Per week
from 3353.00 to 22911.00 EUR
If Baby-Friendly Boltholes could design resort holidays, Martinhal is how they would look. Having opened in summer 2010, this fabulously well designed villa and hotel resort boasts both sophistication and family-friendly appeal in spades. Plus it is pretty reasonably priced too.
The new resort is a smattering of funky cubist villas, a modern take on a village square, a spa and a hotel set on the edge of a nature reserve near the charming town of Sagres on Portugal's Algarve coast. It's contemporary but comfortable feel is, in places, somewhat reminiscent of a Heals catalogue set with high quality retro-modern furnishings set in front of huge picture windows, often framing views of the unspoilt coastline.
From tots to teens, there's something for everyone in the wide ranges of facilities on offer, which are carefully blended into the landscape so it is easy to holiday in a chic villa by a beach and relax, but also seek out activity or sociability as and when you want it. Its heaven for parents with a fabulously funky kids club and crèche, water sports school, a football academy, excellent tennis centre and good selection of restaurants. The chic but family friendly pizza and pasta place also offers take-away, whilst the glamorous sea front cocktail bar and formal restaurant is perfect for 'date nights' with the help of on-site babysitters (book 48hrs in advance).
As well as the brilliantly designed and well-staffed crèche and kids club, there's an excellent gated play area and a trendy games room stuffed with bean bags, games consoles, table tennis, air hockey etc. Two of the communal pool areas have separate toddler pools which are scattered with huge 'Fat Boy' bean bags that are perfect for snuggling up for a shady snooze, and chests stuffed with kids toys. Plus there's a long list of baby gear available on request (see grey box).
The village square comes alive with families in the evening when parents sip drinks and nibble on dinner whilst little ones make new friends and play on bikes provided in the central area. Most evenings there's either live music or the kids club staff offer impromptu games and face painting, so the usual struggle to keep kids entertained and relax over dinner is totally absent. Plus, if you feel like a night in, there's a reasonably priced meal delivery service, take-aways from the pizzeria or deli, plus handy groceries in the village store.
The stylish but unfussy spa is the icing on the cake and the perfect way to top off a holiday that somehow manages to make parents feel like they can enjoy the kind of sophisticated and chic break they dreamed of before kids, but also take the little ones along and have fun with them too. Plus there's no need to take out a second mortgage to do it!
Martinhal is set just east of the slightly windswept but charming town of Sagres on the Algarve's westernmost tip. It is an impressive landscape where the wild Atlantic and the warm calm Mediterranean meet, backed by a Biogenetic nature reserve and is wonderful in autumn when the winds drop totally and migrating birds make for spectacular sites. The fact the region is renowned for wind has the benefit of keeping it unspoilt and rarely seems to bother the families soaking up the sun around the pool, many of whom welcome the cool breezes. The nature reserve is largely flat which invites exploration by bikes, which can be hired, with or without child seats and trailers, from the hotel, as well as by jeep safari which can be booked via the 'village square' reception.
The beach at Martinhal is made up of lovely smooth sand and backed by a handy beach bar with toilets. There are small dunes that little ones enjoy rolling down and great opportunities for shell collecting whilst the sea is handily shallow to some distance. Kite surfing and eco buggies abound, but there's plenty of space for sandcastle building and it’s just a short stroll to the hotel's pool, beach bistro and trampoline area if the wind picks up. A nice alternative beach a short drive away is Praia Castelejo, which is largely sheltered and offers lovely rockpooling opportunities, as well as soft golden sands and shallow seas. Also nearby, Praia da Salema is backed by a pretty fishing village with restaurants and cafes offering lovely sea views. Just to the east, in the rocky cliffs, there are 140 million-year old dinosaur prints, which provide much fascination for little ones.
Sagres itself is within a 5-10 minute drive/taxi (do book a return as taxi a few and far between) trip from the hotel and boasts a handy supermarket, pretty square and a cluster of decent seafood and Italian restaurants.
