I recently spent five nights at the Conrad Algarve in Portugal. Because I had retained very fond memories indeed of my last stay at this property in autumn 2016, I was really looking forward to staying here again. And my expectations were not disappointed.
From the moment I stepped out of my car, I was treated like royalty. (Valet parking is free of charge by the way). Check-in was super friendly. I was offered a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and informed that, as a Diamond member, my reservation for a standard room had been upgraded to a pool-view room. No upgrade to a higher room category or suite as the property was fully booked. The duty manager also came to welcome me personally as a Diamond member, showed me to the room, and spent a good five minutes or so explaining the features.
The hardware really is impressive. The rooms still feel fresh, are spacious with private balconies, and have the usual gadgets like a Nespresso machine and iPhone/iPod speakers. The bathroom featured a walk-in shower with rainshower head as well as a separate bathtub with a second television. The toiletries are--as usual at Conrad Hotels & Resorts--by Aromatherapy Associates.
A bottle of Portuguese red wine as well as a welcome note were also waiting in the room.
Being a Hilton Honors Diamond member pays off here, with the hotel granting the following perks:
- free breakfast in the restaurant (there is no executive lounge at this property)
- 1 tea ceremony OR 1 cocktail experience per stay
- complimentary use of the spa facilities
- complimentary bottle of wine when dining at Louro or Lago Restaurant
- complimentary high-speed internet
- complimentary water
- free daily newspaper
This is an impressive list. The tea ceremony is a typical high-tea/afternoon tea experience, with a selection of fine teas, scones, pastries, macarons and truffles to choose from. The cocktail experience consists of an introduction to cocktail making and ends with the bar staff fixing you a complimentary cocktail of your choice. Both are truly excellent loyalty benefits and I wish more properties offered something along these lines!
Breakfast was excellent both in terms of quantity and quality! I particularly enjoyed the extensive selection of fresh juices and fruit as well as what appeared to be local produce (cheese / sausages). Hot items ranged from full English to pancakes and waffles. Made-to-order omelettes were complimentary, too, with eggs benedict and some other made-to-order dishes costing around the 5€ mark. The service was very attentive and super friendly throughout, which went a long way in ensuring a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant despite the hotel being fully booked when I stayed.
There is a Michelin-starred restaurant, Gusto by Heinz Beck, onsite serving culinary delights. I didn't get to eat here unfortunately as I hadn't reserved a table ahead of time...
The Conrad Algarve features a number of outdoor and indoor pools, a 24/7 gym as well as saunas. There's also a tennis court--court and racket hire is complimentary. Again, the facilities are in excellent condition and the staff are very attentive and polite. For example, as soon as I settled in to lounge by the outdoor pools, I was offered complimentary bottled water in a bucket of ice.
For those interested in golf, the hotel is within minutes from the Quinta do Lobo courses. A dedicated golf concierge is available at the hotel to arrange tee times, lessons, club hire, etc.
No complaints here, just very fond memories of an excellent stay. The Diamond benefits are excellent at this property and actually saved me a substantial amount of cash (complimentary breakfast, spa access, tea/cocktail experience). The hardware is impressive, the staff treat you like royalty--I simply can't wait to return!
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