Can you suggest some good spas in Vilamoura, Portugal, where “golfing widows”
can enjoy themselves? There are four of us and we aim to travel in October. Isobel
Trincke, Altrincham, UK
Times Online spa expert, Miranda Allard responds:
It's an increasingly common situation: either non golfers joining their
partners on what used to be thought of as a boys' holiday or women keen to
play the game alongside their partners - of course, it mustn’t be assumed
that the golfer is always male or, indeed, that the spa-goer is always
female.
Vilamoura is close to some of the best golf courses in the Algarve and has a
marina with some excellent restaurants and bars. Over the past couple of
years two new 5-star hotels have opened with large spas and another big spa
is due to open this summer at the existing Tivoli Marine Hotel.
It is not clear from your question whether you are booked into hotel or villa
accommodation. All three spas have outside entrances for non-residential
guests wishing to book treatments. Day guests have full use of the extensive
spa facilities but do not have access to the hotel pools and sun terraces
which are strictly reserved for residents. So if you are hoping to top up
your tan before winter I suggest you book into one of these hotels or make
sure your villa has a heated pool.
If budget permits then without doubt the most impressive place to stay is the
Lake Resort. A 10-minute walk from the marina it occupies a huge
space overlooking extensive gardens which lead down to the beach. The resort
opened two years ago and its spa is split into two areas – “Green” and
“Blue”.
Blue covers all wet areas including an indoor swimming pool with massage jets
and a brine floatation pool. Though the Blue Spa has some treatment areas
the majority of rooms for both beauty and holistic treatments are found in
the quieter Green Spa just down the corridor.
The menu and product choice is extensive and facilities amazing. Treatments,
rooms and furnishings are designed according to five areas of the world and
the magical Pedro, as spa manager, recruits and trains his therapists to an
excellent standard while offering treatments himself.
Having just arrived from a hectic schedule I was treated to a full-body
massage including a cranial facial massage followed by 30 minutes relaxing
in the dry floatation tank – total bliss.
There is no entry fee for day guests who can only enter when booking a
treatment. Herbal teas are on offer by the pool free of charge and lunch can
be ordered from the room-service menu and taken by the pool. The changing
rooms are small but practical.
Hilton opened in Vilamoura last summer as Cascatas Golf Resort and
Spa. The 5-star hotel is built around swimming pools and waterfalls and
located on the Pinhal golf course (courtesy shuttle runs to both the marina
and beach).
This has a lively family atmosphere but outside school holidays was reasonably
quiet – except for the continuous noise from the waterfalls which you either
love or hate. For sure peace and a wonderful view opt for a room facing the
golf course.
I am looking to go away last 2 weeks in September, 3 friends looking for a beach holiday with some culture and nightlife combined with hot weather. Preferably avoiding anything too commercial. Very open to destinations. Where would you recommend?
G.Pettit, London,
I am wanting to go away on my own as a single female for 4 - 5 nights at a spa in Europe. Have you any recommendations?
Emma Tomlinson, Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire