Maison Albar - Amoure

We have stayed at Maison Albar - Amoure three times in this its opening 12 months and it doesn't feel enough. It's boldly and beautifully designed and laid out. The gardens are delightful, punctuated with contemporary artworks. The pool is long and complemented again with great landscaping and artworks. Every member of staff is superb. The check-in is one of the best check-experiences we've had, making one feel special as soon as you step out of your car. The rooms are comfortable, modern with great beds, luxurious bathrooms and fascinated views over the gardens to the surrounding countryside. On our first stay, we ended up ordering room service because we didnt want to leave the room. That said, in the subsequent stays we have eaten in the restaurant and in the bar - both menus are excellent. The breakfast deserves special mention, as does the waiter service. We have just booked our fourth stay later this month and are looking ahead to when we can fit in the fifth and sixth!

Perfect, wonderfully attentive staff, superb modern luxury hotel, great restaurant, fantastic breakfast. Chilled pools with complimentary water, plus bar service. Club sandwich and dinner (cod / steak) both ace. Limited edition Aston Martin on turntable in bar was mesmerising. Huge room, with massive marble lined shower. Good parking provision, although we were with a Ferrari so used the hotels secure garage. We will return.

Everything (with 1 exception) about this hotel breaths style and class. Upon arrival, they are quick to meet you in the frontyard, take your luggage, park your car. During check in, seated in a lounge area, you are offered a welcome drink. The room is spacious and very well decorated. There is a bottle of wine and some fruit waiting for you in the room. Turn down service every night with a different little gift every night. All the common areas are also very well decorated. There is a nice indoor pool, an outdoor pool, gym, nice breakfast restaurant with outdoor seating, and an extensive menu with table service, a different dinner restaurant, 24 h room service. But the cherry on the pie is definitely the staff. They are obviously well trained to make you feel like royalty, anticipating your needs in a discrete way, and always having little conversations to make you feel like a friend of the house. The staff is the heart and soul of this hotel. The 1 downside I mentioned earlier is the hotel bar. It is large, it feels cold and lacks the cosy atmosphere which reigns everywhere else in the hotel. And in the middle of the bar, there is a pathetic and pompous display of luxury cars, yes 3 luxury cars of which one is on a rotating platform. This display would be good for the Geneva auto show, but in a hotel which aims to have class, this is so out of place.

The staff are absolutely wonderful and attentive to your every need. They are extremely welcoming and unpretentious. The rooms have generous balconies and luxurious features. You could easily stay several days and never leave the grounds.

We booked this 5- star Maison for a week, just after it opened and did not have much to gauge its service level on due to very limited reviews. We should not have worried as from the moment we entered the driveway the concierge was next to our car to take the car keys and look after the luggage. Check in was also a personal service in the drawing room with a glass of champagne and seamless introduction to the Maison. We were upgraded to a beautiful suite with large balcony overlooking the front of the hotel. Breakfast was again a personalised service rather than buffet and dinner provided a great selection. The steam room, sauna, indoor and outdoor pool are beautifully located and well serviced. As the owners of this Maison are clearly car enthusiasts, the bright coloured Ferraris come at no cost to observe while sitting in the bar. We travel the world extensively and stay at some very nice locations, however this Maison fits in a different class. It is only small with 28 rooms/suites and ample space (both inside and out) to relax. Each day we selected a day trip within an hours drive which allowed us to explore the most Northern parts of Portugal less visited by tourists. We suggest you book this Maison quickly before the rest of the world finds out what is on offer here!

Wonderful hotel! Nicely located Exceed all expectations, from rooms, restaurant, spa, service, all high quality, correct balance of luxury, very harmonious and quite special place for car enthusiasts (as myself) , no hesitation giving a strong recommendation