Pestana Palm Gardens Carvoeiro Portugal

The chilled out Pestana Palm Gardens is a perfect retreat for families and couples in the Carvoeiro area of the Algarve. This four-star rated resort between Portimao and Armaçao de Pêra has an elevated setting over the sea near Centeanes beach and boasts well equipped studios and villas.

TripAdvisor reviewers rate it very highly for its location on the Algarve and level of amenities. There are dozens of studios and one- and two-bedroom villas and they are nicely positioned amid the gardens and swimming pool and near the sea. Decorated in hues of southern Portugal, they blend well in this setting and feature wide balconies and patios and fully equipped kitchens to include stove, fridge, dishwasher and washing machine.

Upstairs studios come with balconies; while downstairs has lovely wide patio areas with the poolside ones being especially pretty. The complex was refurbished in 2003, with all units coming with air conditioning and heating (for those rare chilly winter’s nights), while bathrooms have a tub and powerful shower.

Guests have use of a pleasant pool area, which is heated in winter and comes complete with children’s pool at the one end. There is also a fitness centre and health and beauty set-up at the Pestana Palm Gardens, complete with massage services, plus there’s also a hard-surface tennis court adjoining the grounds.

Those into fitness will also discover some wonderful cliff top walks along the rugged Carvoeiro coast. You can walk all the way to town via the coast or take the shuttle bus ride in minutes. The town also has an excellent complement of restaurants and cafés down at the main beach and there are numerous coves in this pleasant place.

There are also a few worthy sights in town, including the Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao Shrine and the Alfazima Lighthouse. Nearby Portimao is more lively; a large city (for the Algarve), with its fine Praia da Rocha ‘Rocky Beach’ and great shopping and eating. If you forego that, the Pimenta Preta restaurant back at the timeshare offers Mediterranean and Portuguese cuisine and wines.

Golfers should head to the Pestana Carvoeiro Golf club for its championship courses and discount rates. There are also some quality golf courses near to pumping Albufeira (30 minutes to the east of Carvoeiro), though the Vilamoura area is best for golfing. Faro International Airport is farther again, about an hour from Pestana Palm Gardens.