Vila Vita Park vs. Sheraton Pine Cliffs???

[BudaBabe]

Hoping for a week in Portugal this summer and was thinking of either of these hotels. Anyone been? Any comments?

It would be me, DH and DS aged 4.5.

Or any other suggestions for a nice luxury, family hotel in Portugal. Would like nice beach, kids' club, choice of restaurants, nice rooms - I like my luxury!!!

Haven't stayed at either but we visited Pine Cliffs last year while staying nearby. It was nice although I thought the pool area was quite disappointing. I understand that the Porto Pirata kids club is fabby however and it got great reviews in the Sunday Times travel section.

Friends of ours stayed at Pine Cliffs with their young baby and were really disappointed (although they always do 5* so have high expectations!) It is kindof in the middle of lots of big gated resort hotels with nowhere really to walk to or shops to investigage. You would really need a car but saying that you'd need one for Pine cliffs also...

At least at Pine Cliffs there are several restuarants outside the complex and a few shops.

We are going back to Portugal again this year but to a golf village along the road from Pine Cliffs but we'll definitely visit the restuarant there again this year!!

Hope this helps.

Theres a review of Vila Vita on here somewere, outside the talk bit. We were looking at going to Vila vita in May but weathers not great just then , just going on looks I prefer vila vita for some reason.

Found it \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/rev/summersun/520.html\Vila Vita MN review}

Thanks cocopos and melsy.

cocopops - a bit confused by your post - are there shops etc at Vila Vita or Pine Cliffs? I think you meant you visited Pine Cliffs and had friends stay there also? But I could be wrong??!

Thanks for info re pool area too.

melsy - thanks for the link - I originally found it through that link too!

But I can't make my mind up - am always afraid that the other one will be better than the one I book!

There are lots of threads on vila vita in archives , as I was trying to work out best place to go to. Does it have to be Portugal because Le Meridian Limasol Cyprus is amazing to.

bb, you are are looking at the right places.

I live in the Algarve, when I was your thread I asked a friend to recommend 3 luxury family hotels, they suggest:
sheraton pine cliffs, C S hotel san rafael and vila vita.

I love the beach at san rafael.

melsy, it is 24' here at the moment, we are in shorts n t shirts. Unless you are unlucky the weather should be be great in may.

It was other things to jmg1 , as Im 18wks pg, so wasnt sure about travel later on. Thank you though jmg1

Thanks jmg1 - off to google San rafael one - hadn't heard of that!

melsy - We are going to Cyprus for a conference with DH in October (and the connections are a bugger from Budapest which is where we live!). But thanks anyway!

bb, I think it is pronounced san but spelt Sao

oops- just re-read my message and it was confusing. We had friends who stayed at Vila Vita and WE visited Pine Cliffs. Sorry for the confusion!!

Possibly too late, but I've stayed at both. Vila Vita is the 'smarter' hotel, and the grounds etc are very nice. Lots of pools at different levels and a nice small beach. The children's playground is very good,too, but we didn't use the kids' club.

Sheraton/Pine Cliffs is not as luxurious, but there is an indoor pool for low season. The beach is fab there with quite a dramatic approach from the lift. Again, didn't use the kids' club but the playground and facilities look great. My parents go there every year to play golf.

There is nowhere to go near Vila Vita Parc and only a few shops outside Sheraton.

Thanks singersgirl - decided to go with what we know and are going to Sani Beach in northern Greece!!