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Inside visited the new Macdonald Monchique Resort & Spa, a luxury haven away from the busy coastline
Anyone hoping to escape the scorching Algarve heat and its bustling beaches can now enjoy a luxurious holiday in the foothills of the beautiful Monchique Mountains. The former Longevity Wellness Resort, which had been closed for several months, has been taken over by leading UK hotel group MacDonald Hotels & Resorts and converted into the brand new MacDonald Monchique Resort & Spa.
Opened on June 1, the five-star resort has 185 suites, a stunning 900-sqm spa and four restaurants, all in keeping with the resort’s slogan of “Pure Algarve”. According to Magdalena Osmola, the development’s sales and marketing director, “the location of the property is fantastic and fits very well with MacDonald Hotels & Resorts ethos”. She added: “The property is distinctive, original and by all means simply exceptional. It forms a perfect, idyllic spot for a holiday retreat.”
While the resort’s elegant suites offer impressive mountain and coastal views and include a king-size bed and a living room with kitchenette, as well as two bathrooms, one of Macdonald Monchique’s highlights is undoubtedly its state-of-the-art spa. Dubbed by Magdalena Osmola as “the best in the Algarve”, it comprises a high-tech thermal area equipped with an aromatherapy cabin, ice chamber, indoor pool with hydro massage, foot spa, a Himalayan pink salt sauna and eight treatment rooms, including a VIP Spa Suite with private sauna and Jacuzzi. Offering a range of individually-tailored treatments from the international luxury spa brand ESPA – MacDonald Monchique’s is ESPA’s sixth spa in Portugal -, this pampering haven also uses products from local brand Monchique Cosmetics, which makes the most of the benefits of Monchique water to create a glowing, radiant-looking skin.
Another strong point for the resort is its great choice of food options: with four restaurants (Mon-Chic, A Petiscaria, O Mercado Culinário and Pizzaria da Serra), an elegant cocktail bar and two pool bars, there is something for everybody, ranging from a fine-dining restaurant and informal tapas bar to a gourmet food market and pizzeria. Holding the reins as executive chef is the highly-regarded Louis Anjos, who left his mark at Lagoa’s Suites Alba Resort and Lisbon’s fine-dining restaurant Largo.
Located in an idyllic setting and with a wide range of activities, not only at the resort (yoga, pilates), but also in its surrounding area (cycling, hiking), MacDonald Monchique has been attracting Portuguese guests for shorter breaks, as well as visitors from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia. “We have a lot of actions planned in these key markets over the next months and are hoping to attract international interest,” Magdalena Osmola assured us.
