Vilar do Golf by Diamond Resorts

A striking Portuguese villa covered in peach stucco, and set in a verdant garden with mature trees, the Vilar do Golf makes a good first impression. Inside, the hotel’s lobby is less impressive, with its walls clad in generic wood panelling, and pleather couches and bucket chairs scattered about. The hotel’s bar is a large and bright spot with floor-to-ceiling windows taking up most of the wall, and light marble floors, while the hotel’s restaurant is a more intimate space with a blond-wood floor and attractive oak furniture. In a sunny atrium with a great glass roof is the hotel’s indoor pool, while stairs lead down from a terrace to a patio with a curving dark-wood and steel bar, and a large, freeform pool. The hotel tends to attract tourists looking to hit the fairways.

The Vilar do Golf is ideally located for visitors looking to spend time on the fairway , as the hotel is a quick two-minute walk from the 18-hole Quinta do Lago Sul golf course, and the Four Seasons Fairways is a six-minute walk in the other direction. However, guests who view golf as a good walk spoiled may find themselves at a loose end somewhat, as there is little else in walking distance. However, the hotel is on the edge of a gorgeous nature reserve. It’s a 10-minute drive to the golden sands of the Praia da Quinta do Lago, and Faro is a 25- to 30-minute drive away. Expect transfers to Faro Airport to take 25 minutes by car.

The hotel has 61 large, well-equipped apartments, each is set in its own little villa-style building with a door onto the street, giving the apartments a private feel. Inside, the apartments are all bright and modern, featuring whitewashed walls, creamy tile floors, and faux brickwork accents. Some are duplexes, where upstairs has two bedrooms, and downstairs feature open plan kitchen/living rooms. Regardless, beds are comfy, the oak furniture is attractive, and lounge areas have smart couches, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and armchairs. Behind the couches are dining areas and sleek kitchens with full-size fridges, ovens, stovetops, dishwashers, kettles, toasters, and coffeemakers as well as the usual crockery and cookware. Out back are spacious terraces with wrought-iron furniture and wooden pergolas, leading to a shared garden. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and magnifying mirrors, and some add second bathrooms with walk-in shower cubicles. All apartments have air-conditioning and safes.

Although not near the beach (10-minute drive), there are still many on-site amenities at the Vilar do Golf to keep guests occupied. Many guests choose the property for the special access to the Quinta do Lago South and North golf courses. Two pools consist of one set in a sunny, glass-roofed atrium, and the other outdoors with a great dark-wood and steel bar serving drinks and light snacks. Note that neither are heated. The restaurant, Bobby Jones, serves well-reviewed fare all day and has outdoor seating overlooking the golf course. A spa offers treatment rooms for massages and wellness therapies, as well as a sauna. A decently equipped gym is outfitted with treadmills, cross trainers, and cycles, as well as free weights and a weights machine. There are also a hair and nail salon. Children can pass their days in a kids' club in a charming wooden chalet filled with giant toys, video games, and books. On the downside, Wi-Fi incurs a fee.