Spotlight: Vila Vita Parc

My husband and I visited Vila Vita Parc in November 2019 and we both rave about it constantly. I cannot recommend this resort property enough. It is a five-star resort and part of the luxury hotel collection known as “Leading Hotels of the World.” We were blown away by the hospitality and attentiveness of the staff, as well as the culinary offerings.  

Sleep

Vila Vita Parc

Algarve

Average Nightly Rate

Starting at $500+ $$$$

Spa Time Fine Dining

Vila Vita has ten dining options on its grounds, including a two Michelin starred restaurant called OCEAN. We had a super impressive dinner at OCEAN, where we chose between an eleven or fourteen course tasting menu and accompanying wine pairings. The creative presentation of the dishes beautifully complimented the taste, with a focus on fresh local seafood. We got eight wines to try, so a new glass arrived every one to two courses.  Our dinner ended up being over 3 hours long and we loved every minute.

Aside from OCEAN, our favorite dinner was at Aladin Grill. This restaurant also offered fresh, delicious seafood in a beautiful Moroccan style atmosphere. Our favorite item was the local Scarlett Prawn.

On our first full day at Vila Vita, we relaxed by the pool overlooking the ocean and spent some time at the spa. The properly includes an amazing spa that uses Sisley Paris products, and was recently remodeled into a very sleek, beach-inspired design.  We were pleasantly surprised that the spa prices were far more reasonable than in the U.S.; we got two 90-minute massages for the price one ONE 50 or 60-minute massage back home. In the evening, we did a private wine tasting in the underground wine cellar on property. We chose a tasting that included 2 olive oils and 4 wines (one white, two red, and one dessert wine). They served us a big charcuterie plate of bread, meats, cheeses, and fruit on the side. Before we sat down to taste, the sommelier gave us a tour through the wine cave, pointing out especially old, unique, or prominent bottles in their collection, and discussing different wine regions. They have 13,000 bottles on-site!  We capped off the night with our dinner at OCEAN.

The next day, we hung by the pool during the morning and early afternoon and then departed for our boat excursion: a sunset yacht cruise!  This was the highlight of the trip for us. Transportation to the marina left at 2pm and our cruise was from 2:30 to 5:30, as the sun sets just before 5:30 in early November. The 72-foot luxury yacht is owned by Vila Vita and comes with captain and crew, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres. 

At one point during the cruise, the yacht drops anchor and you head off in a small dinghy to go into the famous Benagil caves. It was so cool!  

We finished this day with dinner at Mizu Teppanyaki, where we sat at the counter and enjoyed a delicious meal while watching the chef work.  

On our last full day at Vila Vita, we made a second visit to the spa, then explored some of the towns of the Algarve coast, and finished with dinner at the traditional Portuguese restaurant on property. I can’t wait to go back to Vila Vita again! You could easily spend a week here without getting bored, or just add a couple of nights after visiting Lisbon or another European city.