Getting There: The airport at Faro is approx. 53 miles (75minutes drive). Taxi transfers can be arranged for an additional cost ( varies with size of party). Faro is served by low-cost airlines from most UK regional airports. Try www.skyscanner.net, which BFB finds is a handy reference guide to who flies where and when.
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Check-in time: 14:00
Check-out time: 11:00
Reservation Deposit: 50%
Balance: 60 days prior to arrival
Check-in time: 14:00
Check-out time: 11:00
Reservation Deposit: 50%
Balance: 60 days prior to arrival
Check-in time: 14:00
Check-out time: 11:00
Reservation Deposit: 50%
Balance: 60 days prior to arrival
click to view full-size image
Martinhal is not a chain or part of a faceless corporation, it has been developed by Roman and Chitra Stern, who have young children themselves. Their first hand insight is reflected in small but sensitive touches such as the trampoline placed beneath the beach restaurant terrace, which allows parents to enjoy an evening drink without having to entertain bored little ones.
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Luxury Villa 92 sleeps 10+cots in 5 x double bedrooms with 4 bathrooms. |
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 | Faro airport is 90 minutes drive away. |
| Faro airport is 90 minutes drive away. |
 | numerous beaches with a short drive |
 | The resort is set on a long stretch of fine sandy beach which, despite the frequent wind, is surprisingly generally calm and shallow |
 | The resort has three restaurants, a snack bar, deli and grocery store which stocks some baby formulas and jars, |
 | There are four swimming pools set around the grounds of which two are best suited to families. These are the pool above the 'Village Square' which is heated and both indoor & outdoor and the main pool set below the hotel and overlooking the bay. This pool has a dedicated toddler pool adjacent plus a juice and snack bar offering poolside service. Each of the pools are safely gated and furnished with huge beanbags, which are great for snuggling kids under an umbrella for a snooze. |
 | The Finisterra spa boasts six treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna and a relaxation garden. |
 | The games room has games consoles, pool tables, air hockey and table football. The creche and kids club are extremely well equipped with good quality play gear but charged by the hour. |
 | Martinhal offers a section of kids clubs for ages 2.5-18 comprising 'Raposinos' for 2.5-4yrs olds, 'Foxes' for 6-8yr olds, Explorers & Adventure Club for 9-18 year olds. Raposinos is open year-round with sessions 9.30-12.30/12.30-14.30/14.30-17.30. Prices start for 25 Euros per 3hr session. Prebooking is recommended. |
 | A babysitting service is available on request (min.24hrs notice) for an hourly rate. Max. 2 children under six per babysitter. |
 | The resort can provide a cot, sterliser, bed guards, highchairs, a stroller ( +6 months), potty, baby bath, door protectors and thermometer. |
 | The fantastic creche/kids club is filled with great quality contemporary toys and art gear, whilst the Blue Room/Game Room has games consoles, air hockey and pool tables etc. All accomodation has flat screen TVs and access to kids channels. DVDs are available to rent. |
 | The games room has games consoles, pool tables, air hockey and table football. |
 | A meal delivery service offering pizza etc. is available at the resort. |
 | There's a huge sandpit area and trampoline, plus a fabulous gated kids playground area with slides, swings and play fort. |
 | For children aged 6-30 months, there is a dedicated crèche offering 1:3 childcare by a team of qualified child minders and managed by a native English speaker. The creche is open year round with rates from 27 Euros per 3hr session. Rates subject to change. |
 | The resort has a choice of restaurants. The beach restaurant, pool cafe and great quality pizza and pasta place in the 'Village Square' offer good kids menus, whilst the hotel's formal restaurant is best kept for glamorous baby-sitting assisted nights! |
 | stairgates can be provided on request. |
 | 1bed Garden houses come with either gardens or roof terraces. |
 | Complimentary Wifi is available |
 | The resort is equipped with two high-grade artificial grass tennis courts and two glass-sided PADEL courts. There's also an excellent watersports school and a football academy runs on selected dates. |
 | There's a small but well-equipped gym in the village square |
 | Up to two cots and highchairs can be provided on request. |
 | There is a daily maid service. |