From the moment we arrived at Viceroy, a serene spot located the hills of the Algarve, we were literally wrapped in warmth and greeted with a hot towel and a soothing honey and cinnamon tea. It was the first of many moments of luxury that would follow. We sank into the lobby fire and took in the space, surroundings and stillness around us, which was beyond our wildest dreams and worlds apart from our yesterday. At that moment it felt like we had travelled so far into some into another world, when in reality, we’d just hoped on a two hour flight from Stansted.
The decor at Viceroy, Ombria Algarve was a massage to the senses, especially for anyone who, like me, loves the marrying of creativity and nature. Aspirational coffee table books stacked over art-deco inspired furniture and finished with earthy homeware pieces, the space was curated intentionally to mirror the beauty of the land. The mornings were bright, the sun mirroring the Algarve inspired architecture and bringing the resort grounds to life. Upon waking, there was an immediate need to slow down, take the day as it came, and we did exactly that every morning. This allowed us to be completely present with each other. Whether we were walking, enjoying fresh orange juice and sweet potato waffles at breakfast or having a sun soak, it was my version of complete zen.
Courtesy of Londie Ncube
Courtesy of Londie Ncube
Our villa was the cocoon of this retreat, with a palette of ocean blues and crisp whites creating a sense of calm. There was a lot of care added to the room, a charming pop-up tent for our daughter stocked with wooden toys and for me and my partner – locally woven basket bags and hats that were perfect for holiday dressing. At any moment the staff were genuinely available and so caring, personalising our experience more than we could have even asked. There was a relaxed nature around the resort that was infectious, from staff picking us up in lobby cars and letting our daughter pretend to drive to spilling the secrets of traditional Algarve.
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