With this year’s Ryder Cup decided, attention begins to turn to the future of the event and venues. Taking this into consideration, I read the below article with interest about Portugal’s bid for the 2018 event.
Portugal already offers great golf with many courses along the Algarve Coast in the south such as those at Vilamoura, San Lorenzo, Vale do Lobo and the newest addition, Monte Rei. There are also some excellent courses further north close to the beautiful city of Lisbon such as Oitavos Dunes and further north, Praia d’el Rey. In the past these have been the main two areas for golf with a drive of around 3 hours between them. If the development of Herdade da Comporta goes according to plan it will be an ideal way of breaking up the journey between the two areas or allow for a two centre trip without as much travel.
If the Portuguese Ryder Cup bid for 2018 is successful we should hopefully avoid the kind of weather this year’s event suffered!
By Alastair Niven. Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 9 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
A recent trip to the Oitavos Hotel in Cascais, Portugal introduced me to a unique hotel on many different levels. It could be described as a boutique, beach, warehouse, modern hotel that is very much charting a course for itself as an independent property in a marketplace consumed by chains or marketing consortium’s.The hotel is situated a few miles from the charming town of Cascais, approximately 30 minutes to the west of Lisbon. It sits on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with it’s golf course to the side and behind the hotel. With only three floors above ground to comply with local zoning regulations (no taller than the native pine trees) it does a great job of fitting into the landscape. A short video that still uses computer animation is strikingly accurate and worth viewing as it gives a effective overview of the hotel and interior space.The footprint is a classic “Y” with the base of the letter facing directly to the ocean. As you enter the hotel you are struck by the sheer size of the public spaces. With very few exceptions, there are no fixed walls in this space that encompasses bars, restaurants, lounges, even a pool (snooker) table. The resultant flexibility this provides the hotel to adjust to guest needs is remarkable. Although the space is large, due to the use of furniture, dividers and acoustical seperators at the same time it feels very intimate. Make no mistake about it, this is a modern hotel with a chic, contemporary look. The furniture is comfortable, attractive and functional with a myriad of seating & dining options, including high tables.
Downstairs is housed the Spa and breakfast restaurant. I am not a Spa person but was enormously impressed by the facilities and service (no moveable walls here). The hotel has both an indoor and outdoor saltwater pool, sauna and Turkish bath.
Each of the three floors above the lobby contain approximately 48 rooms & suites which all provide ocean views of varying degrees. The size of the hallways and central lobby space on each floor allow the hotel to sell on an exclusive basis one or multiple floors to a group and provide check in, breakfast, cocktails, etc on their private floor without impacting other hotel guests. Indeed other guests would be entirely unaware and this capability is very compelling.
As you walk down the hallway (at the base of the Y) with rooms on both sides, the hallway is 20 feet wide, the sense of space is luxurious without being caverness. At the end of the corridor, facing the ocean is a floor to ceiling window which is as wide as the hallway…offering a stunning view. One of the guiding principals of the hotel design was to bring the outside in and take the inside out. Given the attractive climate in Portugal, this works extremely well with sizeable glass sliding doors and floor to ceiling glass on virtually all exterior walls.
All of the rooms have outside patios with comfortable seating options.Given the innovative design of this hotel, the rooms will not disappoint. The work space provided is exceptional with all of the needed connections and power easily accessible. Even on holiday, guests may want to look at their pictures on a flat screen television or listen to their iPod or MP3 player through room speakers. The bedding is arguably the most comfortable I recall ever sleeping on. The bathroom space is part of the bedroom with no interior walls. Glass seperates the shower and toilet. The bathtub is visible as soon as you enter the room. Ladies will be delighted with the thought that has been applied to their make up area with lighting, seating and power, there is even a small trolley with wheels for additional storage and assistance in this area. The room works extremely well but I suspect for some people who are wed to more traditional bathroom arrangements it may be too much. However, I think the pluses of the design far outweigh the negatives…indeed, if that is an issue, Oitavos has 12 junior suites with a more traditional bathroom configuration.
Activities around the hotel include outstanding golf (Oitavos Dunes #88 in most recent GOLF Magazine rankings), equestrian center, surfing, Spa experience, etc.
One of the thoughtful service features of the golf experience is that the hotel and golf clubhouse are sufficiently integrated to let golfers go directly from the hotel to the range and courses without requiring them check in at the golf shop in the clubhouse. In summary, a wonderful facility with genuinely engaged and personable staff who will do all possible to ensure your visit is memorable.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
It is hard to believe almost one month has passed since the wonderful drama at Celtic Manor. Many people may not have forgotten the unfortunate rain of Friday and Saturday but the Monday finish was so dramatic that it will forever record these Matches as one of the best. Jim Frank offers his thoughts on both Celtic Manor and Wales as a golf destination;
A month and a half ago, I played the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor. It was my final round in Wales after touring the country for two weeks, playing golf and blogging about the courses—and other amenities—throughout the country. Wales is a wonderful golf venue, with many great links courses. But it’s still rustic compared to Scotland and even Ireland, with tiny winding roads …
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
Vale do Lobo was the first development built in the Southern region of Portugal, the Algarve, in 1962. At that time the Algarve was mainly inhabited by locals for farming and fishing. It was only after the establishment of Vale do Lobo that Faro International Airport was built allowing for substantial growth in the area.
Vale do Lobo is home to two superb golf courses, The Royal and The Ocean. Based on original ideas by Sir Henry Cotton and updated by American golf architect Rocky Roquemore, the Vale do Lobo courses have twice held the Portuguese Open.
Vale do Lobo - The Royal Course
Both courses take players through umbrella pine and fig tree-lined fairways. The Royal course plays along the cliff’s edge looking over the Atlantic Ocean. This combination of links and parkland golf provides an enjoyable game for golfers of all standards.
Having previously stayed in the resort on a few occasions, I would recommend a visit to Vale do Lobo for fantastic golf, nice restaurants overlooking the ocean, a good game of Tennis on the ATP tour court (I was fortunate enough to play on centre court), beautiful spa/ fitness facilities and fabulous walks along the beach with a dip in the sea.
By Alan Bowman. Alan joined the PerryGolf team earlier this season.
Dublin city is the place to be!! With so many things to do and see, a few days are never enough. The Temple Bar area has everything from live music and a vibrant atmosphere, to great food and excellent pubs.
If you love food, you’ll probably know that the city has many excellent restaurants that come highly recommended; one of the most talked about and award-wining premises is Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only Two-Star Michelin Restaurant at The Merrion Hotel. The hotel itself is located in heart of Dublin city and also boasts the Tethra Spa which has made the Merrion one of the most luxurious spa hotels in Dublin. The hotel has won many awards over the years for service and high standard of accommodation. One of the recently acquired awards was the ‘Top 15 Large City Hotels in Europe’ by Travel & Leisure in July 2010, ‘Readers’ Choice Awards 2010’. The Merrion was also voted ‘No 1 hotel in Dublin’ Conde Nast Traveler, October 2009.
It is a great 5 star property and certainly will add to the memories of your vacation.
By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of our admin team.
