VILACAMPINA GUESTHOUSE, THE ALGARVE

The symmetrical white-washed moorish architecture and the lone tall palm tree. The remote rural location. The simple and peaceful blue and white pool. Vilacampina has you at hello.

It’s a dreamy contemporary villa, the kind you wish someone in the family owned outright! But with the benefits of a hotel thrown in. The perfect location for outside living, with serene and relaxing interiors. Ideal! We left with the idea of booking all 9 rooms, which would be perfect for a return visit with friends or family.

Less than half an hours drive from Faro airport and we were being warmly welcomed to Vilacampina like returning friends. Swiftly were we installed with arrival drinks on the patio enjoying the last of the daylight. With a super speedy check in (no credit cards or passports needed here) we had our feet up relaxing on one of the behemoth bean bags breathing in deeply the perfume smell of orange groves as the daylight faded. The white-walled compound is buried deep in the countryside about 15 minutes west of Tavira. We were far from the hubbub and hum drum of everyday life. I would say that is the perfect start to any holiday and a lush location too.

Visiting the Algarve we were worried it would be full of Brits and busy with tourists. So we purposefully sought out somewhere remote and small to start our relaxation. I toyed with finding us a private villa or an AirBnB, but then I stumbled across Vilacampina. Best of both worlds! The other guests were clearly looking for the same sleepy and simple pace, but comfortably so. Vilacampina has the right balance of elegant, simple and luxurious. As we spent time at the property it became ever more obvious that the charming owner has put it together as it if is her home. It really feels like you are coming home if you stay here.

With dawn came sunshine. In fact sunrise was heralded by hens and cocks in the neighbouring small-holding! And we spied locals picking oranges in the grove our balcony looked over! Perfectly remote.

An impressive buffet breakfast is served from 9am. This is later than we normally rise and eat. It felt so decadent to have to doze for longer. It definitely reset our clocks immediately! And this is no ordinary guesthouse breakfast. It’s truly hotel spec, in quality and quantity. Tables are set out on the sun-drenched terrace and there’s large tables and big sofas inside the lounge. Start with the orange juice – delicious, there’s something special about Algarve oranges! Then tuck into the tempting spread of fresh fruit, breads and local jams, pastries, meats, fishes and eggs made to order. A healthy and relaxing start to the day.

Our favourite place to spend time was at the pool. We pretty much had it to ourselves whenever we were there, the other guests choosing to spend more time sight-seeing than us! Unusual for us, but for various reasons a lazy and sedate pace was just what we wanted! An 18 person hotel pool to ourselves was an impressive bonus to facilitate our relaxation! It’s all blues and whites and looks spectacular in the sunshine.

As well as sunbeds and parasols, there is also another enormous beanbag which I adopted as my preferred spot. So comfy to snuggle down on for a snooze wrapped in a beach towel. There’s also a day bed in the sunshine and seating in the shade, as well as an honesty bar should you need anything!

One evening we had a picnic supper by the pool, it really did feel like we were at a private villa! Popping to the supermarket to collect all the fresh fruit, salads and meats is always a good option for a quiet night in! A lovely spot to watch the sky turn pink and yellow, over the raspberry ‘white houses’.

There isn’t a restaurant onsite for lunch or dinner, although there are salad and sandwich options. Instead there is excellent choice in Santa Luiza and Tavira, as well as lunch on Barril beach.

The grounds are a lovely space. Each day we ambled along the path through the orange grove to and from the pool. I imagine further into the summer when the trees are in full leaf it would be blissful to lay out a beach towel in the dappled sun under a tree. The perfect spot for reading another book!

We had a large double room for our stay. When we booked, the suites were already taken or I would have had one of those as they have enormous sun terraces too! Our room was perfect for this stay. It was on the cosy side, but very comfortable and with elegant decor. And let’s face it, one doesn’t go to the Algarve to sit in a bedroom! We really were only there to sleep!

We particularly liked the little lavender bags on each pillow, such a neat and simple treat. The bathroom was modern and the Grohe shower excellent. Our terrace looked out over an orange grove and neighbouring terracotta roofs, it was the perfect spot for an after breakfast tea in the sunshine.

There are just 9 rooms, in large and elegant grounds. So there’s plenty of space for everyone to relax in privacy. This is the place to go to relax and reconnect. There is a genuine friendliness from all the staff, true personal service. We really felt at at home at Vilacampina throughout our stay which is the best recommendation I can give.

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