Memmo Baleeira, Near Sagres, Algarve, Portugal - Explore & Book
"The onetime Hotel Da Baleeira, constructed with clean lines in 1962, has become the striking Memmo Baleeira after an award-winning, Pop-Arty makeover. This is the first hotel venture for the young Memmo brand - an oasis of calm in a scenery of sheer cliffs and crashing waves, awash with light and ocean views. Interiors are airy and minimalist, with a sleek palette - white, brown, aqua blue - and a few designer pieces here and there (chairs by Tom Vac, lamps by Philippe Starck). The sphere is a recurring motif: spot it in ceilings, carpets, lights and sofas. There's a big lounge for wet days, with books, comfy chairs and a huge wall TV, and balconies and terraces for superb sunsets over dazzling seas. Rooms and suites are spotless, the best looking out over the waves. Children will love splashing around in the outdoor pool on the terrace below; adults can chill out in the massage area. Surfers have the windswept coast to discover; beachcombers have deserted sands. Steps lead down to the fishing harbour and sandy bay of Baleeira, and you can walk to the small shops and restaurants of Sagres. Highs Fabulous for crashing waves and sunsets (the hotel even has its own surf centre), and within walking distance of some of the least-spoiled beaches in Portugal A good option for family holidays, with interconnecting rooms, 1- and 2-bedroom suites, junior dive courses, an unsupervised kids' club and kids menusThere's a big pool with an ocean view, plus a little heated pool indoors Guests get complimentary use of the sauna and gym, and there are dozens of different treatments to choose from in the massage areaStaff have negotiated special offers at a range of nearby restaurants, so you can make the most of local cuisine Lows This is a large hotel (144 rooms) and has a slightly impersonal feel by i-escape standards - but its size means that availability is rarely a problemThe on-site restaurant lacks character, though we enjoyed the food when we last visitedThe beaches round here are windy, and the outdoor pool (unheated) never really warms up There have been recent reports of lacklustre serviceYou'll have to pay a refundable deposit for beach towels on arrival (they're refreshed every 3 days at no extra charge)" - Guy Hunter Watts
