4 Best Hotels in The Algarve, Portugal

One of Albufeira's smartest resorts, Pine Cliffs is sleek in its design but packs in facilities to draw in a wide clientele. It offers activities ranging from golf and tennis to water sports, along with direct access to a lovely cliff-backed beach. Some of the guest rooms are decorated with traditional azulejo Portuguese tiles, while others are modern and chic. Decompress at the upscale Serenity Spa, or spend time at the internationally renowned Annabel Croft Tennis Academy.

If you think service should include a turned-down bed with chocolates on the pillow, then this is the place for you. Boasting one of the finest locations in Vilamoura, the large and luxurious Tivoli sits right on the beachfront. Facilities include seven restaurants, a large outdoor pool, and an indulgent spa.

Stylish rooms and suites have a decadent feel, and some boast indoor or outdoor whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. Outside you'll find beautifully landscaped gardens with a heated pool and access to a semi-private beach. Don't miss the hotel's eponymous restaurant: one of Portugal's most highly rated, helmed by a two-Michelin-star chef.

Within walking distance of Armação de Pêra, the cliff-top Vila Vita Parc is a spectacular resort combining opulent rooms, apartments, and villas, all elevated by Mediterranean and Moorish design touches. There's a range of indoor and outdoor pools, a cliff-backed private beach, a spa offering all kinds of luxurious treatments, and a highly rated restaurant (Ocean), which is well worth an added splurge.