Blog Post
Pine Cliffs, A Luxury Collection Resort
Clare Fisher • Feb 22, 2019
Europe's Best, Luxury, Ocean View Resort, 2018
We arrived into Faro airport mid February, which is just a thirty minute drive from Pine Cliffs, A Luxury Collection Resort. With the weather and temperatures back home in the UK, we were not expecting to arrive to beautiful blue skies, lots of sun and temperatures in the high teens, that felt in the 20's during the daytime. It was cold in the morning before the sun came up and we needed a jumper at sunset, but it was perfect through the day. We were able to sunbathe and we caught the sun, but it wasn't quite warm enough to get us jumping in the cold sea. The kids did spend a bit of time in one of the many outdoor pools at the resort, but with so many other things to do, it wasn't a priority for this trip.
Overall, Pine Cliffs Resort feels very private, safe and quiet. We visited during off season, so naturally it was quieter than it would be during peak season, but with it's size and layout, I can't imagine it ever feeling too busy. The entrance itself is a short drive or walk off the main road, after which you come to the entrance gates, where you will always find security standing. When you enter the huge grounds, it is like entering a large community or village, with different types of accommodation and attractions or services dotted throughout. The reception to the hotel is a short walk from the entrance. It took us a few days to get our bearings but reception will provide you with a map, so don't worry too much about this.
Our Room
We love hotel rooms but you can't beat having an apartment as a family! Staying in this kind of accommodation, we had plenty of room, a large outdoor balcony with seating, a fully equipped kitchen to prepare even simple things like a snack and drink if you don't want to cook, a dining area to sit and eat when we wanted to stay in, a large bath and shower room and separate areas to sleep in! Hallelujah! Until recently we co-slept with the children, so this setup was perfect for us. When we were ready, we called for someone to come and make up the sofa bed, which was great because it meant it didn't stay up all day and we had the extra space. With just a wall separating us from the children, we had enough space to feel like we had some us time but with leaving the door open, the children also didn't feel too far away and we were still able to hear each other. The kids had their own T.V. with English cartoons but not just any cartoons, Cartoon Network! Every child will tell you this is the best channel EVER! Amazing for us, because the kids actually enjoyed coming back to the room and going to bed after a day of fun, so that they could watch a little before bed. Last but not least, everything was spotlessly clean and immaculate, almost like it had never been used before. There is a variety of different accommodation available but click here
to see more about Pine Cliffs Gardens.
Mimo Algarve - Family Cooking Class
One of our favorite experiences during our time at Pine Cliffs Resort, was without a doubt, our family cooking class at the famous Mimo Algarve. It is not every day you get to spend time learning from the best of the best in the industry! Chef Lucia Ribeiro, brings not only years of experience working in several Michelin star restaurants, she also brings the biggest and warmest character with heaps of charisma, which will make everyone's day! Lucia and her staff are like magicians, somehow making the task of cooking everyone food, seem like everything but a chore. I absolutely love cooking but as a busy working mum, who insists on cooking home cooked meals from scratch, almost every night, it's easy for it to lose it's fun. Its then even harder to involve the children, because I am always in such a rush, which is difficult, because cooking really is one of their favourite things to do! The only thing better than seeing them get dressed up in their little
chef clothing, was seeing them super excited to cook, with big smiles on
their faces. It felt great to be excited about cooking again, with everything planned and led by the MIMO team but executed perfectly, by all of us working as a team.
When we arrived, we were introduced, the kids handed fresh juice, while we were handed a glass of beautiful
sparking pink wine, which melted away any of the anxiety we had left
from busy life in the UK. When I first heard we would be making three courses, it felt a little daunting but between all of us and with the kind of dishes we prepared, it definitely felt like we did more socializing than we did cooking. Lucia actually takes the children off to prepare dessert for you, as the chefs help the children prepare the ice cream from scratch at the start of the class, this meant we were able to finish our food in peace. The fact that Lucia sits down to dinner with the whole family when you've all finished cooking, is such a lovely touch to the class, and of course you don't have to do any washing up!
The dishes cooked in the class, were traditional Portuguese dishes, cooked in a traditional way, using only the freshest of ingredients. We all huddled over the mouthwatering appetiser, which was so simple to cook, and we tucked into it over conversation and wine, while our main finished cooking. Maddie proudly brought our dishes over to us, and we all sat down, before digging into a delicious seafood and Iberian pork, cataplana. By the time you have cleared your famous in-house cake, the children will probably be running around happily in the lemon square outside, while you clear your palette with a beautiful dessert wine, reflecting on just how good the food you just ate was!Of course, there are plenty of other courses to choose from if you don't fancy a family class, including children only classes where they get to mix with other children, there is a Michelin Star Secrets Class, Luxe Wellness and many more! Click here to see more about MIMO Algarve. You can find out more about the dining options at the resort by clicking here.
