For the last five years, excluding the Covid years of 2020 and 2021, we have visited Vilamoura in the Algarve. On all but one of those visits we stayed at the Hilton Spa hotel. It suited us very well hence our frequent visits.
This year we thought we should have a change of location. To cut to the chase, I selected another Hilton Spa hotel located at Cascais (pronounced KeyshKash) a seaside resort 32 Km. to the west of Lisbon. When we booked, in February, the Legacy hotel was due to reopen in late April after a substantial refurbishment.
The hotel has been created in what was a block of "up market" apartments owned by Ms. Ming Chu Hsu's Reformosa Group. The group still owns the Hotel but has teamed with Hilton to open it under the latter's "Curio" brand.
So, when we arrived, on 19th May, the hotel had only been open for business for three weeks. We had arranged for a limo to takes us from Lisbon airport to the hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel management had not updated its address on the Internet so the driver dropped us off at the "old" address. This meant that we had to trundle our suitcase for about two hundred yards to the new entrance. We had left a warm and sunny England and now we found ourselves lugging our suitcase against a stiff cool breeze. Not a good start at all!
This initial experience provided material for light hearted banter between me and the charming reception staff. This established a "bonhomie" between us and the staff endured throughout our five night stay. Every member of staff we encountered was both charming and helpful, especially in the restaurant. The hotel itself was furnished to a high standard, with a décor, in the dining area, that I would call "challenging"; whether it is to your taste or not you certainly couldn't ignore it. The restaurant operates under the direction of the highly acclaimed 'Restaurante Don Alfonso'. We can attest to the excellence of the food both in terms of quality and presentation.
The position of the hotel, whilst within easy walking distance of the town centre and beach front is marred by being next to a very busy road with its attendant noise and fumes. In walking from the hotel to the promenade, a distance of just over half a mile, you travel down numerous narrow streets lined with modest old houses painted in various pastel shades. It seemed to us that nearly one in five of these house has been turned into some sort of trading establishment, whether it be a bar, a café, restaurant, or, general store.
The promenade is delightful with its black and white paving stones arranged in a wave formation (see the photo below). There are many things to see, most of which are captured in the photos below. My wife was taken with the fairly new/modern Marina area with its boutique shops and cafes.
Enough of the chat, let the photos tell their own story. But before that let me say that everyone I spoke to, from the police lady (seeking directions) to ice cream vendors and bus drivers, were friendly and courteous.
CASCAIS
PARC MARECHAL CARMONA
Nick
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