Sublime Comporta Country Retreat & Spa

This place is an oasis of calm & serenity in an albeit calm & serene (apart from some construction across the road) part of Portugal. The "resort" has it all, amazing accommodation (we stayed in a villa, if you get a shot and you like to look out over nothing, ask for 34) , impeccable service, lovely bar, quality food, a really amazing beach club etc. High end, top dollar but worth it. Comporta. My one gripe. It's agricultural around the resort. There are rice fields everywhere. That alas equals mosquitoes. All five of us got bites at various times and covered in citrus repellent. Without mosquitoes its a 6 out of 5. Comporta town is a mix of rustic, cool, high end restaurants and down to earth bars. Some good shopping for those who don't own enough Hamptons like gear (there are plenty of cool Portugese brands and shops). I wish I would remember the name of the fish restaurant in the middle of town where we had Sardines. So good. One other thing, its not "remote" but its a solid 1.5 hours to Lisbon and its all motorway to get there, short of a couple of rest stops there isn't much on the way in. So, amazing resort, relatively unspoiled but that will change, more resorts, more people are coming. Its a place to relax (spa, pool, eat, beach !) and chill (well it was for us!).

We were so very excited about our trip to the sublime Comporta but we were so very disappointed. We booked the trip with our family to celebrate a milestone birthday. When I made the booking I was very clear that we would be coming with our 2 children ages 7 and 8, and I was assured the hotel was friendly but it’s definitely not. We booked a 3 bedroom villa with a pool but the pool was ICE cold so the kids couldn’t swim in the villa pool. So we headed up to main pool which was warmer but we were told the kids weren’t allowed to swim in that pool. The staff was rude and directed us to this tiny pool by the reception which was also freezing and there was not really a place to sit as parents. When we checked in no one mentioned these rules so we were surprised and our kids disappointed in the moment. I completely understand if a hotel is not kid friendly and does not want children there, but at least be honest about it before having a family travel for hours to visit your resort. There’s even a whole kids page on the website about children’s activities which would lead one to believe that kids would be welcome. We will definitely not be coming back nor recommending this hotel to others.

We stayed in the master room villa which consisted of 3 rooms with a private pool for these 3 rooms. The room was very nicely designed and had a nice terrace where you could relax. The staff were very kind and helpfull. We will definitely go back.

The natural setting and the design of the hotel are both absolutely stunning, hidden in between pine trees and beautiful lush gardens, this hotel is a real gem! The food and beverage is also great, one of the nicest breakfast buffets and also with fresh egg dishes and special drinks that can be ordered from the menu at no additional cost. The staff is very attentive and genuinely kind and helpful. Dont miss the hotel’s beach club that is also impressive, both for its setting on a beautiful beach and the fabulous food! The best hotel we have experienced in Portugal!

What to like: Breakfast was very nice and up to the standards of a luxury hotel. Service was excellent, perhaps a notch above the usually expected service. The PR level at this hotel is remarkably friendly and courteous. The garden has some unique and carefully manicured combination of greens (colours and sizes) and zen grated sand and the garden paths are carefully bordered by dried pine needles. I’ve known gardens in five continents, and this is still wonderful and relaxing. We had dinner once at the hotel and i believe the smoked eel (appetizer) and the Lobster rice were worthy of a Michelin restaurant. There are no specific luxury clichés, as opposed to many other 5-star hotels. Though luxury is a feeling expressed by the surroundings. The whole hotel breathes an atmosphere of rustic upscale welcoming smile and quietness. Definitely a place to revisit. A criticism and some small hassles: 1. Biopools are and cleaned every 4x4 months - minimum 2 complete days (Nov / Mar/ Jul ?). Whenever booking a "Biopool room" guests should be informed it will be impossible to use the balcony and pool on their chosen stay. No one is basking in the sun or swimming while the plants are being cut and some hours later removed. Even less with a scuba-dier scrubbing the bottom of the pool for several hours. We might decide not to book or get a discount. In fact one is paying for a benefit which is entirely taken away and out of reach. Since we were lucky enough to chose those exact cleaning two days, were were reduced, I and my wife, to keep the curtains closed most of the time. I suggested at the reception, that this type of work as much as possible should be pushed into the first 2-3 hours of the morning during breakfast time. Even if such a change might imply working an extra week. 2. All the lights in the room should be controlled from the beds. 3. I fail to see the reason why bidets are unavailable – it’s not for lack of space and we have to take a shower each time we use the toilet. 4. The bedside Chinese Ming blue and white table vases hold an unequivocal presence and should be kept for their aesthetic impact but somehow an effort would be appreciated to add up 2-3 small drawers perhaps embedded and half-hidden on the top-sides of the bed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A big not-to-like and some small