Upmarket Vilamoura is a great choice for a sophisticated Algarve stag do, especially for sporty parties. Home to some of the Algarve’s best golf courses and sports facilities, excellent hotels and a refined night scene – including a glitzy casino – Vilamoura is a cosmopolitan playground for the discerning stag.
Located 25 minutes from Faro airport and 20 minutes from party town Albufeira, Vilamoura is also on the doorstep of the exclusive resorts of Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago.
Set around an elegant marina, polished Vilamoura is a manmade resort with stunning natural attributes and chic and contemporary tourist facilities. Originally designed to cater to the golfing and sailing community, it also boasts first-rate beaches, lovely dune-fringed lagoons, fine dining restaurants and modern hotels. What it lacks in authentic character it makes up for in class, with the local infrastructure prizing accessibility and environmental sustainability to promote the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors.
Luxury lounge clubs and swanky beachside restaurants cater to the whims of the rich and famous who grace the resort with their yachts, making Vilamoura a place to see and be seen like few others in Portugal. But venture just a few kilometres out of Vilamoura and you’ll find some of the Algarve’s most traditional gems, such as authentic market-town Loulé and historic Faro. Vilamoura is also on the tip of the Ria Formosa natural park, which offers ample opportunity for water-sports like SUP, kayaking, boat trips and relaxing on deserted barriers islets.
The Aquashow Water Park is just a 10 minute drive down the road; Ikea and the Algarve Designer Outlet are 20 minutes’ drive away, the Almancil Karting track is 15 minutes’ by car, and the legendary Old Course golf course and prestigious Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, home to the Portugal Masters, are both less than five minutes down the road.
So you’ve decided distinguished Vilamoura is the place for you; now the question is where to stay? Take a look at our suggestions for Vilamoura’s best stag do hotels.
Browns Sports Resort
It’s the ultimate place to stay for sports-lovers. With 31 villas ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms, the resort’s excellent facilities, including full-size grass pitches, a volleyball sand pitch, multi-sports courts and an indoor and outdoor pool, make it a popular training camp for international top-flight sports clubs and athletes. A purpose-built sports resort with nearly 20 years’ experience, other facilities include a Health Club & Spa and a Sports Bar & Restaurant. It’s located a half-hour walk into town, or a 25 minute drive to Albufeira.
Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Algarve Resort
With its own concessioned beach on one side and the lavish marina on the other, the five-star Tivoli Marina Vilamoura kind of steals the show when it comes to frontline locations in Vilamoura. The grand looking hotel sets the benchmark for magnificence, a bubble of luxury within a glamorous oasis. Home to the famed Purobeach beach club and a five minute walk from Vilamoura Casino, the hotel also houses a fabulous spa, acclaimed restaurants, and spacious suites with sea, marina or mountain views. The beautiful Falésia Beach is a 20-minute walk away.
Pestana Vila Sol Vilamoura
An upscale resort by leading national hotel company Pestana, on the outskirts of Vilamoura. Complete with its own 27-hole golf course onsite and a free guest shuttle bus to the beach, the elegant Pestana Vila Sol is set in pine tree covered countryside, close to the AquaShow water park. A quiet and relaxing location just five minutes’ drive from Vilamoura Marina, it is perfect for a spot of golf or tennis with the buddies, and also has a gym, indoor and outdoor pools, and a Jacuzzi.
Hotel Vila Galé Ampalius
An imposing beachfront hotel, Hotel Vila Galé Ampalius is striking to look at and stunning to stay in. With a towering contemporary design, it also has a free golf shuttle, tennis court, on site dining and a spa. Overlooking Vilamoura Beach and Marina, Hotel Vila Galé Ampalius enjoys a privileged location right in the thick of the action in Vilamoura, just a short walk from the beach, marina and casino. This four-star hotel has 357 rooms and suits, most with sea views.
Hotel Apartamento do Golfe
Affording a little more privacy, the Hotel Apartamento do Golfe resort is laid-back low-rise lodging geared towards self-caterers. Located on the northern edge of Vilamoura, it is set in manicured gardens with a pool, walking distance to the Old Course and 3.3kms walking distance to the nearest beach. The 59 fully equipped apartments are light, bright, modern and airy, all have kitchenettes, while other facilities and services include a tennis court, bicycle hire and car hire.
The Old Village
If you don’t mind splashing out (and your fellow stags don’t mind doing so either) then book a stay at the legendary Old Village. Comprising around 180 privately-owned apartments and townhouses, the lovely village is a little community unto itself in Vilamoura, and includes a supermarket, á la carte restaurants and bars, and three swimming pools, all set in beautifully manicured gardens. The Old Village is centrally located and walking distance to most of Vilamoura’s main attractions, striking the perfect balance between traditional charm and modern comfort.
Dom Pedro Marina Boutique Hotel & Golf
A seven minute walk to the beach and five minute walk to the casino, the handsome, four star Dom Pedro Marina Boutique Hotel & Golf has a distinctive, pyramid-like architecture, overlooking Vilamoura marina. The hotel has an informal vibe, with free parking and breakfast, a hotel Jacuzzi as well as swimming pools, on-site eateries and its own summer beach restaurant.
Luna Olympus
With some lively bars right beneath it, you don’t have to go far to get the party started at the Luna Olympus. A large, if somewhat retro-looking hotel on the eastern corner of Vilamoura Marina, this casual four-star apart-hotel is right in the thick of the action. Just one street back from the Marina, the Luna Olympus also offers free transfers to the local golf courses.
Visit our website for more tips for a great Stag Do in the Algarve.
