Quinta Do Lago - A destination like no other.

Quinta Do Lago is a luxurious resort town in the heart of the Algarve and within 15 minutes drive from Faro airport. Nestled among the stunning Ria Formosa Natural Park and the golden coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, Quinta do Lago is an oasis of calm and beauty. Mostly known for its unparalleled golf across three stunning courses, Quinta Do Lago is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and it is easy to see why people have made Quinta Do Lago their permanent home and regular holiday or golfing destination.

The resort offers so much more than just the 3 world class courses, boasting a range of activities and amenities for all ages. This has been boosted by the recent opening of The Campus - A high performance multi-sport complex right in the heart of Quinta Do Lago. It offers members and guests a state of the art performance gym, aquatic centre, tennis and padel courts and a bike shed - a space for cyclists to train, improve and analyse their technique as well as for people looking to hire bikes and take in the scenery from one of many dedicated coastal cycle routes. All this coupled, with a large hybrid pitch that is internationally recognised, allows Quinta Do Lago to be a regular host to professional sports teams for their winter training camps. This also plays host to soccer and rugby camps hosted by ex professionals.

Accommodation:
Along with the Reserva - a luxury collection of 26 apartments available to rent or buy and all coming with their own pool, offers the most luxurious accommodation right near the lagoon and coast. The Magnolia hotel is a boutique hotel right in the heart of the resort, offering 74 rooms and an additional 7 cottages, all bringing a taste of Palm Springs to the Algarve. This family friendly resort offers fantastic 5-star service and boasts a heated outdoor pool, a fully fitted gym, jacuzzi and sauna on site as well as a tennis court, and a fabulous restaurant, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. The perfect base for golfers or families alike.

Restaurants:
If you are a foodie, you are in for a treat, with no shortage of restaurants within Quinta Do Lago, 14 restaurants to be exact, all delivering fantastic food and service. There are a few however, that stood out.

Bovino Steakhouse offers the very best steaks in the area, and has picked up over 20 accolades along the way. All set in a fantastically interior designed restaurant that offers striking decor and a friendly atmosphere.

Umami offers a refined Asian dining experience, famed for its cocktails and robata grill. Created all using the freshest ingredients and takes inspiration from Japanese fisherman who grill fish in their boats using hot coals.

North Course Spotlight

The North course features one the original 9 hole loops that was designed by William Mitchell in 1974, since then the North course has gone through a few more iterations and most recently in 2013 when another American architect Beau Welling redesigned the whole course in collaboration with former winning European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley. In total a €9 million investment was spent to bring about the changes. The redevelopment involved new greens, tee complexes, bunkers and cart paths as well as focusing on irrigation and drainage. The course now requires precision and strategy and offers a variety of holes lined with umbrella pine trees and offers spectacular views along the way. If there is one criticism of the course, it is that the holes are dotted all over and require long walks or buggy rides in between holes, which can make the round feel a little disjointed, this however will not spoil the round and you will still come off smiling, having played one of Portugal’s finest courses.

South Course Spotlight

The South course, founded in 1974, by architect W. Mitchell  is undoubtedly the most well known course of the three, having hosted The Portuguese Open an impressive 8 times with winners including Colin Montgomerie and Mark McNulty. In 2020, the South course was closed and renovations began. A €7 million investment was made to elevate the overall playing experience and to enhance Quinta Do Lago’s commitment to sustainability. Changes made to the course have enabled a 10% saving on water usage, showing QdL’s vision to the future and  respect of its natural beauty. The course itself was reseeded from tees to green with a hybrid bermuda grass, all 48 of the course’s bunkers were renovated, along with a number of subtle changes to the fairways were made. This was made to enhance the golfing experience for professionals and budding amateurs. The most notable change came on the 16th hole, where the green was extended and trees removed from behind to expose the natural beauty of the lake and create a stunning vista. The redevelopment of the course was completed and came with instant acclaim and it's easy to see why. The South Course was voted Winner of Portugal and Europe’s Best Golf Course 2022 by World Golf Awards.

Laranjal Spotlight

Laranjal is the newest addition to the courses at Quinta Do Lago. It was founded in 2009, on the grounds of an orange grove by architect Jorge Santana da Silva. The 18 hole par 72 course offers a fantastic golfing experience for all that will challenge the very best. Separated from the North and South courses, Laranjal is all on one piece of the property and offers spectacular views, beautiful fairways and fast greens with some risk and reward holes that will bring the fun. None more so than the par 5 18th hole, featuring two lakes, It requires a well placed tee shot to make it possible to reach in two. However a second lake hugging the right of the green will add a touch more drama to the hole. Larnajal has its own clubhouse that offers great views of golfers on the course and watching the excitement that 18 brings. A perfect spot to finish with some fantastic food and a cold refreshing drink.

Final Word:

One of the most impressive parts about Quinta Do Lago is seeing that one of Europe’s most loved premier holiday destinations is still looking to the future and evolving, all the while maintaining the vision that Andre Jordan laid down over 50 years ago now. ‘A low density resort focused on leisure that celebrates and protects the surrounding nature.’ Quinta Do Lago is a golfers dream destination, perfect for the larger group bookings or those family holidays. Three stunning courses all very different from one another, but all offering a stern test to everyone. Go ahead and check it out, you won’t regret it.

www.quintadoloago.com