Martinhal 5 Star Family Resort, Sagres - Is it worth it?

At the start of the month we spent four glorious days in Martinhal Resort, Sagres on the Algarve in Portugal. Martinhal has won many awards over the years, and being a 5 star resort it's obviously not cheap - but is it worth it?

If you are considering whether Martinhal is the right place for your well earned family holiday, here's a little of what you can expect.

Accommodation:
Top marks for the beautifully designed accommodation. From villas, to houses, to pods and a hotel - the resort really does cater for every preference. With custom designed furniture and balconies overlooking beautiful views, it's hard to fault it. I even went around taking pictures of the rugs and cushions so that I could try to recreate the look at home (never going to happen).

Pj downtime.

Balcony 1 for sunrise

Balcony 2 for sunset

Facilities:
If you are a pool person you will be spoiled for choice. With three different outdoor pools and one half-in \ half-out you won't get bored.

Beside the main pool is the beach, table tennis, volleyball, trail bikes and a playground.

Sports:
If sports are your thing then kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, surfing, yoga, cycling and a ton of other options are available.

Spa:
Taking time out for yourself is essential and the Finisterra Spa comes highly recommended (by me). An oasis of calm and luxury. Well worth a visit!

Bars and restaurants:
There are three restaurants on site. Los Gambozinos is a casual Italian in the main square that boasts a huge play area outside. Kids come and go between the playground and restaurants as they please and waiters and waitresses are well practised in the art of not just not tripping over them, but tickling, feeding, cajoling and caring for them too. Christine gets an extra special mention from us - so loved was she by the kids that they insisted on returning for hugs with her on our last night.

The M bar, also in the main square, serves amazing frozen margaritas which you can sip from a hammock whilst watching the kids play outside. Holiday heaven.

O Terraco is the resorts fine dining  restaurant and As Dunas serves the freshest seafood overlooking a second playground that the older children can run up and down to. 

Best of all - no matter where you are, no one bats an eyelid at typical kid behaviour. Here's the youngest conked out in the very plush surroundings just to prove the point.

Kids Clubs:
For many parents kids clubs are a life line. But for many parents family holidays are just that - to spend time with the family. Martinhal gives us the best of both world with kids clubs running for a few hours each day - letting the children run off steam and allowing parents that little window of peace that makes the rest of the holiday so much more enjoyable.

For older children there is lots on offer too - with indoor playrooms, playstations, music and wifi throughout the site. They also have the option of day long surfing courses among lots of other offerings.

Beaches
On top of all that there are the beautiful beaches wherever you go. Hire a car, or a bike and head off exploring.

Martinhal makes holidays easy and fun - even with three kids who want different things and a frazzled parent or two.

Worth it? I'd say so.

Even waiting to pay becomes fun!

More about our stay.

Disclosure: We stayed at Martinhal Family Resort in Sagres as guests of the resort for 4 nights in one of their Pinewood homes. I retain all editorial control of this review and all images and opinions are my own.

5 Star Family Fun in Portugal with Martinhal

I'm lying by the pristine pool in the sunshine considering whether to order a coffee or a cocktail. It's a big decision.

There's a father with a young child bobbing around in the water singing Hakuna Mattata while another balances a bucket on his head. There are mothers cuddling babies and mothers sleeping on sun loungers. There are families playing together and couples bonding. There are toddlers learning to swim and children safely discovering their independence.

As I look around me surveying the scene I realise - Martinhal is all things to all families. Whatever it is you are looking for from your holiday - you'll find it here.

Martinhal Family Resort in Sagres prides itself in being one of Portugal's leading family resorts, and it's not hard to see why. From the moment we were picked up by Roi our driver - who introduced himself to each of us, and on hearing we were from Ireland addressed us in Irish!, we knew we were going somewhere special. The journey from Faro is about 80 minutes, just enough time for an in-car movie for the kids - which of course they got to choose themselves.

And that's the other thing about Martinhal - they get kids. From the playgrounds located right beside the restaurants to the box of toys they will deliver to your house. Everything is thought of and provided for - almost before you even know yourself that you need it.

Arriving at reception for check in we were handed refreshments from a silver tray and the excited kids got to mess about on a conveniently located elephant while we were given all the information.

Our accommodation was a large two floor home, beautifully designed and so restful it was hard to prise myself away from it each day.

The two balconies allowed you to watch the sun rise on one side and set on the other. Each morning I got up early to take my coffee out and watch the day dawn over the endlessly peaceful national park. A truly special time.

Visiting the 5* resort at the beginning of October meant that there were a large number of families with younger children there - making the most of the out of term time offers and availability. But there really is something for every one at every age.

The kids clubs run all year round and give parents those few hours of peace each day that mean everyone gets what they need from the holiday. The facilities and what's on offer are extensive - all of which will need their own post.

We spent a large part of our four night stay by the main pool area. Located right beside the beach it had everything we needed and more. The kids spent most of their time jumping in and out of the pool, running down the steps to play volleyball or table tennis on the sand, or popping over the the playground complete with trampoline - returning only when they were hungry.







Lunch meant a short stroll down the beach to a little cafe, or an even lazier order from the pool bar. Another tough decision.

As it was October the weather was mixed so I made the most of the cloudy periods by booking in for some guilt free treatments at the Finestra Spa. Divine! After a steam room, cold shower and full body massage I wasn't sure I would ever be able to get up again to leave. But I just about did, and even managed to book a mother and daughter facial for the next day.

Kaya was beside herself with excitement and it was such a lovely thing to be able to share with her. We both came out glowing and she declared it her favourite moment of the whole holiday. Win.

I also managed to squeeze in some Yoga which was perfectly suited to the stillness of the beautiful surroundings. Namaste.

On our last day I took the boys off exploring on bikes. As someone with possibly the worst sense of direction on the planet this may have been foolish - but with a handy map to guide me \ get lost on - we somehow made it over to Tonal Beach to watch the surfers and have an ice cream before heading back for our last afternoon by the pool.

My evenings were spent devouring delicious local seafood, tasting fantastic regional wines and sipping on cocktails. Two of the three restaurants onsite exceeded expectations, with only the O Terraco fine dining experience letting the side down a little.

We also ventured into Sagres town one evening - a short walk along the beach away, and happened upon an amazing restaurant - Villa Velha, where I feasted on the freshest John Dory laced with garlic and anchovy butter - a meal I won't forget in a hurry.

I asked other couples at the resort what their honest opinion of the place was. One mother with a five month old baby boy answered in a heartbeat - 'I'm coming here every year until he moves out'. And I don't even think she was joking. She told me that she had been suffering with such sleep deprivation over her teething baby that she was worried they wouldn't be able to enjoy the break at all. When they mentioned this to Martinhal they were given an upgrade - from one room to two - meaning that they could take it in turns to get some rest. I met her at yoga and then again at the Spa - looking very relaxed and happy - so I'd say the plan worked!

Another mother told me that Martinhal had delivered a box of toys to the house to keep her two little ones occupied - making it less 'holiday home' and more 'home away from home'. Everyone I spoke to was delighted with the resort, the staff and the holiday they had paid their hard earned money on.
When pushed for any negative the only thing any of the people I spoke to could come up with was that the paths were a bit bumpy for the prams....So a pretty good record all round I'd say!

Memories of Martinhal will include sunshine and sea food, yoga and beautiful sunrises, bonding and bikes, games and relaxation, frozen margaritas and striped hammocks,

Now, when can we go back?

Disclosure: We stayed at Martinhal Family Resort in Sagres as guests of the resort for 4 nights in one of their Pinewood homes. I retain all editorial control of this review and all images and opinions are my own.