Anantara Opens First Hotel in Europe

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has opened its first hotel in Europe.

Located in southern Portugal on the world-famous Algarve coast, the 280-room Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort is close to the ocean, marinas and beaches of the Algarve and boasts stunning views of the Arnold Palmer- designed Oceânico Golf Course. The resort is also just a 15-minute drive from Faro International Airport.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO Minor Hotels, Anantara’s parent company, said, “We are thrilled to bring our luxury Anantara brand to Portugal and with it launch the brand in a new continent. Anantara is now present in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe and we will continue to grow the brand’s footprint further, both within and outside of these regions. We see great opportunity for Anantara in this key European market and I am confident that the property will establish itself as one of the leading resorts in the country.”

Anantara has partnered with World Wide Kids Company, a resort childcare specialist. The new Adventurers Crèche and the Adventurers Kids Club, which will open mid-May, will be fully equipped with everything for youngsters to have fun enjoying arts, cooking classes, open air cinema, adventure safaris and more, in a purpose-built club under the professional care of well trained staff, allowing parents to relish some quiet time alone. Teens will be able to make new friends and play it cool at The Hub, as well as take part in golf clinics and the dance academy.

The newly renovated Anantara Spa offers a wide selection of therapies including the signature Traditional Thai Massage in dedicated rooms, centuries-old Ayurveda rituals, and treatments using locally-sourced ingredients such as Algarvian citrus fruits, figs and almond powder. Healing continues through the wellness programme with yoga and tai chi sessions on offer.

In addition to swimming pools there is also a 24-hour gym with dedicated Personal Trainers and tennis courts.

Culinary excellence is at the heart of the Portuguese culture. Using his deep expertise in Portugal’s culinary traditions, Executive Chef Bruno Viegas has woven his passion throughout Anantara Vilamoura’s six bars and restaurants. A new wine oriented restaurant concept comes to life at EMO, where Bruno and the resort’s Wine Guru António Lopes have masterfully created a menu that reflects the terroir heritage of the region. Focusing on Portuguese grape varieties and local produce, the duo pair  dishes such as Braised Turbot, Salt Cod Loins and Pata Negra Ham with a selection of over 300 accompanying wines from the region, allowing diners to truly savour the tastes of the country.

Opening on 1 May, the new lunchtime restaurant Ria will serve freshly caught fish and seafood emulating a traditional Marisqueira or seafood bistro commonly found along the secluded Ria Formosa lagoon, located a short distance away. The restaurant will  showcase choice catches such as Quarteira Prawns, Goose Barnacles, and Wild Caught Turbot, with the Raw Bar serving ceviche and carpaccios from the Algarve. The fresh ocean produce will be paired with crisp white and rosé wines to round off guests’ alfresco dining experience. Poolside guests can enjoy this experience without having to leave their chaise longue as waiters will circulate the catch of the day within Algarvian wicker baskets and prepare them at the guests’ convenience.

Preserving the heritage of the hotel’s previous incarnation as Tivoli Victoria, the all-day dining restaurant Victoria carries on the legacy as a warm meeting place, gathering cultures and tastes in one place for refined à la carte or lavish buffet style dining. Live food stations draw attention to recipes from in-house chefs as they lovingly prepare dishes from their home towns, served alongside the bold flavours of Thai cuisine, epitomising the origins of Anantara. As well as providing guests with a myriad of indigenous delicacies such as almonds, figs, traditional egg dishes and local cheeses, breakfast goers at Victoria will be able to savour the famed Algarvian Orange, which is freshly squeezed every morning from a cart, like that which is seen on paths and roads in towns and villages in the area surrounding the resort.

Pool side dining at Palms Pool Bar comprises of classics such as Piri Piri tuna tartare, sardines and light bites, with guests at the adult pool bar Cascades being able to enjoy favourites from the new Ria menu and refreshingly delicious Champagne-based Sangria with Algarvian oranges. Ideal for a pre-dinner apéritif and Petiscos (Portuguese tapas) or a post dinner night cap, the  Anantara Bar and Lounge is a place to congregate and share stories with other travellers. The lounge bar also sets the stage for the nightly sundown ceremony of traditional Fado music. The expressive and heartfelt strains fill the lobby with the sound of Portugal’s native tune, reminiscent of days gone by Anantara’s signature culinary concepts offer unique and engaging experiences.

Presenting one of the most diverse Portuguese wine collections in the Algarve, resident Wine Guru António Lopes, who was voted Best Sommelier of Portugal in 2014, hosts tasting sessions which can include a private visit to a local vineyard. Guests can also experience the Wine Guru’s expertise when indulging in Dining by Design, which offers a choice of connoisseur menus coupled with idyllic settings, alongside the services of a personal chef and butler, ensuring a wonderfully romantic occasion.

Travellers with a sense of adventure can learn how to create Portugal’s fresh and flavoursome dishes in a Spice Spoons cooking class which combines a visit to the nearby Loulé fresh food market with an interactive cooking class in an open theatre kitchen with the chef.

Befitting its location overlooking the championship Oceânico Golf Course, Anantara Vilamoura has a Golf Guru, ensuring golfing holidays are not only seamless, but perfectly tailored to each golfer´s needs, whatever their handicap.

Guests can also discover the well-kept secrets of the Algarve with a myriad of activities and guided excursions, including a tasting tour of the ubiquitous Ria Formosa with oyster shucking and freshly prepared seafood from a local fisherman; or escape to the countryside for an adventure through the local villages and towns surrounding the area, uncovering the fascinating origins and history of agricultural treats such as almonds, figs, oranges and olives. 

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