Family holidays in the sun at Martinhal Quinta

In May 2019, my (very) large tribe and I headed to the Algarve region of southern Portugal to spend a week at the Martinhal Quinta. Everyone agreed that this hotel was just great, both the 8 adults and the three children aged 7 years, 3 years and 7 months. Between entertainment for the little ones and activities for the grown-ups, resting by our swimming pool and a relaxing session in the hammam, we had a really delicious stay.

Upon arrival at Faro Airport, three vehicles brought us to the hotel gates in less than 30 minutes. The welcome was extremely warm and the children especially liked it as they received several small welcome gifts including backpacks that they used throughout their stay. As for the hotel itself, we immediately compared it to a sort of small village. Indeed, between its super cute common areas, its gardens that give the impression of being the last woman on earth, and the magnificent villas that offer a real sense of intimacy, the Martinhal Quinta really guarantees a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

The establishment offers rooms, suites and villas. Since there were many of us, we opted for the last option. So, I booked a two-bedroom villa and a three-bedroom villa. With their welcoming interior design, comfortable living space and quiet private outdoor areas, the villas were cocoons of happiness for the whole family.

Each villa had its own garden and private swimming pool and the bedrooms had direct access to the bathrooms. They therefore guaranteed us real privacy within the hotel and we particularly appreciated this. Special mention should be made of the fully equipped kitchens in both villas; we often ate there for lunch and they had everything we needed to prepare good meals for everyone.

All in all, the Martinhal Quinta really seems to have been created for families. In addition to cooking in the villas, it is possible to shop at the hotel’s supermarket, the Mercado Deli Bake, or to enjoy delicious food in one of the hotel’s two restaurants. While we often had lunch in our houses, we also had breakfast and dinner at the main restaurant, the O Terraço.

The services offered also met our expectations. Between the entertainment for the children during breakfast, the great massages that we were lucky enough to enjoy and the beach located just a stone’s throw from the hotel, every day was a real treat. It is also important to stress that families with children will not lack anything. Indeed, as we have seen, the hotel provides its guests with children’s beds, toilet seats adapted to the smallest children, bottle warmers and other small daily necessities.

We were looking for a restful and relaxing week, and that’s exactly what we experienced. We found that the hotel had two great looking kid clubs, the Raposinhos and the Fox club, but we didn’t use them because we really wanted to spend time together as a family. It’s good to know, though, that a babysitting service is also available if needed.

Bicycles and pedal boats were also available, but the week went by so quickly that we didn’t have the opportunity to use them. We preferred to take advantage of the swimming pools, swim in the nearby sea and go for beautiful walks to discover the region. Faro and its historical centre are less than 25 minutes away by car, so the hotel is the perfect starting point to discover the city.

Finally, some of us offered ourselves the services of a team of truly gifted masseurs and came away satisfied. After a good day in the sun, I loved going to the hammam, perfect for relaxing before a good night’s sleep. For sports enthusiasts who will be lucky enough to stay in this little paradise, the hotel also has a fitness room and a tennis court.

As mentioned earlier, we had lunch in the villas but had breakfast and dinner in the hotel restaurant. The Martinhal Quinta has two of them, the M-bar which is located by the main pool and mainly serves quick snacks, ice creams and cold drinks, and the O Terraço, the main restaurant.

As we have seen, many holidaymakers, like us, decide to eat at the latter. In the morning and in the evening, we were delighted with the dishes served there; I am thinking in particular of the absolutely perfect breakfast which allowed us to start the day in a joyful and good mood!

Finally, even though we preferred to take advantage of the hotel’s services, it’s a good idea to point out that the area around Faro, and the Algarve in general, is full of restaurants, from the most family-friendly to the most luxurious, and even a few starred ones.

Our stay at the Martinhal Quinta was like a dream. Whether you are a fan of water sports, nature walks, cultural discoveries or simply relaxing by the pool, I can’t recommend it enough. Luxurious but family-friendly, intimate and warm, it’s the ideal place to spend a great family holiday and forget about the daily routine during a stay under the sun.

Pascale