner at their Vista restaurant. What an experience! We can’t wait to come back next summer!

Our only negative comment is that we didn’t stay longer.

the property was stunning. It was right on the beach. the bar and dining was wonderful. the staff was extremely attentive.

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My room was a good size, bright and airy. The bed was incredibly comfortable. I ate dinner at Vista (their Michelin starred restaurant) which was amazing. The staff were extremely attentive in Vista and the food was outstanding. The pool is well maintained. It is quiet with a good service for food and drinks available all day. The breakfast was also good.

There were 3 occasions when I ordered something from the bar/cafe by the pool and the order was completely forgotten. I had to ask again for my order. I booked a 90 minute massage and 90 facial in the spa. The massage was lovely but the facial was very rough and completely undid the relaxation I had experienced in the massage. The hotel is situated in the centre of town on the main road. The nightclubs and bars are still going at 4am so you will hear this from your room.

Lovely room with an excellent view. Breakfast fabulous as was the tasting menu dinner we had booked in the restaurant. It lived up to it's Michelin star. Staff all so nice and helpful. A wonderful haven in the town of Portimao with access to a fabulous beach.

There was a charge for parking; however when we pointed out that as it was off season we could park in the public car park next door for free with no restriction they waived the charge. I think they should not aim to charge during the off season. only during high season when it would then be cheaper than parking off site. Occasionally there was some excessive noise from the resort town.

amazing design. good food.

access a little difficult by car. the guests need to be informed that there is an access code to be provided as the road to the property is closed. i needed to call them upon arrival to get this code. there are easier methods to communicate this code and the requisite instructions.