Pestana Vila Sol Golf Resort

Pestana Vila Sol Golf Resort sits in Vilamoura, with its 27-hole course forming the focus of a five-star Algarve resort stay. The 140 rooms and suites are spread between the main hotel building and the surrounding resort, including 45 Garden Suites, three Vila Sol Suites and a Presidential Suite. Golf is close at hand throughout the day, while Green Pines serves international cooking from breakfast until dinner. Bar Prime looks across the lake from its terrace, a good place for a drink after an afternoon round. An indoor pool, jacuzzi and massages in the Magic Wellness area offer a slower pace, and golfers can keep their equipment in on-site lockers between games.

Donald Steel’s layout is divided into Prime, Challenge and Prestige, giving the resort three distinct nine-hole loops and several 18-hole combinations. Prime measures 3,544 yards from the white tees and places a premium on tee shots that carry both distance and direction. Its 6th is a par 5 where lakes influence the approach to the green. Challenge, at 3,447 yards, shifts the examination towards its heavily shaped putting surfaces, particularly when a downhill putt is left above the hole. Prestige is the shortest loop at 3,414 yards, though its confined fairways and natural terrain still demand care from the tee. The course’s early standing was underlined when it staged the Portuguese Open in consecutive years, 1992 and 1993.

A driving range and an all-grass academy area, around 328 yards from the clubhouse, make it straightforward to loosen up before playing. Tuition and clinics are available through the golf academy, with coaching technology used to work on particular areas of the game, and hire clubs are available. Tennis courts, a fitness room, games room and bicycle hire fill time away from the fairways. Vilamoura Marina is about five minutes away by car, with the beach around seven minutes away. Faro Airport is the nearest for arrivals, with the transfer taking roughly 25 minutes.