Sofitel Thalassa Vilalara Lagos

Nothing much more to add to previous reviews, all spot on, just had to give this place 10 out of 10! Fabulous hotel, wonderful grounds and beach, breakfast to die for, professional and friendly staff...what more could you ask for? Cheaper food/drink prices perhaps, but hey, this IS a 5 star hotel...I found it annoying to pay E5.50 for a litre of water but thats my only gripe, apart from that, sheer perfection. I probably wouldnt bring the kids here, any I saw were well behaved and very quiet but I think its more of a place for people to chill out and be pampered. If you feel like treatiing yourself, go to Vilalara, you wont regret it!

Have visited this tranquil hotel for the last six years as a health spa break and cannot praise enough the thalasso facilities, diet restaurant and very friendly staff who are there year after year. I have seldom experienced the quality of service that they provide. The rooms are set around the superb gardens in two storey white buildings and you have to walk to the reception (with free internet)and restaurants a short walk away. To my knowledge there are no sea view rooms but this is not detrimental as the long established gardens are beautiful. The hotel is set above a small secluded beach which requires a certain agility to walk down to. The Management of the hotel are very visible and take the time to speak to guests and take notice of any comments made. One of the drawbacks, or maybe not to some, is that there is not really a hotel lounge where you can socialise and so the evenings are very quiet, although the Vila Vita Parc is just across the road if you want a stroll and change of scenery and the town a 5 euro taxi ride away. The rooms and balconies are spacious and you see most people sat on the balcony in the evening with just the noise of the crickets and clink of glasses filled from the well stocked mini bars in the rooms. The hotel provides excellent musical entertainment during dinner on the terrace and afterwards whilst you have a drink in the bar. This is sometimes a classical guitarist or singer and keyboard player. A barbecue is held once a week in the beautiful setting of the pool area overlooking the sea. Hotel guests come from many different european countries and there does not appear to be a majority from any particular one . There is always a proportion of single guests who are there for the spa treatments and everyone soon stops to chat whilst visiting the treatment centre and diet restaurant every day........gem of a hotel not found in many english brochures......perhaps not large, plush modern hotel you expect with five star rating but definitely five star service.

Just returned from a restful weeks holiday 'without the kids'. Beautiful gardens with streams with ducks and swans, choice of 3 pools, and generally excellent food. Breakfast is served from the main restaurant with terrace overlooking the sea and is really something else. The breakfast buffet caters for all tastes and will not disappoint - waiters and waitresses provided fantastic service. Eating in hotel alone can get expensive, so we ate out - ample selection of reasonable restaurants in Armação de Pera which is just 3 minutes by car. The gym is too small to be of value but the hotel do provide a personal trainer each day free of charge, who also does yoga, aqua aerobics etc. Several tennis courts but the hotel charge for racket hire - but will only sell a tube of tennis balls - not impressed. The spa is very impressive and the treatments were of a good standard but prices were relatively high. Also one is not able to enjoy the spa pools unless you have booked a medical treatment which requires the pool. Children are well catered for with a kids club and shallow pool areas however the tranquil ambience is not condusive to noisy children playing - guests tend to go to this hotel to chill, relax under a shade and read, I felt that noisy children would be frowned upon. All in all we were impressed with this hotel, it is professionally run and the staff were friendly and courteous. The rooms were spacious and all have lovely garden or pool views. Would certainly return again if we go back to this area. Did I mention the wonderful breakfast!!!

This is one of the best Sofitel hotel with thalasso that I have tried (amongs others : Sofitel Quiberon, Sofitel Biarritz, Sofitel Vichy, Sofitel Porticcio).

My best rate goes to the location and the property, with a magnificient view from a cliff overlooking the sea and a non less magnificient garden. The buildings are no higher than 1 stage and are scattered throughout the garden, so you can really enjoy calm and tranquillity. The resort has 6 pools and a nearly private sandy beach. And last but not least, should I mention the breakfast taken on the restaurant's terrasse, while admiring the wonderful seascape and listening to the seagulls in the sky; its a real moment of pleasure.

My second best rate goes to the hotel staff who is very friendly, always smiling and always helpful.

Nothing special to say about the thalasso centre, it stands up to the usual high standard set by Accor Thalassa.

Now some weak points :

There are 2 main restaurants, one serving traditional meals and the other low calories meals. I have tried the 2 and definitely prefer the second (but to be honest, I find that none is exceptional - if you are a "fin gourmet" I would suggest Sofitel Biarritz).

The resort lacks also amenities and recreation services dedicated to children. The staff told me they plan to remedy to it in the next year.

This one of the best hotels we have stayed in. The Junior Suite with sea views is very comfortable and even has wifi (this review is being done in the comfort of the room).The service is excellent, friendly and unobtrusive.

But the gardens are to die for it makes walking to the restaurant a pleasure.

The staff at the Thallasotherapy centre are knowledgeable and offer a wide range of treatments.

If you are looking for a great place to unwind and destress then try Vila Lara.

Dies ist eines der besten Hotels, in dem ich übernachtet habe. Die Junior Suite kam mit Blick auf das Meer und war sehr komfortabel und hatte sogar drahtloses Internet (ich schreibe die Kritik IN meinem Hotelzimmer). Der Service war exzellent und die Angestellten sehr freundlich und unaufdringlich.

Die Gärten sind wunderschön und es bringt richtig Spass, zum Restaurant zu gehen.

Die Angestellten, die die Thalasso-Therapie ausführen, kennen sich gut aus und haben eine gute Auswahl von Behandlungen.

Falls ihr ein Hotel zum Entspannen sucht, dann ist das Vilalara richtig.

Beautiful complex, not the place for rowdy crowds. Close to the towns but secluded beach with an upper class feel. This place is for the discerning traveller who expects to pay for the best.

Every year for sure!"

I've traveled a lot and have stayed in very good hotels like the Eden in Rome, Copacabana Palace in Rio, Mandarin in London and others,but this one is special, I really loved this hotel, not just of its location and the property itself (Gardens, pools, SPA, beach) but the service and the people, it is really a great service, from the bellboy, restaurant staff, reception, they are great and they know how to please without forgetting the real service technics, they have "Savoir faire".

And the breakfast with that view!! No words

This hotel is of an incredible excellence. I have been to Tahiti and Bora Bora and this hotel in my own country is of a quality I didn't ever expect! Unfortunatelly I didn't have the Thalassotherapy but I can tell you that people are extremelly nice, service is very good, the food is excellent and the whole resort is extremely well treated. I am Portuguese but don't think I am telling this because this hotel is in Portugal! :) I know how to distinguish the quality! If you ever come to Portugal in the high season July-September don't forget to visit this marvelous hotel and resort.

Dieses Hotel ist unglaublich toll. Ich habe schon in Tahiti und Bora Bora übernachet und dieses Hotel hat eine Qualität, die ich nicht erwartet hätte.

Leider hatte ich nicht die Thalasso-Therapie, aber ich kann sagen, dass die Angestellten sehr nett waren, der Service sehr gut und das Essen sehr gut und dass das Hotel sehr gepflegt ist.

Ich bin Portugiese, aber ich lobe dieses Hotel nicht so sehr, weil ich Portugiese bin!

Ich kenne mich mit Qualität aus. Falls ihr Portugal in der Hauptsaison zwischen Juli und September besucht, vergesst nicht, dieses tolle Hotel und Resort zu besuchen!