Serenity - The Art of Well Being Spa
We have personally experienced different treatments, from different spa's all over the world. It's very rare we don't enjoy a treatment and when that enjoyment is at the forefront of your mind, it can be difficult to compare with others from months or even years previous, so I am always really careful with my words when it comes to this. What I am sure about, is that this is the most unique and one of the most luxurious treatments
I have had to date. Click here
to go to the website and see details, of the eighty minute, 'Senses Of The Algarve'
treatment I had. I would recommend this, if you're looking for something different, local, relaxing and luxurious. It is a three step treatment, that involves an exfoliating scrub to begin, followed by a body wrap. The handmade mixture of local ingredients, which I can only describe as feeling like warm chocolate, are rubbed over your entire body, before the wrap is placed over you. Although this felt strange at first, the wrap was actually my favourite part of the treatment. The time you are left to relax in it with the calming music, is pure bliss. The treatment is finished with a relaxing massage before you are shown to the relaxation area for some beautiful tea. Every step of the treatment uses fresh local ingredients, even in your tea at the end. They walk you through and explain each step and talk about the produce, so you just know that you will not have this experience, anywhere else.
The spa facilities are superb and luxurious but also finished perfectly. Such attention to detail with even real gold covered walls in some areas. There were so many features and areas, you could easily spend a few full days enjoying them. Even though the resort overall feels very peaceful, with no children allowed in this area, it gives you a space for some adult only time. We both left feeling like we had in fact experienced, Europe's Best Wellness Spa.
Experiences
During the summer and festive months, it is worth checking out what kids programmes are on featuring tennis, basketball and more. You can get involved with these if you're looking for family fun but there are also so many supervised activities for the kids to choose from, with everything from Aquaball to Nerf Competitions to Football. Although the supervised kids club is not available out of season, you are still able to enjoy this area, along with the various sport areas. There is a games room with favourites like air hockey, right next to the Corda Cafe, if you can get them out of one of the many pools dotted throughout the resort. You won't be able to miss 'Porto Pirata' as you're walking through the resort, the children's village with various fun areas, and a playground including life size wooden pirate ships. In this area there are seasonal supervised activities like face painting, treasure hunts and water games but we had heaps of fun in these areas as a family out of season, having the area to ourselves.
We never found ourselves without something great for the family to do out of season. With Pine Cliffs being a golf resort, you can enjoy their immaculate nine hole course if you're a beginner or more advanced, but if you want to get the whole family involved, they have an amazing mini-golf course! It is very well designed with trees providing almost constant shade and a super fun 18 hole course.
If you fancy a change of scenery for lunch or dinner, you can request a picnic to enjoy in some of the many beautiful spots throughout the resort. Our favorite area to sit and relax was on the grass area under the trees, before the cliff elevator. The kids loved kicking the ball around this open area and they played hide and seek for ages! See more about the children's activities here.
Location And Surrounding Area
Pine Cliffs Resort is located in a breathtaking position along the Algarve coastline, with dramatic colourful cliffs and pristine beaches. You can enjoy incredible ocean views from many places in the resort but you can also access the beach via a stairwell and lift, which leads to a wooden walkway, to a private area of the beautiful beach.
We enjoyed daily full English breakfast buffet, which featured many of the kids favorite's like pancakes and Nutella, made to order customer omelettes and fresh fruit but the options were endless. If you can drag yourself away from one of the many dining options at the resort, literally just outside the resort and all along the main street, there are a variety of restaurants, cafes and bars. Conveniently, just opposite the resort, there is a supermarket and a pharmacy just down the road.
You can drive from one end of Portugal to the other in a few hours, so it's relatively small if there are different areas you are looking to visit. It would be rude not to explore, at least some of the Instagram worthy spots, within an hour drive of Pine Cliffs. Our first stop was Praia Da Marinha, around half an hour from the resort, famous for the hidden heart formation that can be found within the rocks. We all really enjoyed trying to find this, check out our 'Portugal' stories on Instagram to see some photos of this area. Next stop was Ponta Da Piedade and Praia Da Batata, both featured below. Praia Da Batata was probably the children's favourite, because of the many caves on the beach but I would recommend visiting all spots if you get the chance. There were many more we wanted to see, but these were our top picks!
We do not earn money when you click the links above. We were paid by Pine Cliffs, to put together a video and other social media content, during a complimentary stay with them. We were asked to give an honest review and put together some helpful information for anyone interested in staying there. If you enjoyed this, or it has been useful to you, please let us know :) Thank you!
Welcome to a tropical paradise that feels like a dream brought to life - Kuramathi, the stunning island jewel nestled within the turquoise waters of the Maldives. As if painted onto the canvas of the Indian Ocean, this idyllic destination boasts unparalleled beauty, where sugar-white sandy beaches meet swaying palm trees, and vibrant coral reefs teem with a kaleidoscope of marine life. Whether you seek blissful relaxation, thrilling water adventures, or simply a tranquil escape from the bustling world, Kuramathi offers an enchanting sanctuary that captivates the heart and soul of every traveler fortunate enough to grace its shores. Here we will unveil the allure and magic of this extraordinary island, where tranquility and natural wonders intertwine to create an unforgettable Maldivian experience.
