Memmo Baleeira

Rooms

The standard double and single rooms aren't huge but they are sleek, with cool white décor and tasteful accent colours, and some have balconies - perfect for a beachside hotel. Suites are larger and have living areas, kitchenettes and all have balconies. We’d always recommend paying the extra few euros for a frontal sea view, though it's worth noting that the partial sea view rooms get a tiny sideways peek of the ocean and views of the gardens; the best outlooks are higher up, so avoid ground-floor rooms if this is important to you. The land view rooms are cheaper, but you do sacrifice the wonderful vistas for inland views across scrubland and the village.

Each room is flooded with light. Beds are big with all-white bedspreads and sheets; mattresses, on the soft not the hard side, are comfortable and new - though some doubles are zipped-together twins. Floors are pale varnished wood with neat (often spherical) rugs, and there are boxy bedside tables and desks. Bathrooms are simple and functional (most could do with a bit of a revamp), but you get a big stash of ablution goodies: shampoo and conditioner with juniper extracts, citrus-fruit shower gel, orange-blossom body cream.

Amenities in the rooms are fairly minimal. There are flatscreen TVs and modest minibars, and WiFi will soon be available for an additional charge. There are extra goodies in the suites (some duplexes): bathrobes, DVD players, sofabeds, and planter's-style chairs for sitting out on the balconies. Guests staying in the suites can also take advantage of room service until 1am, something that isn't available if you're in a standard room. There are also 6 2-Bedroom Sea View Suites for larger families.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast here is a cut above the norm. In addition to the full English-style variant, there's a choice of cheeses, cold cuts, smoked salmon, seasonal fruits, cereals, yoghurts, scrummy cakes, excellent bread and croissants - plus a wonderful sea view. You may occasionally need to wait to be seated during the summer months (there are less tables than there are bedrooms), but the waiters will be on your case.

Dinner is good but fairly pricey, and we were puzzled, to say the least, why they drew a curtain between us and the ocean view. The Fornaria restaurant serves tasty Mediterranean lunches and dinners, with the centerpiece being the wood-fired oven. Fresh home-made pizzas are popular but the seafood such as roasted octopus in rosemary olive oil and cod gratin on mashed sweet potatoes is also well worth a look, too. Wash it all down with a tipple from the Portuguese wine list.

The restaurant itself is sleek but not particularly atmospheric, so you may be better off skipping down the steps outside to one of the harbour restaurants below or strolling into Sagres village. The hotel has negotiated a range of special offers with nearby eateries, and you’ll find a list in your room.

Sandwiches, salads, and tapas are available throughout the day at Memmo Lounge, and you can start or end your evening with a drink in the bar where, as well as a big choice of long drinks, a dozen or so cocktails are on offer - including 4 different takes on the caipirinha theme.

Those in the suites have basic kitchenettes for simple self-catering.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Take a picnic to a stunning beach (and pack a bottle of Sagres, Portugal's best beer); Praia Mareta, tucked into the lee of Sagres point, is the closest, while the long beach at Beliche is one of our favourites
  
• Head down to Memmo's surf centre, run in conjunction with the local surf school and open to all levels and ages, beginners included
  
• Go windsurfing: strong north winds in summer make Praia Martinhal, close to the hotel, one of the favourites. Praia Tonel, a 5-minute drive with steep access, is superb, but rocky outcrops make this suitable for experienced windsurfers only
  
• Swim with dolphins - you can join an excursion from Baleeira harbour; family fishing trips and diving for shipwrecks are also available
  
• Rent one of the hotel bikes and spin over to Cape St Vincent (6km), whose fortress and chapel mark the western tip of the Algarve
  
• There's horse-riding 8km away, golf courses around 20km
  
• Bar-hop in Lagos, a 30-minute drive. Its quaint cobblestone streets are lined with restaurants and bars (most of them aimed at the British), while its beaches and coves, some very lovely and very peaceful, are 2 steps from the town
  
• After all that activity you'll long to return to the hotel for a dip in the pool and a bit of pampering (perhaps a mineral facial or a precious-stone massage)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Dolphin watching
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Nightlife
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Well being
• Windsurfing

Best Time to go

Our Top Tips

Location

Memmo Baleeira is 300m from the beach, on the main street in the small fishing port of Sagres, on the southwestern tip of Portugal.

By Air:
Faro (115km away) is the nearest airport; Lisbon Portela is 300km away. Both have regular links to the UK and elsewhere in Europe; Lisbon is also served by some long-haul flights - click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport
Most people hire a car (see below), but the hotel can arrange a taxi transfer if you'd prefer (see Rates).

By Car:
A car isn't essential here, but it's useful for exploring the wider area - see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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