Wigwam Holidays are a company that offer incredible glamping experiences in over 80 stunning locations in the UK. Being from Wales and wanting to see more of it, we chose the famous Aberystwyth...
You may remember that we spent some time here at Pine Cliffs, A Luxury Collection Resort, back in Winter 2019 ( you can read our blog from this visit here ). It was by far, one of the most luxurious experiences we've ever had, really living up to that award as Europe's Best Luxury Family Resort. That European luxury just oozes a different kind of class when done right and they have really nailed it at Pine Cliffs . We always knew we would return, and this time, we wanted to experience the resort and its offerings, during the Summer Season.
It was a well kept secret until launch day, so it's a day you probably didn't all know you were waiting for, but one you will be glad is finally here, easyJet Holidays has launched! One of the things we get asked the most is, "how are you able to travel so much, with children in school and busy working lives?" One of the things we do, is make the most of our free time by traveling at the weekends! easyJet make this possible for over 20 million of their customers, with more weekend flying than anyone else, but we all still spend a lot of time planning our travels! easyJet holidays are offering us all a solution to our planning paralysis, by giving us the option of pairing easyJet flights, with Europe's most loved hotels!
If you have always dreamed of witnessing the stunning natural beauty of Iceland, you've probably already had a little browse for flights and hotels online. You may recognize one or two brands in the Reykjavik area, but for the most part, the hotel scene in Iceland is quite unique, with different kinds of privately owned properties, dotted sparsely in different areas. For these reasons, you have to do your research, but don't worry guys, we did it all in preparation for our visit! That's right, we looked at all the hotels, their reviews, their food, their facilities, prices and where they are located in relation to Iceland's most popular tourist spots. We quickly realized, that you can either choose somewhere to get your head down, or you can pick a hotel that will totally enhance your experience, and that is exactly what Hotel Ranga did. This is not the only fantastic hotel on the island, but it was our top pick! One of our community said it best, after we shared The Hotel Ranga experience through Instagram.....
If you are frequent flyers like our family, consistently searching for flights out of different UK airports, you may have noticed some competitive flight fares going out of Luton in recent months. Despite having never flown from Luton before, we didn't hesitate to snap up some great deals from this airport! Wales has only one international airport, which has been in decline for many years. Although things seem to be looking up for Cardiff Airport recently, we still find the air fares pricey, and you're still limited with destinations. As a result, people who live in Wales are used to traveling to English airports to fly. Although Bristol and Birmingham are much closer, sticking on the M4 for an extra hour or two, doesn't feel like too much hassle for the extra options, and lower fares you can get from the London airports. If you're hesitant about flying from Luton, you really shouldn't be, especially if you've managed to bag yourself Courtyard by Marriott Luton's 'Park Here, Fly There' offer.
In this blog post, we share everything you need to know about hiring and driving a car in Iceland and why it's the best way to get around. We even include our itinerary!
So our job is literally to scour the globe looking for the most unique, quirky and luxurious accommodations and experiences, but we've been neglecting our home country, Wales. It is consistently ranked in the top ten most beautiful countries in the world, often making it into the top 5! Earlier this year, on deciding to make the UK our home base for the time being, we already committed to exploring it more while we are home, but so many people ask us, "where should we stay when we come to Wales?' and we never have an answer! With this in mind, we went out of our way to start searching for the countries coolest places and this is our first find! Do you ever fantasize about picking up your dream luxury house and setting in down in nature with no one else around, nothing but the sounds of birds, fresh trickling water from the stream and the trees blowing in the wind? Well you will be happy to know that this is exactly what you get with The Lake House. The house is set on 80 acres of private meadow and woodland, next to a natural stream and it's own private lake.
'Pirates Adventure' is a show that has entertained over 3 million customers in the last 30 years, featuring world class acrobatics and incredible gymnasts, all in a purpose built theatre! The theatre is a famous landmark in Mallorca and a mecca for tourists and residents alike. Built in 1985 on open ground, it has been continually adapted and updated, to provide a distinctive and atmospheric venue. Known as the 'Ultimate Dinner Show', you are taken on a magical journey, through a time when pirate's ruled the Seven Seas! The tickets include the show itself, a two course buccaneer's feast and unlimited drinks! This particular show is suitable for all ages, but there is also an adult version, if you're traveling without children. There are four different seating categories to choose from, to suit all budgets and there is even a VIP experience with a backstage or 'below deck' tour! When we were invited along to experience Pirates Adventure , Mallorca's number one show, I didn't know what to expect. Everyone I know that has ever been to this show, absolutely raves about it, including Ian, who went when he was younger. However, I just couldn't understand how it could be 'that good', looking at the size of the theatre, the ticket price and knowing that so much was included within the price, food and drinks etc. I figured it would probably just be a nice evening, with a bit of entertainment and some snacks......I couldn't have been more wrong!
We talked about our love for visiting Cities in a recent Instagram post. Full of life, culture, history, shops and mixed activities, they never fail to please us all! Dublin is a perfect example of this! It is also a great place to base yourself, if you want to explore other areas of Ireland. We only had the weekend and with so much we wanted to see, we didn't leave the City!